Salmonid and freshwater fisheries statistics for England and Wales 2025
Updated 28 September 2026
Applies to England and Wales
© Crown copyright 2026
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This report provides a summary of the declared catches of salmon, sea trout, eels, smelt and lamprey by rods, nets and other fishing instruments for 2025. It covers England, Wales and the Border Esk in Scotland.
The Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales use catch return data to assess and manage salmon and sea trout stocks in a sustainable way.
The catch data represents declared catches for 2025. You should not accept it as a definitive record of the total numbers of fish landed.
See data.gov.uk for the salmonid and freshwater fisheries statistics data tables.
1. Rod and net licence catch returns
For net catch returns, 100% of logbooks were accounted for in 2025.
The Environment Agency sent a total of 35,031 catch return reminders to salmon and sea trout licence holders. Reminders stated that licence holders must submit their catch returns at the end of the season (by 1 January). This is a requirement even if no fish are caught.
The total number of rod catch returns received for the 2025 season was 11,197 (61.3% of the total licences issued).
The Environment Agency introduced an updated online catch return service in 2018. The number and percentage of paper and online catch returns is shown in the following table.
Number and percentage of paper and online catch returns, 2018 to 2025
| Year | Total returns | Licences issued | % of catch returns | Paper returns | Paper (%) | Online returns | Online (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 20,736 | 31,655 | 65.5% | 5,239 | 25.3% | 15,497 | 74.7% |
| 2019 | 23,539 | 31,099 | 75.7% | 4,974 | 21.1% | 18,565 | 78.9% |
| 2020 | 19,794 | 28,758 | 68.8% | 3,531 | 17.8% | 16,263 | 82.2% |
| 2021 | 16,463 | 23,388 | 70.4% | 2,438 | 14.8% | 14,025 | 85.2% |
| 2022 | 12,469 | 21,874 | 57% | 1,527 | 12.2% | 10,942 | 87.8% |
| 2023 | 12,965 | 22,077 | 58.7% | 2,169 | 16.7% | 10,796 | 83.3% |
| 2024 | 13,845 | 21,927 | 63.1% | 1,743 | 12.6% | 12,102 | 87.4% |
| 2025 | 11,197 | 21,275 | 52.6% | 933 | 8.3% | 10,264 | 91.7% |
2. National overview and summary of main findings
England and Wales summary of declared salmon and sea trout rod catches in 2025 showing percentage change on 2024 and the 5-year mean (2020 to 2024)
| Rods | 2025 | 2024 | 5-yr mean (2020 to 2024) | % change 2025 on 2024 | % change 2025 on 5-yr mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licences issued | 21,275 | 21,927 | 23,605 | -3.0% | -9.9% |
| Days declared fished | 69,448 | 84,046 | 89,346 | -17.4% | -22.3% |
| Salmon caught | 4,053 | 6,010 | 6,993 | -32.6% | -42% |
| Salmon released | 3,977 | 5,766 | 6,630 | -31% | -40% |
| (%) released | 98.1% | 95.9% | 94.8% | 2.3% | 3.5% |
| Sea trout caught | 8,950 | 10,960 | 12,801 | -18.3% | -30.1% |
| Sea trout released | 8,288 | 9,940 | 11,312 | -16.6% | -26.7% |
| (% released) | 92.6% | 90.7% | 88.4% | 2.1% | 4.8% |
The following table includes salmon and sea trout rod licences only.
Summary of declared salmon and sea trout net catches in England and Wales for 2025 showing percentage change on 2024 and the 5-year mean (2020 to 2024)
| Nets | 2025 | 2024 | 5-yr mean (2020 to 2024) | % change 2025 on 2024 | % change 2025 on 5-yr mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licences issued | 116 | 121 | 145 | -4.1% | -20% |
| Salmon caught | 256 | 404 | 619 | -36.6% | -58.6% |
| Sea trout caught | 5,177 | 2,262 | 7,051 | 128.9% | -26.6% |
Rods summary
The number of salmon and sea trout rod licences issued (21,275) decreased by 3.0% compared with 2024. This represents a 9.9% decrease when compared with the 5-year mean (23,605).
The total declared salmon caught by rod (4,053) decreased by 32.6% compared with 2024 (6,010). This represents a 42% decrease when compared with the 5-year mean (6,993).
The total declared sea trout caught by rod (8,950) decreased by 18.3% compared with 2024 (10,960). This represents a 30.1% decrease when compared with the 5-year mean (12,801).
Catch-and-release rates for rod caught salmon (98.1%) and sea trout (92.6%) showed an increase of 2.3% for salmon and 2.1% for sea trout when compared with 2024.
Anglers using a fly caught 2,422 salmon (59.76%) and 5,801 sea trout (64.82%). Spinning yielded 1,108 salmon (27.34%) and 2,468 sea trout (27.58%). Bait captured 504 salmon (12.43%) and 624 sea trout (6.97%). There was no method information for 19 salmon captures (0.47%) and 57 sea trout captures (0.64%).
The River Tyne had the highest declared rod catch of salmon (1,154). This accounted for 28.5% of the total for England and Wales. Next were the Border Esk (313), Wear (285), Lune (279) and Derwent (252).
The River Tyne had the highest declared rod catch of sea trout (933). This accounted for 10.4% of the total for England and Wales. Next were the Border Esk (497), Lune (451), Teign (437) and Ribble (407).
Nets summary
A total of 116 salmon and migratory trout commercial net licences were issued. This compares with 121 in 2024 and a 5-year mean of 145. Since 1985 there has been an 88.7% reduction in the number of net licences issued annually in England and Wales (from 1,026 to 116).
