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Scottish Marine and Freshwater Science Reports

Formal report series, containing results of research and monitoring carried out by Marine Scotland Science

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Examination of levels of farm/wild hybridisation in southwest Scotland and northeast England following a large-scale farm salmon escape event in 2020

Scottish Marine and Freshwater Science Report Volume 13 No 2

This report describes the results of a genetic survey undertaken in 2020 and 2021 of salmon obtained from rivers in areas of Scotland and England local to the Carradale North fish farm which shifted position after its seabed anchors became dislodged during Storm Ellen which resulted in 48,834 farmed Atlantic salmon escaping into the wild. The study used genetic techniques to quantify the levels of farm/wild hybrid fish in salmon fry (young of the year) produced in the spawning season following the escape event. Levels of hybridisation are reported in the area in the context of the specifics of the particular escape event and the wider picture of farm/wild genetic interactions in Scotland.

doi: 
https://doi.org/10.7489/12429-1
Citation: 
J. Gilbey, J. Sampayo, E. Cauwelier, L. Chapman, Y. M. Bradley, D.J. Morris. 2022. Examination of levels of farm/wild hybridisation in southwest Scotland and northeast England following a large-scale farm salmon escape event in 2020. Scottish Marine and Freshwater Science Reports 13(2 ) pp. 25 doi: 10.7489/12429-1
FieldValue
Publisher
Modified
2022-12-15
Release Date
2022-12-15
Identifier
17c6996a-f639-4b1d-9534-21792c176399
Spatial / Geographical Coverage Area
POLYGON ((-5.965576171875 54.805335225716, -5.965576171875 56.229516381221, -3.97705078125 56.229516381221, -3.97705078125 54.805335225716))
Temporal Coverage
2020-08-20 to 2022-10-31
Language
English (United Kingdom)
License
UK Open Government Licence (OGL)
Data Dictionary

Genetic material was obtained from wild salmon fry captured from rivers adjacent to the escape event during surveys undertaken in 2020 and 2021 to examine if any hybridisation between the escaped fish and wild stocks had occurred. Using a panel of 74 Single Nucleotide Polymorphic markers the samples were examined to identify the presence of signatures of first generation (F1) hybrid fish (from crosses of wild and farm individuals). In Scotland, the prevalence of any existing F1 fish was determined in the 2020 cohort (2,358 samples), which could not have been influenced by the escape event. These levels were then compared to those in the 2021 cohort (2,586 samples), which could potentially be impacted by hybridisation from escapees from the event. For samples collected from rivers in Cumbria in the North of England during 2021, prevalence’s of F1 fish in fry (279 fish) were determined and compared to parr (58 fish), as no fry samples were available from 2020. The proportions of F1 fish were then compared between these age classes, with parr acting as a background estimate with which to compare the 2021 fry cohort.

Contact Name
Marine Scotland
Contact Email
Public Access Level
Public