Spawning is a testament to the miracle of survival
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Northern Lines by Dr Keith Williams
Tempting though it is to begin looking back at the good and bad points of the year’s salmon and trout fishing season, there is still an important event to look forward to. At the time of writing this column, trout will have begun spawning and salmon will soon follow suit.
The commencement of spawning is triggered by the lessening of daylight and the lowering of water temperatures. Although I have spent countless hours watching salmon spawn from a concealed vantage point, it remains a timeless spectacle of the natural world that I never tire of.
Most people who earn their living from our rivers, be they ghillies, keepers, water bailiffs or scientists tend to be drawn back to their rivers to observe this annual ritual.
Water bailiffs will take a quiet satisfaction knowing that the many long and tedious nights of protecting the fish from unwelcome attention have helped to ensure that there are sufficient adult fish to repopulate the river. Ghillies and keepers perhaps like to judge the numbers of fish in their river, looking forward to the return of the progeny of the spawning salmon and trout in the seasons yet to come.
It is worth noting that many animals such as foxes and pine martins eat the carcasses of fish that succumb to the rigours of spawning. Salmon eggs are also highly nutritious and will help maintain the fat stores of birds such as dippers ahead of the lean winter months. Whole ecosystems benefit from the nutrients brought back to the river from the sea.
For my own part, I hope to visit some favoured spots on the River Carron which are mostly in the shallow tail areas of pools. It is important, however, to keep a respectful distance from the water’s edge so as not to disturb the fish.
I am always struck by the terrible odds against survival that faced each individual spawning fish. For every survivor perhaps a hundred will have perished prior to arriving at maturity. Above all, these fish represent an affirmation that the little miracle of survival in an increasingly hostile environment continues, at least for one more year.
As the female salmon carefully uses her tail to displace stones and cover the eggs she has laid in her redd – a nest formed in the bed of the river – she entrusts the future of the species into its safekeeping, along with all our hopes for productive fishing seasons in the future. Once spawning is complete only then will the fishing season have truly ended.
Dr Keith Williams is the director of Kyle Fisheries.