The England and Wales salmon net catch (256) decreased by 36.6% compared with 2024 (404) and decreased by 58.6% when compared with the 5-year mean (619). The North East showed an increase in salmon caught (24 to 31), and the North West showed a decrease (243 to 100). Wales showed a decrease in salmon caught (122 to 113).
Of the 256 salmon caught by net fishers in England and Wales in 2025, 100% were released.
The average weight of net caught salmon was 4.43kg. This compares with an average weight of 4.22kg for rod caught salmon. In 2024 the average weight of net caught salmon was 4.12kg and that for rod caught salmon was 4.52kg.
A total of 5,177 sea trout were declared caught by the net fisheries in England and Wales in 2025, an increase of 128.9% compared with the 2024 catch of 2,262 and a decrease of 26.6% compared with the 5-year mean of 7,051.
The average weight of net caught sea trout was 1.62kg. This compares with an average weight of 0.91kg for rod caught sea trout. In 2024, the average weight of net caught sea trout was 1.64kg and that for rod caught sea trout was 1.07kg.
Number of net and fixed engine licences issued (1985 to 2025) and total number of days fished by salmon and sea trout rod licence holders (1994 to 2025), England and Wales
The term ‘fixed engine’ is an ancient one used in the UK as a general descriptor of stationary fishing gears.
Number of net and fixed engine licences issued between 1985 and 2025
| Year | Net licences |
|---|---|
| 1985 | 1,026 |
| 1986 | 1,016 |
| 1987 | 983 |
| 1988 | 908 |
| 1989 | 923 |
| 1990 | 933 |
| 1991 | 789 |
| 1992 | 837 |
| 1993 | 760 |
| 1994 | 716 |
| 1995 | 677 |
| 1996 | 613 |
| 1997 | 593 |
| 1998 | 484 |
| 1999 | 498 |
| 2000 | 449 |
| 2001 | 444 |
| 2002 | 432 |
| 2003 | 417 |
| 2004 | 395 |
| 2005 | 385 |
| 2006 | 363 |
| 2007 | 357 |
| 2008 | 333 |
| 2009 | 317 |
| 2010 | 319 |
| 2011 | 308 |
| 2012 | 294 |
| 2013 | 304 |
| 2014 | 283 |
| 2015 | 272 |
| 2016 | 269 |
| 2017 | 269 |
| 2018 | 231 |
| 2019 | 154 |
| 2020 | 154 |
| 2021 | 166 |
| 2022 | 144 |
| 2023 | 140 |
| 2024 | 121 |
| 2025 | 116 |
Total number of days fished by salmon and sea trout rod licence holders between 1994 and 2025
| Year | Rod days |
|---|---|
| 1994 | 292,449 |
| 1995 | 243,288 |
| 1996 | 231,744 |
| 1997 | 269,705 |
| 1998 | 233,401 |
| 1999 | 187,998 |
| 2000 | 177,532 |
| 2001 | 134,853 |
| 2002 | 181,850 |
| 2003 | 172,729 |
| 2004 | 191,205 |
| 2005 | 186,877 |
| 2006 | 148,307 |
| 2007 | 164,679 |
| 2008 | 171,033 |
| 2009 | 183,287 |
| 2010 | 195,086 |
| 2011 | 196,902 |
| 2012 | 167,257 |
| 2013 | 164,449 |
| 2014 | 144,914 |
| 2015 | 141,811 |
| 2016 | 135,393 |
| 2017 | 141,943 |
| 2018 | 106,056 |
| 2019 | 125,297 |
| 2020 | 107,776 |
| 2021 | 91,930 |
| 2022 | 76,206 |
| 2023 | 86,773 |
| 2024 | 84,046 |
| 2025 | 69,448 |
Total declared salmon rod catch for England and Wales, 1956 to 2025
The long term mean is 17,799.
There is no data for released salmon rod catch from 1956 to 1992.
| Year | Killed | Released | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | 19,955 | 19,955 | |
| 1957 | 21,090 | 21,090 | |
| 1958 | 26,209 | 26,209 | |
| 1959 | 17,440 | 17,440 | |
| 1960 | 20,873 | 20,873 | |
| 1961 | 16,138 | 16,138 | |
| 1962 | 24,743 | 24,743 | |
| 1963 | 30,145 | 30,145 | |
| 1964 | 25,034 | 25,034 | |
| 1965 | 28,594 | 28,594 | |
| 1966 | 35,353 | 35,353 | |
| 1967 | 29,735 | 29,735 | |
| 1968 | 16,860 | 16,860 | |
| 1969 | 16,306 | 16,306 | |
| 1970 | 19,180 | 19,180 | |
| 1971 | 19,869 | 19,869 | |
| 1972 | 24,889 | 24,889 | |
| 1973 | 21,020 | 21,020 | |
| 1974 | 24,197 | 24,197 | |
