Evidence of potential establishment of pink salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha in Scotland

• Published in: Journal of fish biology Vol. 102; no. 3; pp. 721 - 726
• Main Authors: Skóra, Michał E., Jones, John Iwan, Youngson, Alan F., Robertson, Sean, Wells, Alan, Lauridsen, Rasmus B., Copp, Gordon H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-03-2023; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Animals; Europe; Fish; Freshwater; Inland water environment; invasive species; Life cycle; Life Cycle Stages; Life cycles; Oncorhynchus; Oncorhynchus gorbuscha; Peninsulas; pink salmon; River Oykel; River Thurso; Rivers; Salmon; Scotland; smolt; Smolts; Spawning; Tributaries; United Kingdom; Scotland; United Kingdom; Europe; River Oykel; pink salmon; River Thurso; smolt; invasive species
• ISSN: 0022-1112; 1095-8649
• DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15304

In spring 2022, pink salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha smolts were recorded in the UK. Fish were caught in the Rivers Thurso and Oykel in Scotland between 13 and 17 March. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first observation of O. gorbuscha smolts in Europe outside the Scandinavian and Kola peninsulas, including other tributaries of the White and Barents Seas. It also provides evidence of successful spawning in 2021 and completion of the freshwater phase of the life cycle, and indicates the possibility for potential establishment of an O. gorbuscha population in Great Britain.