Pollutants in Test Itchen Rivers

Chalk Stream Salmon

Chalk stream salmon, a subspecies of Atlantic salmon, are uniquely found in rare chalk stream habitats such as the Rivers Test and Itchen. There are  only about 200 chalk streams in the world, most of which are in England. 

However, the numbers of chalk stream salmon in our rivers have been decimated in recent years. In 2022 there were the lowest numbers of salmon in the Itchen since 1990 – just 20% of the conservation limit (the target for species stock survival.) The same year, the River Test had the 4th lowest numbers since 1990 –  just under 50% of the conservation limit.

catch-release-chalk-stream-salmon

Why is this important?

Atlantic Salmon are a keystone species which means that they have a disproportionate impact on the overall ecosystem and are essential to maintain the health and continuity of their habitat. As such, they are an indicator of the overall health of the rivers. The decline in salmon in the Test & Itchen should be seen as a warning about the ecological health of our rivers. We must act now to protect our rivers and bring back the salmon if we want to safeguard the future of salmon fishing in the Test & Itchen.