| 1975 | 24,300 | 24,300 | |
| 1976 | 10,779 | 10,779 | |
| 1977 | 19,219 | 19,219 | |
| 1978 | 17,605 | 17,605 | |
| 1979 | 14,108 | 14,108 | |
| 1980 | 21,145 | 21,145 | |
| 1981 | 22,190 | 22,190 | |
| 1982 | 13,524 | 13,524 | |
| 1983 | 14,815 | 14,815 | |
| 1984 | 11,022 | 11,022 | |
| 1985 | 19,601 | 19,601 | |
| 1986 | 20,347 | 20,347 | |
| 1987 | 19,702 | 19,702 | |
| 1988 | 32,876 | 32,876 | |
| 1989 | 14,721 | 14,721 | |
| 1990 | 14,849 | 14,849 | |
| 1991 | 13,974 | 13,974 | |
| 1992 | 14,319 | 14,319 | |
| 1993 | 17,294 | 1,448 | 18,742 |
| 1994 | 21,664 | 3,227 | 24,891 |
| 1995 | 12,819 | 3,187 | 16,006 |
| 1996 | 14,016 | 3,428 | 17,444 |
| 1997 | 9,915 | 3,132 | 13,047 |
| 1998 | 11,738 | 5,371 | 17,109 |
| 1999 | 7,058 | 5,447 | 12,505 |
| 2000 | 10,126 | 7,470 | 17,596 |
| 2001 | 8,240 | 6,143 | 14,383 |
| 2002 | 7,624 | 7,658 | 15,282 |
| 2003 | 5,094 | 6,425 | 11,519 |
| 2004 | 14,125 | 13,211 | 27,336 |
| 2005 | 9,435 | 11,983 | 21,418 |
| 2006 | 8,550 | 10,959 | 19,509 |
| 2007 | 9,071 | 10,913 | 19,984 |
| 2008 | 10,477 | 13,035 | 23,512 |
| 2009 | 6,465 | 9,096 | 15,561 |
| 2010 | 10,134 | 14,691 | 24,825 |
| 2011 | 8,812 | 14,196 | 23,008 |
| 2012 | 6,498 | 11,957 | 18,455 |
| 2013 | 4,462 | 10,458 | 14,920 |
| 2014 | 2,315 | 7,992 | 10,307 |
| 2015 | 2,150 | 8,111 | 10,261 |
| 2016 | 2,367 | 9,701 | 12,068 |
| 2017 | 2,315 | 11,256 | 13,571 |
| 2018 | 930 | 6,858 | 7,788 |
| 2019 | 992 | 8,171 | 9,163 |
| 2020 | 754 | 10,812 | 11,566 |
| 2021 | 280 | 5,534 | 5,814 |
| 2022 | 277 | 6,110 | 6,387 |
| 2023 | 259 | 4,929 | 5,188 |
| 2024 | 244 | 5,766 | 6,010 |
| 2025 | 76 | 3,977 | 4,053 |
Total declared sea trout rod catch for England and Wales, 1978 to 2025
The long term mean is 31,042.
There is no data for released sea trout rod catch from 1978 to 1992.
| Year | Killed | Released | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 30,966 | 30,966 | |
| 1979 | 47,462 | 47,462 | |
| 1980 | 40,668 | 40,668 | |
| 1981 | 45,152 | 45,152 | |
| 1982 | 38,730 | 38,730 | |
| 1983 | 39,157 | 39,157 | |
| 1984 | 30,560 | 30,560 | |
| 1985 | 32,379 | 32,379 | |
| 1986 | 36,882 | 36,882 | |
| 1987 | 55,863 | 55,863 | |
| 1988 | 49,618 | 49,618 | |
| 1989 | 22,910 | 22,910 | |
| 1990 | 17,031 | 17,031 | |
| 1991 | 21,951 | 21,951 | |
| 1992 | 14,742 | 14,742 | |
| 1993 | 18,931 | 7,754 | 26,685 |
| 1994 | 29,184 | 16,575 | 45,759 |
| 1995 | 16,091 | 11,244 | 27,335 |
| 1996 | 16,825 | 12,860 | 29,685 |
| 1997 | 17,302 | 12,840 | 30,142 |
| 1998 | 23,978 | 24,334 | 48,312 |
| 1999 | 24,035 | 22,762 | 46,797 |
| 2000 | 20,628 | 20,694 | 41,322 |
| 2001 | 18,061 | 22,331 | 40,392 |
| 2002 | 24,626 | 25,170 | 49,796 |
| 2003 | 20,698 | 24,403 | 45,101 |
| 2004 | 16,611 | 19,489 | 36,100 |
| 2005 | 16,590 | 23,729 | 40,319 |
| 2006 | 9,940 | 14,329 | 24,269 |
| 2007 | 12,622 | 16,776 | 29,398 |
| 2008 | 11,488 | 16,219 | 27,707 |
| 2009 | 11,620 | 18,739 | 30,359 |
| 2010 | 11,533 | 26,010 | 37,543 |
| 2011 | 9,884 | 25,680 | 35,564 |
| 2012 | 8,859 | 21,841 | 30,700 |
| 2013 | 6,820 | 22,607 | 29,427 |
| 2014 | 6,105 | 23,455 | 29,560 |
| 2015 | 6,348 | 21,503 | 27,851 |
| 2016 | 5,988 | 19,791 | 25,779 |
| 2017 | 5,251 | 16,884 | 22,135 |
| 2018 | 1,994 | 11,614 | 13,608 |
| 2019 | 3,113 | 18,217 | 21,330 |
| 2020 | 2,629 | 16,648 | 19,277 |
| 2021 | 1,462 | 11,067 | 12,529 |
| 2022 | 1,071 | 9,041 | 10,112 |
| 2023 | 1,259 | 9,866 | 11,125 |
| 2024 | 1,020 | 9,940 | 10,960 |
| 2025 | 662 | 8,288 | 8,950 |
Total declared salmon net and fixed engine catch for England and Wales, 1956 to 2025
The long term mean is 44,415.
