What lies ahead for our beloved salmon?

What is it about Salmo salar that gets under our skin? And what does the future look like for the king of fish? In the first of a two-part series, avid fishers offer their opinions

- MARCUS JANSSEN

Anyone who has held a chrome-bright salmon beneath the surface, observed its gills pulse as it regains its strength, and then watched as it glides effortlessly back into the current will know that the spell they cast is irreversible. But what is it about this species in particular that makes it so beguiling?

“For me, it is because they are truly wild,” says Earl Percy, president of the Atlantic Salmon Trust. “They are a physical reminder of the health of the marine ecosystem and its importance to all of us.”

Legendary cricketer Lord Botham is another passionate fly-fisher whose enduring love affair with salmon runs deep. “They’re just a magnificent fish,” he says, with the reverence generally reserved for creatures such as horses or big cats. “A fresh-run salmon is a thing of undeniable beauty, and when then you consider their amazing lifecycle, you can’t help but feel huge admiration for them. I also love the therapy of fishing for them.”

Botham’s sentiment is shared by David Profumo, the award-winning novelist and author. “Salmo salar is one of the most elegant, beguiling and inspirational creatures I have ever encountered,” he says without a second’s thought. “Even in spawning livery and epigamic colouration, it seems to ripple with mystery and power. Small wonder it is historically mythopoeic and a symbol of valour, splendour and plenty since ancient times. Part of the mystery in pursuing this quarry is often: are they even there?”