Salmon Fishing: Proposed River Gradings For 2024 Season - Consultation

A consultation is now open seeking views on the proposed river gradings for the 2024 salmon fishing season, which have been calculated from the annual assessment of the conservation status of wild Atlantic salmon in rivers across Scotland.

An assessment of the conservation status of salmon in inland waters in Scotland is carried out each year and each river or assessment group is assigned a grading depending on the outcome of that assessment. As a result of the latest assessment, we are proposing that the grading of a number of rivers or groups of rivers will change for the 2024 fishing season. A summary of these changes and a full overview of the proposed river gradings for the 2024 fishing season are available.

The detailed changes for the coming year are:

Seven river systems rise one grade from the previous year, including four rivers which will no longer require mandatory catch and release:

• Laxdale and Blackwater (Lewis)
• Laxford and Gleann Dubh
• Lussa River (Jura)
• Soval Estate

Four river systems fall one grade, including three rivers which will become mandatory catch and release fisheries in 2024. These are:

• Laggan and Sorn
• Urr Water
• Varragill River

As in previous years, we propose that the River Leven (Dunbartonshire), assessed at grade 1, should be awarded grade 2 status to reflect the lower grading of a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) in the catchment – Endrick Water.

We propose that the River Ness, assessed at a grade 1, should be awarded grade 2 status to reflect the lower grading of an SAC in the catchment – River Moriston SAC.

The River Teith SAC is assessed at grade 1 while the Forth is a grade 2. However, the situation is complicated by the overlap between the areas (the Teith SAC extends into the River Forth) and we again propose that we should use the lower of the two grades for both areas, as we did for 2023.

For more information and to respond to the consultation click here