| Year | Excluding North East coast | North East coast | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | 29,564 | 6,661 | 36,225 |
| 1957 | 29,921 | 6,670 | 36,591 |
| 1958 | 26,264 | 7,811 | 34,075 |
| 1959 | 29,861 | 10,441 | 40,302 |
| 1960 | 27,792 | 15,856 | 43,648 |
| 1961 | 22,699 | 11,635 | 34,334 |
| 1962 | 33,469 | 20,090 | 53,559 |
| 1963 | 32,858 | 12,432 | 45,290 |
| 1964 | 32,907 | 15,040 | 47,947 |
| 1965 | 28,980 | 16,181 | 45,161 |
| 1966 | 38,336 | 15,634 | 53,970 |
| 1967 | 38,594 | 26,359 | 64,953 |
| 1968 | 24,630 | 24,750 | 49,380 |
| 1969 | 29,800 | 49,824 | 79,624 |
| 1970 | 30,253 | 94,991 | 125,244 |
| 1971 | 29,639 | 60,353 | 89,992 |
| 1972 | 31,504 | 51,681 | 83,185 |
| 1973 | 30,924 | 62,842 | 93,766 |
| 1974 | 27,372 | 52,756 | 80,128 |
| 1975 | 35,311 | 53,451 | 88,762 |
| 1976 | 27,814 | 15,701 | 43,515 |
| 1977 | 22,175 | 52,888 | 75,063 |
| 1978 | 23,890 | 51,630 | 75,520 |
| 1979 | 17,814 | 43,464 | 61,278 |
| 1980 | 23,293 | 45,780 | 69,073 |
| 1981 | 29,736 | 69,113 | 98,849 |
| 1982 | 16,598 | 50,167 | 66,765 |
| 1983 | 24,903 | 77,277 | 102,180 |
| 1984 | 23,954 | 59,295 | 83,249 |
| 1985 | 18,576 | 57,356 | 75,932 |
| 1986 | 27,022 | 63,425 | 90,447 |
| 1987 | 27,585 | 36,143 | 63,728 |
| 1988 | 26,468 | 50,849 | 77,317 |
| 1989 | 27,487 | 41,453 | 68,940 |
| 1990 | 20,297 | 51,530 | 71,827 |
| 1991 | 12,246 | 25,429 | 37,675 |
| 1992 | 13,705 | 20,144 | 33,849 |
| 1993 | 15,281 | 41,800 | 57,081 |
| 1994 | 19,903 | 46,554 | 66,457 |
| 1995 | 14,449 | 53,210 | 67,659 |
| 1996 | 14,099 | 18,581 | 32,680 |
| 1997 | 9,537 | 21,922 | 31,459 |
| 1998 | 6,914 | 18,265 | 25,179 |
| 1999 | 7,313 | 26,833 | 34,146 |
| 2000 | 7,644 | 43,354 | 50,998 |
| 2001 | 7,128 | 36,115 | 43,243 |
| 2002 | 7,299 | 30,980 | 38,279 |
| 2003 | 6,784 | 10,435 | 17,219 |
| 2004 | 5,564 | 11,017 | 16,581 |
| 2005 | 6,914 | 9,897 | 16,811 |
| 2006 | 6,012 | 7,566 | 13,578 |
| 2007 | 3,831 | 7,091 | 10,922 |
| 2008 | 2,668 | 6,130 | 8,798 |
| 2009 | 2,110 | 5,395 | 7,505 |
| 2010 | 2,633 | 19,982 | 22,615 |
| 2011 | 1,682 | 24,214 | 25,896 |
| 2012 | 1,130 | 7,299 | 8,429 |
| 2013 | 1,500 | 16,643 | 18,143 |
| 2014 | 1,766 | 10,210 | 11,976 |
| 2015 | 1,269 | 15,863 | 17,132 |
| 2016 | 1,488 | 18,824 | 20,307 |
| 2017 | 712 | 9,157 | 10,133 |
| 2018 | 1,212 | 9,433 | 10,645 |
| 2019 | 324 | 129 | 453 |
| 2020 | 612 | 288 | 900 |
| 2021 | 618 | 131 | 749 |
| 2022 | 483 | 73 | 556 |
| 2023 | 452 | 34 | 486 |
| 2024 | 380 | 24 | 404 |
| 2025 | 225 | 31 | 256 |
Total declared sea trout net and fixed engine catch for England and Wales, 1978 to 2025
The long term mean is 44,195.
| Year | Excluding North East coast | North East coast | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 17,709 | 37,591 | 55,300 |
| 1979 | 23,352 | 44,315 | 67,667 |
| 1980 | 31,351 | 65,855 | 97,206 |
| 1981 | 23,852 | 59,481 | 83,333 |
| 1982 | 23,374 | 55,979 | 79,353 |
| 1983 | 24,442 | 60,069 | 84,511 |
| 1984 | 31,623 | 64,076 | 95,699 |
| 1985 | 17,351 | 50,779 | 68,130 |
| 1986 | 14,735 | 47,717 | 62,452 |
| 1987 | 20,217 | 49,339 | 69,556 |
| 1988 | 18,899 | 54,285 | 73,184 |
| 1989 | 20,118 | 71,369 | 91,487 |
| 1990 | 11,777 | 44,417 | 56,194 |
| 1991 | 10,250 | 40,653 | 50,903 |
| 1992 | 9,834 | 32,069 | 41,903 |
| 1993 | 8,073 | 31,814 | 39,887 |
| 1994 | 9,759 | 51,136 | 60,895 |
| 1995 | 9,689 | 54,439 | 64,128 |
| 1996 | 7,861 | 27,398 | 35,259 |
| 1997 | 6,464 | 28,522 | 34,986 |
| 1998 | 4,899 | 22,260 | 27,159 |
| 1999 | 7,610 | 32,458 | 40,068 |
| 2000 | 6,635 | 39,387 | 46,022 |
| 2001 | 8,994 | 35,932 | 44,926 |
| 2002 | 6,478 | 30,540 | 37,018 |
| 2003 | 7,477 | 21,771 | 29,248 |
| 2004 | 6,313 | 19,742 | 26,055 |
| 2005 | 4,656 | 18,773 | 23,429 |
| 2006 | 2,819 | 22,492 | 25,311 |
| 2007 | 2,785 | 17,566 | 20,351 |
| 2008 | 3,109 | 24,865 | 27,974 |
| 2009 | 3,798 | 26,957 | 30,755 |
| 2010 | 4,683 | 55,546 | 60,229 |
| 2011 | 2,922 | 28,637 | 31,559 |
| 2012 | 2,465 | 21,953 | 24,418 |
| 2013 | 3,182 | 40,194 | 43,376 |
| 2014 | 4,606 | 44,644 | 49,250 |
| 2015 | 4,726 | 59,742 | 64,468 |
| 2016 | 2,940 | 38,863 | 41,803 |
| 2017 | 1,630 | 35,148 | 36,778 |
| 2018 | 1,574 | 22,508 | 24,082 |
| 2019 | 926 | 13,673 | 14,599 |
| 2020 | 1,801 | 10,902 | 12,703 |
| 2021 | 776 | 4,731 | 5,507 |
| 2022 | 1,052 | 6,961 | 8,013 |
| 2023 | 958 | 5,811 | 6,769 |
| 2024 | 564 | 1,698 | 2,262 |
| 2025 | 625 | 4,552 | 5,177 |
3. Area catch summaries (2025, 2024 and 5-year mean)
