Rehabilitation of salmon (Salmo salar L.) in Denmark; state, objectives and methods

Summary

In Denmark, salmon was formerly a common species in River Gudena in East Jutland, and in the rivers in West Jutland with outlets into the North Sea. In 1990 only a very small stock was left in the River Skjern Å. In the other rivers the populations had become extinct, probably due to organic pollution and clay, the building of impassable weirs and the destruction of spawning grounds.

An action plan has been prepared as a joint project between the fisheries and the environmental authorities. The plan includes the rehabilitation of spawning grounds, the building of functional fishpasses, and increased cleaning of waste water. Together with these initiatives, a massive stocking is planned, which starts in 1995. The stocking material will be yearlings. In River Skjern Å the material will be offspring of the local stock. In the other rivers where the natural stocks have become extinct, the stocking material will be offspring from Irish, Scottish and Swedish salmon stocks, sometimes combined with material from River Skjern Å.