Gyrodactylus salaris (GS) is a serious parasite of salmon in freshwater. It is widely distributed in Europe and if introduced to Scotland it has the potential to eliminate most of the Atlantic salmon in our rivers. The Scottish Executive is funding this study which seeks to assess the economic consequences in Scotland were GS to be introduced. The study will also estimate the cost of maintaining Scotland’s current disease free status, as well as the costs of eradication and containment. This information will help shape advice to Ministers.
Economists from Glasgow Caledonian University and experts in parisitology, fisheries management and epidemiology from the University of Stirling are undertaking the study jointly.
At present there are some important gaps in our understanding of the economi consequences were GS to get into our rivers, and we need assistance from anglers have fished for freshwater species within Scotland in the last three years. We would like these anglers to complete a questionnaire, which seeks to identify how anglers would react to the possible loss of salmon angling throughout Scotland.
The success of this project and management plan is dependent on a good response from all anglers (both residents and visitors to Scotland) who fish for Salmon, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Sea Trout and Coarse in Scotland.
The questionnaire is available on-line at the link below and we encourage all freshwater anglers who have fished in Scotland within the past three years to visit this site.
http://www.gcal.ac.uk/econsurv/salmon_parasite.htm
Kindest Regards
Duncan Nicholas
Research Assistant
Division of Economics and Enterprise
Glasgow Caledonian University