Summary of salmon rod catches by area
| EA Area | 2025 | 2024 | 5-year mean (2020 to 2024) | % change (+/-) 2025 on 2024 | % change (+/-) 2025 on 5-yr mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North East | 1,640 | 3,161 | 3138 | -48.1% | -47.7% |
| Anglian | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - |
| South East (Southern) | 116 | 109 | 207 | 6.4% | -44% |
| South West | 258 | 301 | 605 | -14.3% | -57.3% |
| Midlands | 22 | 22 | 90 | 0% | -75.6% |
| North West | 1,563 | 1,605 | 1824 | -2.6% | -14.3% |
| England | 3,599 | 5,198 | 5865 | -30.8% | -38.6% |
| Wales | 454 | 812 | 1127 | -44.1% | -59.7% |
| England and Wales | 4,053 | 6,010 | 6993 | -32.6% | -42% |
Summary of sea trout rod catches by area
| EA Area | 2025 | 2024 | 5-year mean (2020 to 2024) | % change (+/-) 2025 on 2024 | % change (+/-) 2025 on 5-yr mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North East | 1,647 | 1,767 | 2,356 | -6.8% | -30.1% |
| Anglian | 0 | 1 | 0 | -100% | -100% |
| South East (Southern) | 448 | 565 | 747 | -20.7% | -40% |
| South West | 2,149 | 2,649 | 2,614 | -18.9% | -17.8% |
| Midlands | 0 | 0 | 3 | - | -100% |
| North West | 2,285 | 2,468 | 2,703 | -7.4% | -15.5% |
| England | 6,529 | 7,450 | 8,423 | -12.4% | -22.5% |
| Wales | 2,421 | 3,510 | 4,376 | -31% | -44.7% |
| England and Wales* | 8,950 | 10,960 | 12,801 | -18.3% | -30.1% |
Summary of salmon net and fixed engine catches by area
| EA Area | 2025 | 2024 | 5-year mean (2020 to 2024) | % change (+/-) 2025 on 2024 | % change (+/-) 2025 on 5-yr mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North East | 31 | 24 | 110 | 29.2% | -71.8% |
| Anglian | 0 | 0 | 0.4 | - | -100% |
| South East | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - |
| South West | 0 | 2 | 4 | -100% | -100% |
| Midlands | 12 | 13 | 16 | -7.7% | -25% |
| North West | 100 | 243 | 305 | -58.8% | -67.2% |
| England | 143 | 282 | 435 | -49.3% | -67.1% |
| Wales | 113 | 122 | 184 | -7.4% | -38.5% |
| England and Wales | 256 | 404 | 619 | -36.6% | -58.6% |
Summary of sea trout net and fixed engine catches by area
| EA Area | 2025 | 2024 | 5-year mean (2020 to 2024) | % change (+/-) 2025 on 2024 | % change (+/-) 2025 on 5-yr mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North East | 4,552 | 1,698 | 6,021 | 168.1% | -24.4% |
| Anglian | 85 | 60 | 83 | 41.7% | 2.7% |
| South East | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - |
| South West | 33 | 90 | 82 | -63.3% | -59.8% |
| Midlands | 1 | 0 | 1 | - | 25% |
| North West | 183 | 154 | 260 | 18.8% | -29.7% |
| England | 4,854 | 2,002 | 6,446 | 142.5% | -24.7% |
| Wales | 323 | 260 | 604 | 24.2% | -46.6% |
| England and Wales | 5,177 | 2,262 | 7,051 | 128.9% | -26.6% |
4. River catch summaries by area for rod and net fisheries, 2025
Salmon rod catches
North East Salmon rod catches
| River | Salmon caught | Salmon released | Percentage released |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aln | 0 | 0 | no reported catch |
| Coquet | 164 | 161 | 98.2% |
| Esk Yorkshire | 13 | 12 | 92.3% |
| Ouse Yorkshire | 19 | 19 | 100% |
| Tees | 5 | 5 | 100% |
| Tyne | 1,154 | 1,112 | 96.4% |
| Wear | 285 | 273 | 95.8% |
| Other | 0 | 0 | no reported catch |
| Total | 1,640 | 1,582 | 96.5% |
South East salmon rod catches
| River | Salmon caught | Salmon released | Percentage released |
|---|---|---|---|
| Itchen | 54 | 54 | 100% |
| Test | 62 | 62 | 100% |
| Other | 0 | 0 | no reported catch |
| Total | 116 | 116 | 100% |
South West salmon rod catches
| River | Salmon caught | Salmon released | Percentage released |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avon Devon | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Avon Hants | 21 | 21 | 100% |
| Axe | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Camel | 31 | 31 | 100% |
| Dart | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Erme | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| Exe | 17 | 17 | 100% |
| Fowey | 34 | 34 | 100% |
| Frome | 13 | 13 | 100% |
| Lyn | 3 | 3 | 100% |
| Lynher | 33 | 33 | 100% |
| Plym | 3 | 3 | 100% |
| Tamar | 28 | 24 | 85.7% |
| Tavy | 0 | 0 | no reported catch |
| Taw | 52 | 52 | 100% |
| Teign | 6 | 6 | 100% |
| Torridge | 12 | 11 | 91.7% |
| Yealm | 0 | 0 | no reported catch |
| Other | 0 | 0 | no reported catch |
| Total | 258 | 253 | 98.1% |
Midlands salmon rod catches
| River | Salmon caught | Salmon released | Percentage released |
|---|---|---|---|
