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Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

The River Ewe at Poolewe

The River Ewe at Poolewe

Between June and September each year, many hundreds of adult salmon return from the North Atlantic underneath the road bridge at Poolewe and swim up the River Ewe into Loch Maree.

Many of the salmon are 'grilse' which have been at sea for little more than one year. Larger salmon may have spent two or more winters at sea. In late autumn, salmon run upstream to lay their eggs in river gravels. Many salmon die after spawning and their carcasses are eaten by otters, foxes or other animals. Young salmon hatch in the spring, and are know as 'fry' in their first summer, as 'parr' in their 2nd and 3rd years before turning silver when they are known as 'smolts' and migrating downstream into the sea and on towards arctic feeding grounds.

WRFT has found juvenile Atlantic salmon in 30 river systems within the WRFT area. Salmon are the most important species for fisheries. The Little Gruinard River has been designated under the EU Habitats and Species directive as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for Atlantic salmon.

One year old salmon parr         [Close]
A salmon smolt (Ben Rushbrooke)         [Close]
A grilse with predator damage (Ben Rushbrooke)         [Close]
The head of a cock salmon (Ben Rushbrooke)         [Close]
Brown trout (top) and salmon parr (below)         [Close]
Salmon fry and trout fry (the one at the bottom is the trout)         [Close]
An escaped farm salmon - note the shape of the tail and fins (Ben Rushbrooke)         [Close]
Artist Robin Ade with the head of a 35lb salmon carcass found in the River Ewe in January 2003; Salmon of 32lb (15kg) or more have been recorded in several rivers in the WRFT area since the year 2000         [Close]

Salmon Gallery

Click a photograph to see it enlarged.

  • One year old salmon parr [click to enlarge]
  • A salmon smolt (Ben Rushbrooke) [click to enlarge]
  • A grilse with predator damage (Ben Rushbrooke) [click to enlarge]
  • The head of a cock salmon (Ben Rushbrooke) [click to enlarge]
  • Brown trout (top) and salmon parr (below) [click to enlarge]
  • Salmon fry and trout fry [click to enlarge]
  • An escaped farm salmon (Ben Rushbrooke) [click to enlarge]
  • Artist Robin Ade with the head of a 35lb salmon carcass [click to enlarge]

Related Downloads

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  • Escaped farm salmon and wild salmon at Dundonnell, October 2009
    Higher resolution photograph of the two large male salmon from the Dundonnell broodfish tank, 30th October 2009. Photos of scales from each of the fish are also shown. Fish photo by Ben Rushbrooke. Thank you to Alasdair Macdonald and Dundonnell Estate for permission and support.  Posted: 18/11/2009 (2.59MB)
  • Land Use and Salmon Smolt Production in Wester Ross
    Presentation given by Peter Cunningham at the WRFT Ecosystem Fertility and Salmon Smolt Production Seminar on 30th November 2007. Describes growth of juvenile salmon in Wester Ross and how this relates to soil fertility and land management. Note large size of file!.  Posted: 05/09/2008 (22.41MB)
  • Little Gruinard juvenile fish assessment 2006 report
    This illustrated report presents the results of the 2006 WRFT Little Gruinard electro-fishing survey. Relationships between juvenile salmon abundance and habitat characteristics are discussed. The natural production of juvenile salmon in this Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for Atlantic salmon could be strengthened through restoring levels of natural fertility within the Little Gruinard catchment area.  Posted: 22/09/2008 (964KB)
  • Otters and Salmon carcasses study 2002
    The findings of a study to investigate levels of mortality of salmon along spawning streams and what happens to their carcasses are reported in this report to project sponsors, the Atlantic Salmon Trust. .  Posted: 18/07/2008 (3.12MB)
  • Scale of Dundonnell River salmon 22 October 2008
    This salmon was taken from the Dundonnell River on 22 October 2008 for broodstock. Scale reading indicates that she was returning to freshwater to spawn for the third time. Thanks to Alasdair Macdonald of Dundonnell estate for the scale.  Posted: 11/12/2008 (1.90MB)
  • Six Tournaig grilse taken in October 2008 (Ben Rushbrooke)
    Six grilse taken in the upstream trap at Tournaig on 9th & 10th October 2008.  Posted: 10/10/2008 (918KB)