A stable flow of water
We must stop over abstraction of water from the rivers to maintain the healthy, natural flows salmon need
Help Us Save Itchen Salmon
Why do we need to Save Itchen Salmon?
Chalk stream salmon, a subspecies of Wild Atlantic Salmon, are only found in rare chalk stream habitats such as the Rivers Test and Itchen. Chalk stream salmon have swum in the Rivers Test & Itchen for tens of thousands of years. They are a protected species but in recent years, the numbers of chalk stream salmon in our rivers have been decimated. Their survival in our Hampshire chalk streams is now at risk.
Help Us
Please keep out of the river between November & June
During this time, fish are choosing nesting sites, laying their eggs, and hatching into young fry. Staying out of the water protects them during these vulnerable stages of their life cycle.
Salmon in the Itchen Under Threat
In 2022 our salmon count with the Environment Agency found that only 133 salmon returned to the Itchen to spawn. This was the lowest number of salmon in the Itchen since records began in 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.
Subsequent years have seen marginally higher figures but follow the trend of an overall decline in the number of returning adult salmon to the Hampshire chalk streams.
What do wild salmon need to survive?
Why Are Wild Salmon Under Threat?
Salmon need clean, cold water to live and thrive. But our rivers are polluted and the water temperatures are warming up. They also need good habitat to spawn in, a gravel river bed free of silt and pollutants, and places for the young salmon to hide and feed in before they migrate back to sea. Barriers in our rivers are preventing migration up and down the river. These also make it easier for predators to pick off the young salmon as they shoal.
Our rivers are polluted, impounded, modified and in parts nature has been pared back. Increasing population growth is putting even more pressure on our rivers meaning that they are over-abstracted to meet consumer demand from homes and businesses. Added to this, climate change is exacerbating all of these pressures as well as heating the rivers, which reduces levels of oxygen in the water.
This short film explains what’s putting our salmon at risk
Our Plan to Save Itchen Salmon
Itchen Salmon Delivery Plan
We need to take urgent action over the next 3 to 5 years – or sooner – to stand a chance of rebuilding the chalk stream salmon population in the Itchen. An alliance of local conservation groups, fisheries experts and environmental organisations have agreed a programme of work – the Itchen Salmon Delivery Plan (ISDP) – to save the salmon in our chalk streams.
Who’s Involved?
What are we doing?
Addressing diffuse pollution
We will:
Identify priority locations of concern and monitor for diffuse pollution, including using citizen science
Engage with the farming community
Develop and implement collaborative catchment partnership approach to targeting diffuse pollution
Enhancing the quality and extent of spawning and juvenile habitat and improve upstream and downstream fish passage
We will:
Improve upstream fish passage at Stoke Lock
Lower Itchen Project – improve the management of the River Itchen and adjacent habitats downstream of Mansbridge on the A27
Fish passage improvements at Bishopstoke (including all structures, channels (main channel and navigation) and flow splits)
Identify and document priority salmon migration routes and key structures and their associated operation
Work with riparian owners and river keepers to review hatch control to optimise migration for all life stages from Woodmill to Winchester
Address fish passage issues and poaching at Tumbling Bay
Deliver a short-term (3 year) combined habitat enhancement and gravel cleaning programme at key spawning locations to optimise spawning success and juvenile survival
Develop a list of sites for habitat enhancement and gravel cleaning to be delivered beyond 2025
Implement ‘Smolt Watch’ as a citizen science project at Woodmill each year to monitor smolt abundance
Consider the options for the removal of a structure at Qing Ya Xi (including how existing flow splits to channels upstream will be maintained, bank stabilisation requirements, public access and local fisheries stakeholders)
Undertake concept and consultation phase for river restoration works at Manor Beat
Create a network of salmon sanctuary areas
Safeguarding sufficient flow
Ensuring fisheries management measures protect salmon populations
We will:
Develop and implement fishing method restrictions for Riverside Park
Byelaw including mandatory catch and release for stocks assessed to be at risk and measures to restrict salmon angling methods to reduce post catch and release mortality, including use of bait, hook size and type
Deter poaching at vulnerable locations
Work with fishing clubs / fisheries on rules for river coarse fishing during the salmon close season and reduce incidental captures of salmon
Develop and promote best practice stocking guidance to minimise any impact on salmon populations
Putting in place climate change adaptation measures
We will:
Carry out a programme of tree planting in priority locations along the rivers
Develop a system of reporting for voluntary cessation of fishing when river temperatures reach 19°C at 09:00 or 20°C at any time during the day
Simple Things You Can Do to Help Save Itchen Salmon
An alliance of conservation, environmental and fishing organisations are working together to save the rare chalk stream salmon of the Rivers Test & Itchen. But we also need the help of the local community.