| Severn | 22 | 22 | 100% |
| Other | 0 | 0 | no reported catch |
| Total | 22 | 22 | 100% |
North West salmon rod catches
| River | Salmon caught | Salmon released | Percentage released |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calder | 10 | 10 | 100% |
| Crake | 16 | 16 | 100% |
| Derwent | 252 | 252 | 100% |
| Duddon | 34 | 32 | 94.1% |
| Eden North West | 232 | 232 | 100% |
| Ehen | 90 | 87 | 96.7% |
| Ellen | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| Esk Border | 313 | 313 | 100% |
| Esk Cumbrian | 26 | 26 | 100% |
| Irt | 40 | 38 | 95% |
| Kent | 60 | 56 | 93.3% |
| Leven | 17 | 17 | 100% |
| Lune | 279 | 279 | 100% |
| Ribble | 185 | 183 | 98.9% |
| Wyre North West | 5 | 5 | 100% |
| Other | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| Total | 1,563 | 1,550 | 99.2% |
England salmon rod catch total
Total salmon rod catches for 2025:
- salmon caught: 3,599
- salmon released: 3,523
- percentage released: 97.9%
Wales salmon rod catches
| River | Salmon caught | Salmon released | Percentage released |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afan | 4 | 4 | 100% |
| Artro | 0 | 0 | no reported catch |
| Cleddau | 20 | 20 | 100% |
| Clwyd | 5 | 5 | 100% |
| Conwy | 12 | 12 | 100% |
| Dee | 78 | 78 | 100% |
| Dwyfawr | 7 | 7 | 100% |
| Dwyryd | 0 | 0 | no reported catch |
| Dyfi / Dovey | 17 | 17 | 100% |
| Dysynni | 0 | 0 | no reported catch |
| Glaslyn | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Gwendraeth Fach | 0 | 0 | no reported catch |
| Gwyrfai | 0 | 0 | no reported catch |
| Loughor/Llwchwr | 0 | 0 | no reported catch |
| Mawddach | 14 | 14 | 100% |
| Neath | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| Nevern | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Ogmore | 0 | 0 | no reported catch |
| Ogwen | 24 | 24 | 100% |
| Rheidol | 14 | 14 | 100% |
| Seiont | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| Taf | 7 | 7 | 100% |
| Taff | 3 | 3 | 100% |
| Tawe | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Teifi | 42 | 42 | 100% |
| Tywi/Towy | 120 | 120 | 100% |
| Usk | 19 | 19 | 100% |
| Wye | 60 | 60 | 100% |
| Ystwyth | 0 | 0 | no reported catch |
| Other | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Total | 454 | 454 | 100% |
England and Wales salmon rod catch total
Total salmon rod catches for 2025:
- salmon caught: 4,053
- salmon released: 3,977
- percentage released: 98.1%
Sea trout rod catches
North East sea trout rod catches
| River | Sea trout caught | Sea trout released | Percentage released |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aln | 7 | 6 | 85.7% |
| Coquet | 138 | 128 | 92.8% |
| Esk Yorkshire | 187 | 169 | 90.4% |
| Ouse Yorkshire | 5 | 5 | 100% |
| Tees | 17 | 16 | 94.1% |
| Tyne | 933 | 865 | 92.7% |
| Wear | 352 | 324 | 92% |
| Other | 8 | 8 | 100% |
| Total | 1647 | 1521 | 92.3% |
Anglian sea trout rod catches
There were no sea trout caught in the Anglian area in 2025.
South East sea trout rod catches
| River | Sea trout caught | Sea trout released | Percentage released |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beaulieu | 28 | 26 | 92.9% |
| Itchen | 159 | 152 | 95.6% |
| Lymington | 8 | 7 | 87.5% |
| Ouse Sussex | 15 | 15 | 100% |
| Rother Western | 3 | 3 | 100% |
| Test | 192 | 188 | 97.9% |
| Thames | 0 | 0 | no reported catch |
| Other | 43 | 42 | 97.7% |
| Total | 448 | 433 | 96.7% |
South West sea trout rod catches
| River | Sea trout caught | Sea trout released | Percentage released |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avon Devon | 100 | 100 | 100% |
| Avon Hants | 151 | 135 | 89.4% |
| Axe | 165 | 154 | 93.3% |
| Brit | 0 | 0 | no reported catch |
| Camel | 341 | 312 | 91.5% |
| Dart | 250 | 241 | 96.4% |
| Erme | 10 | 10 | 100% |
| Exe | 8 | 7 | 87.5% |
| Fowey | 105 | 101 | 96.2% |
| Frome | 201 | 187 | 93% |
| Looe | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Lyn | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Lynher | 37 | 36 | 97.3% |
| Otter | 27 | 25 | 92.6% |
| Piddle | 3 | 2 | 66.7% |
| Plym | 15 | 15 | 100% |
| Stour (South West) | 5 | 5 | 100% |
| Tamar | 130 | 122 | 93.8% |
| Tavy | 45 | 43 | 95.6% |
| Taw | 51 | 50 | 98% |
| Teign | 437 | 410 | 93.8% |
| Torridge | 55 | 50 | 90.9% |
| Yealm | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Other | 10 | 10 | 100% |
| Total | 2149 | 2017 | 93.9% |
Midlands sea trout rod catches
There were no sea trout caught in the Midlands area in 2025.
