We're still collecting donations
On the 27th August 2018 we'd raised £19,781 with 206 supporters in 146 days. But as every pound matters, we're continuing to collect donations from supporters.
The Missing Salmon Project
by Atlantic Salmon Trust in United Kingdom
Total raised £24,138
raised so far+ est. £5366.75
312
supportersFollowing the success of our Missing Salmon Project crowdfunder, we are now accepting ongoing donations of support.
by Atlantic Salmon Trust in United Kingdom
During our original crowdfunding campaign, we successfully raised £19,781 thanks to 206 wonderful supporters. We are now continuing to accept donations to keep allowing us to find out why wild salmon numbers are declining at such an alarming rate. Find out more about our original plans below.
It’s time to solve the mystery of our missing salmon.
Every year, wild salmon complete one of the planet’s greatest natural migrations, travelling thousands of miles to return to the river they were born in to spawn.
It’s a journey this incredible species has been making for more than 60 million years. But these remarkable fish are now dying in huge numbers.
The problem
Somewhere on their journey, wild salmon numbers are being decimated. For every 100 salmon that leave our rivers for the sea, less than five return – a decline of nearly 70% in just 25 years.
In our lifetime, wild Atlantic salmon numbers around the world have more than halved. The total population in the Atlantic has fallen from 8-10 million fish in the early 1970s to 3-4 million today. But no-one knows exactly where mortality is occurring. Are the fish dying while at sea, or failing to even make it that far?
The warning is stark. If this trend continues, one of our most iconic species will become endangered in our lifetime.
What needs to be done?
The Atlantic Salmon Trust, the UK’s most influential advocates for salmon conservation, has launched The Missing Salmon Project – a campaign to raise £1 million by the end of 2018 to fund a tagging and tracking project that will uncover the secrets of the missing salmon to help prevent further decline of this iconic species.
It’s vital that we raise the funds needed to carry out The Missing Salmon Project.
The Missing Salmon Project will be the largest acoustic tracking project for salmon in Europe and will track salmon smolts further than ever before. If funding is secured, in 2019 the tagging project will start its work in the Moray Firth – the route taken by 20% of all salmon that leave the UK. The lessons learned from the study in the Moray Firth will provide valuable insights that are transferable to other populations of salmon around the UK.
The scale of this project is critical to its success. If we raise the money needed, we’ll tag and track over 1,000 juvenile salmon from the headwaters to the sea. Receivers like these will track the salmon's journey so that we can understand where mortality occurs.
The findings from this work will identify definitively why stocks are declining so that decisive action can be taken to protect the species.
The Missing Salmon Project is run by the Atlantic Salmon Trust (AST). The role of the AST is to demonstrate how salmon can be conserved and managed to enable their value to society to be realised sustainably. The Trust’s work concentrates on improving our knowledge of these fish, their habitats and their complex and fascinating life histories, as well as the threats to their survival.
Rewards
This project offered rewards
£5 or more
Thank you!
You will receive a written thank you and updates from The Missing Salmon Project
£25 or more
The Missing Salmon Project badge
Receive a 'The Missing Salmon Project' enamel badge. Proudly wear your badge to show support and help raise awareness of the issues affecting wild salmon.
£30 or more
The Missing Salmon Project t-shirt
Cotton t-shirt printed with The Missing Salmon Project logo
£30 or more
The Missing Salmon Project hat
A baseball cap with The Missing Salmon Project logo
£40 or more
Annual subscription to Fishing TV
An annual subscription to Fishing TV worth £60 a year (33% discount).
£50 or more
The Missing Salmon Project fly-box
Waterproof clear plastic fly box with micro-slit and high density ethafoam liners, which will hold all sizes of flies easily and securely. Small size (3.8"x2.8"x1.4") comes complete with neck lanyard, making it ideal for the roving or river angler. Can hold an impressive 136 dry and nymph flies!
£100 or more
15% discount code
For Fishing Tackle/Equipment purchases from Snowbee (www.snowbee.co.uk/). Waders, clothing, rods, reels, fly lines, bags and innovative new accessories. We'll send you your unique Missing Salmon Project discount code to access your 15% discount. Unlimited purchases, limited to 12 month period from the date the code is issued.
£500 or more
Sponsor a salmon smolt
Your pledge will help buy an acoustic tag which will be used to track a smolt. Each tag has a unique signal so we'll know when and where your smolt is on its migration. Find out whether it makes the journey out of the river and across the Moray Firth? You'll get updates on when and where your smolt was caught, tagged, released and details of its journey once the data is retrieved. Smolts will be tagged in April 2019. Contact us to select river.
£1,000 or more
Sponsor a receiver
Your pledge will help us to purchase the acoustic receivers needed in the project to track the salmon smolts on their migration. The receivers pick up the signal from the tagged smolt and record the time, date, position. Data is retrieved at the end of the smolt run. We'll name the receiver after you and you will receive information about the data that your receiver collected.
£2,500 or more
Fishing on the River Test
One day fishing on the River Test at Broadlands. The River Test, North Hampshire is the pre-eminent chalk stream. The Broadlands Estate is one of the most famous names in fishing, renowned the world over for the River Test flowing through the estate that was the home of Earl Mountbatten of Burma. You will fish with 4 other donors at this level, lunch in the infamous Nissen Hut and receiver project briefing from AST Tracking Coordinator.
£5,000 or more
A day fishing on the Junction Pool, River Tweed
Donors pledging a donation at this level will receive the reward of 1 day fishing on the Junction Pool, River Tweed. The River Tweed is perhaps the best known of all salmon rivers in Scotland and the Junction Pool itself is arguably the most famous salmon pool in the world. In addition to Junction, the beat has nine other named pools. You will fish with 4 other donors pledging at this level and 1 AST Ambassadors.
£5,000 or more
Project visit & overnight stay at Gordon Castle
Stay at the magnificent Gordon Castle, at Fochabers on the banks of the River Spey. The River Spey is one of the project rivers flowing into the Moray Firth. Meet AST Tracking Coordinator Dr. Matt Newton and go with him to tag salmon smolts on the River Spey. Includes excursion by boat on the Moray Firth, giving the donor insight into the project and the journey these smolts have to make.
£25,000 or more
AST President's Club
Become a member of the Atlantic Salmon Trust President's Club hosted by Earl Percy. As a member of the AST President's club you will be able to join the President Club trips and have special access to the AST researchers for events and updates on the work of the Trust.