Did you know that most of the water houses and businesses use in South Hampshire is supplied by the Rivers Test & Itchen – the globally rare chalk stream habitats that support endangered species like the Wild Atlantic Salmon?
There are lots of simple, practical things that you can do to help – such as reducing the amount of water you use at home or switching to more environmentally friendly household cleaning products.
Cut Your Water Consumption
There are lots of simple things you can do at home to cut your water consumption. The less water you consume means the less water is taken from the rivers and the less wastewater you send to the sewage treatment works – all good for the rivers. The bonus is that you also save money.
The easiest things to do are:
Showers: Cut your time in the shower – an average shower in the UK uses 13 litres of water a minute. Keep showers down to 4 minutes and you can save hundreds of thousands of litres of water a year. Fitting a water efficient shower head will save even more.
Running Taps: Don’t run the tap when cleaning your teeth or wash dishes under a running tap. A running tap uses 6 litres of water a minute.
Collect rainwater or recycle water for gardens and cleaning cars: Every drop of water that comes out of a household tap has been treated to drinkable standards, with all the energy and chemicals that involves. Harvest rainwater or re-use grey water for the garden or for cleaning the car instead. Will also keep the bills lower.
Reduce Your Use of Chemical Pollutants
Whatever you use in your house eventually ends up in the rivers after passing through the wastewater treatment works. Many of the chemical ingredients in cleaning products are harmful to both human and aquatic life. Choose eco-friendly detergents and household products or use natural substances like vinegar for cleaning windows or lemon juice as a degreaser.
Pet Pollution
The sad truth is that you are most probably unwittingly polluting the rivers though tick, flea or worm treatment that contains pesticides that have been banned in agriculture, but for some bizarre reason are still allowed in veterinary medicine. For example Imidacloprid has been found in our chalkstream and is particularly potent; a single treatment for a dog is devastating to river life insects. Please consider less toxic alternatives such as flea collars. If you have treated your pets with these chemicals please do not let them into the rivers.
Anglers
Consider whether you need to fish for Salmon on the Test or Itchen. If you chose to do so, then do not fish for salmon once the water temperature exceeds 19C at 0900 in the morning or 20C at any time of the day. Please ensure you are conforming to catch and release and best practice about how handle the fish to reduce harm and fish mortality. A leaflet on best practice is here: CR-leaflet-2013
Swimmers
Please help us to preserve the delicate eco-system of the rivers by choosing not to wild swim in the Test & Itchen. Even the most considerate swimmers can unwittingly cause harm to the banks, gravel beds and harm aquatic life. Swimming also stirs up the sediment at the bottom of rivers, which can cloud the water and smother fish eggs and aquatic plants, harming the ecosystem.
Disturbing fish in freshwater rivers by swimming can have a significant impact on their health. Fish are highly sensitive to changes in their environment; the presence of swimmers can stress them, affecting their behaviour and physiological states.
Between November and June, fish are choosing nesting sites, laying their eggs in the gravel river bed, and hatching into young fry. It is crucial not to disturb the areas where their eggs are laid and juveniles live. Staying out of the water helps protect the fish at these vulnerable stages of their life cycle.
Find out More
Help Us
Please keep out of the river between November & June
During this time, fish are choosing nesting sites, laying their eggs, and hatching into young fry. Staying out of the water protects them during these vulnerable stages of their life cycle.