Why would you want to do this project?
- It's great fun and exciting! There are always compliments from people who have taken part in the project.
- It's an opportunity to get your wellies on and get out of your classroom to visit a local river or burn.
- Learn lots of interesting things about Scottish salmon.
- You can take part in a real life conservation project and play a role in protecting one of Scotland's most important fish species.
- Watch in your classroom something, which in nature, normally happens hidden deep in rivers out of sight.
- Have the opportunity to run your own 'hatchery' hands on.
- Even after you have released your fish you will get the opportunity months later to see and touch your fish again when you go electrofishing.
Why are salmon important?
This is a good question! You may have your own ideas but here are a few important ones:
Biodiversity - it is important that our rivers and burns contain healthy populations of fish. These fish play an important role in food chains. While young salmon may eat various insects it is important to remember that other birds, mammals and fish may need to eat some salmon to survive themselves.
Jobs - you find rivers that contain salmon across most of Scotland. In most of these you will be able to see fisherman trying hard to catch fish. Many of these people will be visiting anglers who will have paid for a permit to fish and will be staying in a local Bed and Breakfast or hotel. These tourists will be important to the local economy. Many rivers employ bailiffs and ghillies to protect salmon and assist the anglers. In some coastal areas you can still see netsmen working who make a living from selling the fish they catch.
Leisure - Angling is one of the most popular sports in Scotland especially for salmon, in fact you will probably find a lot of your classmates and their parents have fished. If there were no salmon then there would obviously be no fishing for them!
To find out more about salmon click here.