From Chris Bainger – Fisheries Technical Specialist EA West Mids
I have circulated that video around a few known experts including excellent skilled fishermen with experience from North America and Europe as well as a number fisheries scientist which also includes my colleague who originated from Canada.
We are all agreed that we do not believe that the fish in the video, was or is a pink salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha (humpback).
Physiological appearances to justify this.
- Features such as nose and head shape rather blunt, compared to the sharp features you would expect to observe in a fresh run pink.
- Internal mouth parts not very dark, these are almost black (especially the tongue) in the pink salmon.
- Although not very clear the tail is not heavily spotted
Other factors
- Timing perhaps a bit early in the year
- Wrong year, there is a biannual spawning pattern due to the two-year life cycle, this observed reoccurrence in UK waters is on odd years e.g. 2017, 2019, 2021
So what fish is it? There is a little split but the majority have agreed with my original identification that it is a Sea Trout Salmo trutta trutta
My colleague Jim Seymour provided an almost identical image of a positively identified sea trout also without any heavy spotting. I think you will agree very similar.
Most comparisons for identification (see attached NRW document) are against Atlantic salmon. The only image that I could find in the archive of a sea trout and pink salmon side by side (below) from the North East net fishery in 2017, but again hopefully you will agree enough difference to distinguish (top trout bottom pink) between each species.
I hope this is helpful and the wait was worth it, I think it was very fortunate that the fish was not killed. I would really appreciate if you could share this information, I am aware that there is some concern and perhaps the wrong assumptions on other Wye social media and forums. I also hope you do not mind I have shared this (cc) with David Revell for interest as chair of the Wye LFG.
