THE Environment Agency warned of the threat of invasive Pacific pink salmon and urged anglers to report catches or sightings of the fish. 

The salmon are expected to appear in UK waters this year.

In 2019 and 2021, there were numerous sightings of invasive pink salmon in UK waters. Pink salmon have a fixed, two-year life cycle and generally spawn in the summer so it is highly likely they will appear again in rivers this year.

Pink salmon (Onchorhyncus gorbuscha) originate from the northern Pacific Ocean and can be identified by large black oval spots on their tail, a very dark mouth and tongue and they have much smaller scales than the Atlantic salmon. 

Fisheries managers, anglers, net fishers and members of the public are requested to report any sightings or catches to the EA’s national hotline - 0800 80 70 60 – or use the new reporting tool which has been developed in collaboration with Fisheries Management Scotland (FMS) and Natural Resources Wales (NRW).