Gyrodactylus Salaris

Before commencing to fish, every angler must have returned to the Superintendent a completed Gyrodactylus salaris declaration form. These are available in the Bothy, or you can print one off by clicking here

Gyrodactylus salaris is an extremely dangerous parasite of salmon and, in conjunction with other Salmon Fishery Boards, we are taking the most careful steps to make sure it does not enter any Scottish river. That is why you are required to complete the Declaration Form in the detail specified.

If this parasite gains access to a river it will kill every salmon that enters it and do so evermore.

G. salaris has already decimated the salmon stocks of over 20 rivers in Norway.   It is also found in Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, France, Spain, and Portugal. 

Background:

G. salaris can survive in the absence of a live host given cool, damp conditions. Risk is associated with movement of materials (animate and inanimate) that carry low salinity water which have recently been in contact with infected fish, and which have been kept in cool conditions allowing the temporary survival of the parasite away from its live host.

Fishing equipment and products that have been used in infected areas and kept cool and damp may harbour this parasite and the organism may be transferred to our rivers from these items.