The project will build on surveys carried out in 2021 and 2023 on the River Moidart and River Finnan, helping scientists better understand the genetic diversity of local salmon populations and how they are changing over time.
Genetic analysis will be carried out by researchers at UHI Inverness, with Lochaber Fisheries Trust collating and assessing the results. The findings will help guide future conservation decisions, including whether juvenile salmon from the Lochaber Live Gene Bank may be needed to support natural populations and maintain genetic diversity.
The work forms an important part of the long-term conservation programme underpinning the Lochaber Live Gene Bank and hatchery initiatives. It also represents good value for money, with significant in-kind contributions from local staff and project partners.
The project continues Lochaber Fisheries Trust's commitment to evidence-based conservation, providing valuable information to help protect and enhance wild salmon populations in some of Scotland's most important west coast rivers.
