ATLANTIC SALMON RANCHING - PAST PROBLEMS AND FUTURE MANAGEMENT

Straying of ranched salmon into rivers in Iceland has given cause for concern because of ecological, genetic, and disease effects on wild st ocks. More than 96% of returning Icelandic ranched salmon are harveste d at ranching stations. Over 80% of the strays into salmon rivers occu rs on the west coast in the area where most of the ranching stations h ave been located. In that area the ranched component in rivers ranged from <1% to >20% (average 4.4%) of the population, depending on proxim ity to the ranching sites. Combined strays from river enhancement and from the west coast rivers into the ranching stations averaged 2.5% (9 7.5% recovered in rivers), which corresponds to 1.0% of the total harv est al ranching stations. Strays of enhanced populations were at least three times more numerous in ranching stations than strays of wild sa lmon. Eighty-nine to ninety-seven percent of the ranched salmon return ing to ranching stations were recaptured in the station of release. St rayers from other ranching stations in the catches of individual ranch ing stations comprised 2-13% of the catch with the extent of straying being more related to harvest methods and the location of the ranching station than to homing accuracy. Biological and social concerns regar ding the harvesting methods al ranching stations, increased illegal fi shing effort as a result of ranching and a put-and-take fishery for ra nched salmon, which has been developing in Iceland since the late 1980 s are discussed. The management implications of these practices are co nsidered as well as possible solutions to the problems associated with ranching. (C) 1997 International Council for the Exploration of the S ea.