England's Atlantic salmon population has reached an all-time low, highlighting the deteriorating condition of its marine and freshwater ecosystems, according to a report by the

Environment Agency (EA) on Monday.

Once thriving in the northern Atlantic Ocean and its rivers, around 90% of England's key salmon rivers are now classified as "at risk" or "probably at risk." This means that salmon numbers have dropped below the threshold needed to sustain healthy populations, signaling an urgent need for environmental improvements, the EA warned.

The decline is largely attributed to agricultural pollution, sediment buildup, chemical runoff from industries, wastewater, and road pollution, which have degraded the natural habitats of salmon. The EA has called on farmers, landowners, and industries—particularly those in water, energy, and waste management—to take immediate action to safeguard the species.

The issue of raw sewage being dumped into rivers and seas has also sparked public outrage in the UK, with private water companies facing accusations of frequently releasing waste into waterways and neglecting necessary infrastructure upgrades.

"Forty years ago, an estimated 1.4 million salmon returned to UK rivers annually. Today, we’re barely seeing a third of that—a new low and clear evidence of the wider biodiversity crisis," said EA Chair Alan Lovell. He stressed the need for stricter measures against polluters, adding that new legislation, the Water (Special Measures) Bill, would give the agency greater powers to hold offenders accountable.

The EA noted that similar declines in salmon populations have been observed in countries like Ireland, Iceland, Sweden, and Canada, but the UK has experienced the steepest drop.

The agency reported a provisional rod catch of 4,911 salmon last year, marking a 23% decrease from 2022 and the lowest figure since records began in 1988. Photo by Knepp Timothy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Wikimedia commons.