The Atlantic salmon fishing season in Asturian rivers has closed with 108 official catches, the lowest figure ever recorded . This number represents a new all-time low, surpassing the previous record of 130 salmon in 2025, and highlights the worrying decline of this emblematic species in northern Spain. This situation has led the Royal Asturian River Fishing Association to support a measure that until recently seemed unthinkable: a temporary ban on salmon fishing to allow for the recovery of salmon populations.
The decline is not an isolated incident. According to records kept by the association, which date back to 1949, the best year was 1969, when 6.893 salmon were caught in Asturian rivers. Since then, the trend has been clearly negative, and in the last two seasons, the number of catches has barely exceeded one hundred. The region with the most salmon in Spain is experiencing a critical situation that, according to experts, requires urgent measures.
Distribution of catches by basins and negative record
By river basin, the Narcea River contributed the most salmon, with 66 caught before the early closure of the season on June 19 , once the established quota was reached. An additional four salmon were allocated to the fish farm breeding program. Twenty-three salmon were caught in the Sella River, two fewer than the previous season; 14 in the Cares-Deva, double the number from 2015; five in the Esva; and no salmon were caught in the Eo River. The Eo has, for the first time, had no salmon caught , a fact that underscores the seriousness of the situation.
The first salmon of the season, the campanu, also broke negative records. It was the latest ever caught, on May 26 , more than a month after the season opened on April 18. Thousands of anglers had tried unsuccessfully for weeks, foreshadowing a very poor season, reminiscent of the historic campanu in the Sella River in previous years.
The crisis extends across the entire Atlantic arc
The problem isn't unique to Asturias. In Cantabria, the season has ended with just three catches, the worst figure on record . Meanwhile, in Galicia, the Basque Country, and Navarre, salmon fishing is already prohibited to promote the conservation of the species. This downward trend affects the entire Atlantic coast , and scientific studies point to marine causes as the main factor, although they also cite the historical pressure of industrial fishing in the ocean and the increase in predators such as otters, cormorants, and bears.
The Iberian Society of Ichthyology (SIBIC), Spain's leading scientific body on fish, has warned that Atlantic salmon populations have declined by more than 80% in ten years (2015-2024) and that the situation in the country is far more serious than globally. Therefore, they are urging its inclusion in the Spanish Catalogue of Threatened Species in the "endangered" category, which would entail an immediate ban on recreational fishing, similar to the historical ban on salmon fishing in Galicia.
Reactions and next steps
The Asturian Ecologist Coordinator has denounced the regional government for its "silence" and refusal to acknowledge the critical situation of the salmon. The group is demanding bold measures such as declaring the salmon an endangered species and imposing a moratorium on fishing for it , similar to the ban on Atlantic salmon fishing in Cantabria by environmentalists . They are also calling for a halt to restocking programs as they are currently being carried out, arguing that these programs reduce genetic diversity. Meanwhile, the Royal Asturian Association of River Fishing, which has been warning about the problem for decades, has expressed its support for a temporary ban. Its representative, Delfín Puente, stated that the priority must be to protect and conserve the salmon until its recovery , even if this means ceasing fishing for it for several years.
The central government has already commissioned a report from the Scientific Committee that advises the Committee on Flora and Fauna to assess the conservation status of the Atlantic salmon. If the report concludes that the species should be listed as endangered, the final decision will rest with the regional governments, which will have to vote on whether or not to approve this enhanced protection. The precedent of the European eel, whose listing was rejected despite its critical situation, creates uncertainty about the future of the salmon.
The Minister of Rural Affairs and Agricultural Policy of the Principality of Asturias, Marcelino Marcos, has announced that his department will conduct a rigorous analysis of the salmon population and that decisions based on scientific criteria will be made in the coming days. The Asturian government has already implemented measures in recent years such as captive breeding, the creation of breeding reserves, the expansion of closed fishing areas, and the reduction of fishing effort , with a limit of one salmon caught per angler per season. However, these measures have not reversed the decline.
The 2026 season has left a devastating toll, uniting environmentalists, fishermen, and scientists in a single plea: immediate action is needed to prevent the Atlantic salmon from disappearing from the rivers of northern Spain . The final decision now rests with the authorities, who must weigh public pressure, technical reports, and the urgent need to protect a species on the brink of collapse.