North West sea trout rod catches
| River | Sea trout caught | Sea trout released | Percentage released |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calder | 8 | 6 | 75% |
| Crake | 23 | 23 | 100% |
| Derwent | 108 | 104 | 96.3% |
| Duddon | 53 | 50 | 94.3% |
| Eden North West | 40 | 37 | 92.5% |
| Ehen | 197 | 186 | 94.4% |
| Ellen | 11 | 9 | 81.8% |
| Esk Border | 497 | 476 | 95.8% |
| Esk Cumbrian | 53 | 52 | 98.1% |
| Irt | 139 | 116 | 83.5% |
| Kent | 263 | 227 | 86.3% |
| Leven | 13 | 13 | 100% |
| Lune | 451 | 432 | 95.8% |
| Ribble | 407 | 386 | 94.8% |
| Wyre North West | 7 | 7 | 100% |
| Other | 15 | 12 | 80% |
| Total | 2285 | 2136 | 93.5% |
England sea trout rod catch total
Total sea trout rod catches for 2025:
- sea trout caught: 6,529
- sea trout released: 6,107
- percentage released: 93.5%
Wales sea trout rod catches
| River | Sea trout caught | Sea trout released | Percentage released |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aeron | 56 | 33 | 58.9% |
| Afan | 31 | 31 | 100% |
| Artro | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Cefni | 0 | 0 | no reported catch |
| Cleddau | 25 | 21 | 84% |
| Clwyd | 228 | 216 | 94.7% |
| Conwy | 133 | 124 | 93.2% |
| Dee | 171 | 160 | 93.6% |
| Dwyfach | 2 | 1 | 50% |
| Dwyfawr | 20 | 20 | 100% |
| Dwyryd | 12 | 12 | 100% |
| Dyfi/Dovey | 376 | 359 | 95.5% |
| Dysynni | 145 | 122 | 84.1% |
| Glaslyn | 75 | 59 | 78.7% |
| Gwendraeth Fach | 3 | 2 | 66.7% |
| Gwyrfai | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Llyfni | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Loughor/Llwchwr | 4 | 3 | 75% |
| Mawddach | 91 | 83 | 91.2% |
| Neath | 6 | 6 | 100% |
| Nevern | 71 | 49 | 69% |
| Ogmore | 48 | 47 | 97.9% |
| Ogwen | 81 | 59 | 72.8% |
| Rheidol | 145 | 143 | 98.6% |
| Rhymney | 0 | 0 | no reported catch |
| Seiont | 25 | 23 | 92% |
| Taf | 29 | 29 | 100% |
| Taff | 7 | 7 | 100% |
| Tawe | 10 | 10 | 100% |
| Teifi | 289 | 267 | 92.4% |
| Tywi/Towy | 283 | 247 | 87.3% |
| Usk | 5 | 4 | 80% |
| Wye | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| Ystwyth | 39 | 37 | 94.9% |
| Other | 6 | 3 | 50% |
| Total | 2421 | 2181 | 90.1% |
England and Wales sea trout rod catch total
Total sea trout rod catches for 2025:
- sea trout caught: 8,950
- sea trout released: 8,288
- percentage released: 92.6%
Salmon net catches
North East salmon net catches
| River or fishery | Fishing method | Total number | Total weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northumbria (D1) | T or J nets | 5 | 20.87 |
| Yorkshire (3-7) | T or J nets | 26 | 84.37 |
| Whole area | Total | 31 | 105.23 |
Anglian salmon net catches
There were no salmon net catches in the Anglian net fishery in 2025.
South East (Southern) salmon net catches
There were no salmon net catches in the South East (Southern) net fishery in 2025.
South West salmon net catches
There were no salmon net catches in the South West net fishery in 2025.
