Our advocacy work is aimed at ensuring all regulatory authorities urgently place a renewed emphasis on the crucial importance of salmon conservation. There are many examples where positive interventions have already helped, but more must be done. This will require Scottish Government and agencies to coordinate their efforts to protect salmon to a far greater degree than previously.

Fisheries Management Scotland works closely with the Scottish Government to make the case for the protection and enhancement of our native fish species and the habitats on which they depend. District Salmon Fishery Boards have powers and duties to protect and enhance Atlantic salmon and sea trout stocks. A large range of pressures which salmon face have been identified. Of these, only a very limited number are under the direct control of fisheries managers. It is therefore vital that we work with Government, Agencies and industry with a view to managing these impacts to ensure that the environment on which the fish depend is optimal.

Our advocacy work takes several forms, from participating in formal stakeholder groups to direct discussions with relevant Ministers and officials on specific issues. As the representative body for Scotland’s fisheries managers, we are often approached directly for advice and comment as policy is developed. To ensure that we represent our members’ views, we engage with our members to develop advocacy positions through specific [committees] within Fisheries Management Scotland.

Stakeholder Groups

Group name & link	Purpose
Wild Salmon Strategy Advisory Group	The Scottish Government have committed to publish a wild salmon strategy by the end of 2021 which will provide an overarching framework to tackle the pressures on wild salmon. The purpose of this group is to provide advice on the development of the Strategy.
Salmon Interactions Working Group	The Salmon Interactions Working Group (SIWG) included representatives from Fisheries Management Scotland, conservation and regulatory bodies, as well as the aquaculture industry. The final report, including all recommendations agreed by the parties involved was published in May 2020.
Scottish Marine Energy Research (ScotMER)	The Diadromous Fish Specialist Receptor Group is concerned with the identification and prioritisation of evidence gaps related to the health, distribution, and impacts on Diadromous fish (salmon, sea trout, etc.) associated with consenting offshore renewable developments.
Moray Firth Regional Advisory Group	The Moray Firth Regional Advisory Group (“MFRAG”) has been set up to ensure that appropriate and effective monitoring of the impacts of the developments are undertaken to satisfy the requirements of the section 36 consent and marine licence conditions of offshore windfarms in the Moray Firth.
Forth and Tay Regional Advisory Group	The Forth & Tay Regional Advisory Group (“FTRAG”) has been set up to ensure that appropriate and effective monitoring of the impacts of the developments are undertaken to satisfy the requirements of the section 36 consent and marine licence conditions of offshore windfarms in the Forth and Tay region.
Salmon Liaison Group	Following the development of the Scottish Government's conservation status system, the Salmon Liaison Group was created to inform the process of refining the process for determining conservation status of Scotland's rivers.