Research over many years has discovered that migrating salmon from various parts of the U.K migrate to totally different feeding grounds.
Some of which will surprise you!

Report summary cribbed from msn :-

Analysis of fish scales has helped scientists track down where Atlantic salmon migrate to from the UK, information that it is hoped will help protect the declining species.

Salmon scales contain collagen laid down during growth, with the composition of the carbon in it varying in relation to the sea surface temperatures in the area where the fish are feeding.

Scientists from the University of Southampton examined the portion of scales that grew while the salmon were out at sea, and matched the information with satellite records of ocean surface temperature to find out where they had been feeding away from the UK.

The analysis of more than 500 scales from samples at the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) revealed that fish from different rivers headed for widely differing parts of the sea when they left the UK's shores.

According to the results, salmon from rivers such as the Tyne, in north-east England, headed towards the Norwegian sea, while fish from the River Frome in Dorset were feeding close to Iceland.

The Defra-funded research, published in the online journal Scientific Reports, helps solve questions over where wild Atlantic salmon go to feed out at sea, and could give clues as to why their numbers have declined in recent decades.

It is hoped they will also help experts improve protection for species such as salmon and identify where best to put marine reserves.

Dr Kirsteen MacKenzie, lead author of the research, said: "As every single salmon contains a natural chemical tag, we can now see where fish from individual rivers go to feed in the Atlantic.

"We found that salmon born in two areas of the British Isles swim to feeding grounds that are far apart, and experience very different conditions while at sea."

Co-author Dr Clive Trueman said: "Our technique can also be used to aid conservation of animals such as turtles, seabirds and tuna, and identify the best areas for marine protection areas."


full report here:-


Locations of marine animals revealed by carbon isotopes : Scientific Reports : Nature Publishing Group

is an interesting read.

ADMIN, FEEL FREE TO MOVE THREAD TO SALMON FORUM/THREADS IF REQUIRED.

Regards
bert

in the 30's William Menzies published a report into the salmon fisheries of Scotland, and said that salmon did not neccessarily return to their socalled native river, Tagged salmon on the Don at the redds , were found later that same year on the Cumbria Eden, its a book worth reading if you can find a copy
I loaned mine out and thus I have it no more, a lot of the info is relevant to today, easker1

Great read Bert. Similar study done on the West Coast of the US that covered everything from turtles to Sea Lions to birds to Salmon. Absolutely amazing how far these things can/do travel over their life time.

fae

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"The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a
living are now outnumbered by those who vote for a living." -- Anonymous

Which is exactly why we should not stock with salmon. They will come anyway if conditions in the river are right for them. I wonder if there have been similar studies into seatrout?

richard

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Who resides on the right bank of the Derbyshire Wye and is lulled to sleep each night by the mutterings of a weir, dreaming that "When the rivers and their inhabitants come first, we ALL win..."

Richard, maybe not directly transferable info (Pacific Salmon/Steelhead to Atlantic Salmon) but "we've" known this for years.

For round numbers 90+++ percent of Pacific Salmon/Steelhead will go back to their Natal Streams .. but a significant number do not. Thought is 'lost?' or Natures way of saying 'shxt happens' (floods/droughts/what-ever) and 'Mom's' covering here Darwin butt.

fae

__________________
"The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a
living are now outnumbered by those who vote for a living." -- Anonymous

Guys,
i think you are all missing the point.
The research aint about salmon returning to the hatching river!
is about where they go to feed and mature once they leave the river!
Is a given that some fish will run a different river to their birth, but what is important is where they spend time at sea prior to return.
if you study the paper in depth, you begin to understand why rivers like tyne, tweed, tay, and dee, have good and increasing runs, and perhaps why rivers like wye, lune, nith, etc have decreasing runs.
will leave you to work that out
regards
bert