Midlands salmon net catches
| River or fishery | Fishing method | Total number | Total weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Severn | Lave nets | 12 | 60.33 |
| Whole area | Total | 12 | 60.33 |
North West salmon net catches
| River or fishery | Fishing method | Total number | Total weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lune | Haaf nets | 20 | 85.28 |
| Kent | Lave nets | 0 | 0.00 |
| Leven | Lave nets | 0 | 0.00 |
| Solway | Haaf nets | 80 | 393.26 |
| Eden | Coop traps | 0 | 0.00 |
| Whole area | Total | 100 | 478.54 |
England total salmon net catches
Total salmon net catches for 2025:
- salmon total number: 143
- salmon total weight: 644.10kg
Wales salmon net catches
| River or fishery | Fishing method | Total number | Total weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wye | Lave nets | 0 | 0.00 |
| Tywi/Towy | Seine nets | 13 | 51.26 |
| Tywi/Towy | Coracle nets | 30 | 131.09 |
| Tywi/Towy | River total | 43 | 182.34 |
| Taf | Wade net | 0 | 0.00 |
| Taf | Coracle nets | 0 | 0.00 |
| Taf | River total | 0 | 0.00 |
| Cleddau (East and West) | Compass nets | 1 | 2.27 |
| Nevern | Seine nets | 0 | 0.00 |
| Teifi | Seine nets | 0 | 0.00 |
| Teifi | Coracle nets | 66 | 297.10 |
| Teifi | River total | 66 | 297.10 |
| Dyfi/Dovey | Seine nets | 2 | 7.26 |
| Mawddach | Seine nets | 0 | 0.00 |
| Conwy | Basket trap | 0 | 0.00 |
| Conwy | Seine nets | 1 | 1.36 |
| Conwy | River total | 1 | 1.36 |
| Wales | Total | 113 | 490.33 |
England and Wales salmon net catch total
Total salmon net catches for 2025:
- salmon caught: 256
- salmon total weight: 1,134.43kg
Sea trout net catches
North East sea trout net catches
| River or fishery | Fishing method | Total number | Total weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northumbria (D1) | T or J nets | 940 | 1,586.24 |
| Yorkshire (3-7) | T or J nets | 3,612 | 5,878.62 |
| Whole area | Total | 4,552 | 7,464.86 |
Anglian sea trout net catches
| River or fishery | Fishing method | Total number | Total weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal | Drift nets | 59 | 79.38 |
| Coastal | Other nets | 26 | 34.47 |
| Whole area | Total | 85 | 113.85 |
South East (Southern) sea trout net catches
There were no sea trout net catches in the South East (Southern) net fishery in 2025.
South West sea trout net catches
| River or fishery | Fishing method | Total number | Total weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teign | Seine nets | 33 | 48.65 |
| Whole area | Total | 33 | 48.65 |
Midlands sea trout net catches
| River or fishery | Fishing method | Total number | Total weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Severn | Lave nets | 1 | 0.91 |
| Whole area | Total | 1 | 0.91 |
North West sea trout net catches
| River or fishery | Fishing method | Total number | Total weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lune | Haaf nets | 42 | 67.13 |
| Kent | Lave nets | 0 | 0.00 |
| Leven | Lave nets | 0 | 0.00 |
| Solway | Haaf nets | 141 | 157.28 |
| Eden | Coop traps | 0 | 0.00 |
| Whole area | Total | 183 | 224.41 |
England total sea trout net catches
Total number of sea trout net catches for 2025:
- sea trout caught: 4,854
- sea trout total weight: 7,852.99kg
Wales sea trout net catches
| River or fishery | Fishing method | Total number | Total weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tywi/Towy | Seine nets (b) | 3 | 6.35 |
| Tywi/Towy | Coracle nets (b) | 66 | 121.79 |
| Tywi/Towy | River total | 69 | 128.14 |
| Taf | Wade net | 0 | 0.00 |
| Taf | Coracle nets (b) | 0 | 0.00 |
| Taf | River total | 0 | 0.00 |
| Cleddau (East and West) | Compass nets | 2 | 4.54 |
| Nevern | Seine nets | 0 | 0.00 |
| Teifi | Seine nets (b) | 10 | 13.83 |
| Teifi | Coracle nets (b) | 223 | 338.57 |
| Teifi | River total | 233 | 352.41 |
| Dyfi/Dovey | Seine nets (b) | 10 | 15.20 |
| Mawddach | Seine nets | 0 | 0.00 |
| Conwy | Basket trap | 0 | 0.00 |
| Conwy | Seine nets | 9 | 9.53 |
| Conwy | River total | 9 | 9.53 |
| Wales | Total | 323 | 509.81 |
England and Wales total sea trout net catches
Total number of sea trout nets catches for 2025:
- sea trout total number: 5,177
- sea trout total weight: 8,362.49kg
5. Eel, smelt, and lamprey catches
The Environment Agency issues commercial fishing authorisations for eel, elver, lamprey, and smelt fishing.
Eel and elver fishing
Authorisations for commercial yellow and silver eel fishing are restricted to those already authorised to fish. Elver fishing is restricted to certain locations with fishers only authorised to use handheld dip nets.
Adult eel fishing was authorised between 1 April and 10 December 2025. Elver fishers were authorised to fish between 15 February and 20 April 2025.
Smelt and lamprey fishing
Authorisations for smelt and lamprey fishing are restricted to those already authorised to fish.
Smelt fishing is generally authorised between February and April each year. Fishers must provide the Environment Agency with a completed catch return within 30 days of the expiry of their authorisation. The total weight of smelt taken is limited by fishing effort.
The fishing season for river lamprey is between November and December each year. The total weight of lamprey that can be taken is subject to a quota. Fishers must provide the Environment Agency with a completed catch return within 30 days of the expiry of their authorisation.
Adult eel fishery – method, number of instruments, value and catch, 2025 season
| Method | Number of instruments | Value (£) | Caught (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fyke net or Small wingless traps | 1,210 | £2,380 | 19,803.00 |
| Fixed Traps | 2 | £230 | - |
| Total | 1,212 | £2,610 | 19,803.00 |
There were 29 authorised eel fishers in 2025.
Elver fishery – number of nets, value and catch, 2025 season
| Number of dip nets | Value (£) | Caught (kg) |
|---|---|---|
| 95 | £8,075 | 439.30 |
There were 95 authorised elver fishers in 2025.
Lamprey fishery – number of pots, value and catch, 2025 season
There were no authorised lamprey fishers in 2025.
Smelt fishery – number of instruments, value and catch, 2025 season
| Number of pots or fyke nets | Value (£) | Caught (kg) |
|---|---|---|
| 200 | £160.00 | 0 |
There was one authorised smelt fisher in 2025.