Programme
Wild salmon are in crisis,
but there is hope.
27 January 2025
Inspiring People
Telling the story of wild salmon and nature to inspire urgent action.
Introduction by Mark Bilsby, Missing Salmon Alliance
Welcome by Andrew Sutcliffe KC, Prime Warden, Fishmongers’ Company
Opening Addresses:
Thames Salmon School Children
Fawn Sharp, Quinault Tribal member and former President of the National Congress of American Indians
Keynote Address:
Professor Sir Dieter Helm, University of Oxford - Wild Salmon: Critical Natural Capital
Wild Salmon in Crisis
The State of Pacific Salmon in Canada
Katrina Connors, Pacific Salmon Foundation
The State of Wild Salmon Populations in the Atlantic
Alan Walker, Chair of ICES Working Group on North Atlantic Salmon
Audience Q&A
Salmon School
Joseph Rossano, International Environmental Artist & Scott Schuyler, Upper Skagit Indian Tribe
In Conversation: Thames Salmon School Children
Facilitated by Ella McSweeney
LUNCH
The Health of our Natural Environment
The Health of our Oceans and Coasts
Louie Porta, Atlantic Salmon Federation
The State of Our Rivers
Mark Lloyd, The Rivers Trust
Panel Discussion
The Value of Salmon and their Habitat
Nature Recovery and Connection at a Watershed-Scale
Elle Adams, Findhorn Nairn and Lossie Rivers Trust
The Value of Angling
Mark Owen, Angling Trust & Robert Otto, Atlantic Salmon Federation
BREAK
Cultural Conversation:
Fawn Sharp & Lara Stroh & Elle Adams & Ella McSweeney
Hope! Thriving Wild Salmon at the Heart of Healthy Ecosystems
Thriving Wild Salmon and Habitat
Guðni Guðbergsson, Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, Iceland
The Recovery of the Tyne: A UK Rural-Urban Watershed
Jack Bloomer, Tyne Rivers Trust
The Urgent Action Needed
Mark Bilsby, Missing Salmon Alliance
CLOSE
Wild Salmon Connections Reception
Thames Salmon School; Joseph Rossano, International Environmental Artist &
Scott Schuyler, Upper Skagit Indian Tribe
28 January 2025
Environmental Leadership
Enabling positive solutions to accelerate wild salmon recovery.
Introduction by Alan Wells, Missing Salmon Alliance
Keynote Addresses:
Andreas Bjelland Eriksen, Norwegian Minister of Climate and Environment
Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, the Scottish Government
Addressing Climate Change
Steering Towards Better Outcomes: Salmon Climate Adaptation
Jason Hwang, Pacific Salmon Foundation
Is the World too Hot for Atlantic Salmon?
Valerie Ouellet, Atlantic Salmon Federation
Salish Sea Marine Survival Program
Jacques White, Long Live the Kings
BREAK
Fisheries and Bycatch - A Problem for Wild Salmon?
Bycatch: The Challenge and Potential Solutions
Sophie Elliott, Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust
Interactions between Inshore Fisheries and Wild Salmon
Hannah Rudd, Angling Trust
International Legal Duties in Relation to Bycatch
Tom Appleby, University of West of the England and Blue Marine Foundation
Pressures in our Coastal Waters
The Biggest Threat to Wild Atlantic Salmon in Norway: Urgent Action Needed
Pål Mugaas, Norske Lakseelver
Salmon Farming: Adapting to a Changing Climate
Anne Anderson, Scottish Sea Farms
Can Salmon Farming Coexist with and Protect Wild Salmon Populations?
Sondre Eide, Eide Fjordbruk
Audience Q&A
LUNCH
Cold, Clean Water in Free-Flowing Rivers
Saving England's Chalk Stream Salmon
Alison Matthews, The Rivers Trust & Jim Murray, MBE, Actor
Hydropower and Wild Atlantic Salmon in Norwegian Rivers
Torfinn Evensen, Norske Lakseelver
A Whole Catchment Approach in the Face of Climate Change
Lorraine Hawkins, Dee District Salmon Fishery Board
The Canadian North: A Global Stronghold for Atlantic Salmon
Nathan Wilbur, Atlantic Salmon Federation
BREAK
Leadership for Salmon, People and the Planet
Informing the Future: Supporting Solutions in our Catchments and Oceans
Kathryn Berry, BECI and PICES & Jon Emery, Atlantic Salmon Trust
Enhanced Collaboration to Meet a Shared Goal
Kim Damon-Randall, North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization & Alan Wells, Missing Salmon Alliance
Daniel Zeichner MP
Remarks from the UK Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs
The Urgent Action Needed
Alan Wells, Missing Salmon Alliance
CLOSE
Wild Salmon Connections Banquet
29 January 2025
Focussing for the Future
Accelerating nature restoration for salmon, people and the planet.
Introduction by Mark Lloyd, Missing Salmon Alliance
Keynote Address:
Alastair Fothergill, Director and co-founder of Silverback Films, with productions including Sir David Attenborough’s 'Wild Isles’ and ‘Our Planet' documentaries
Scaling Up River Restoration
Dams and the US Endangered Species Protection Act
Ann Willis, American Rivers
Salmon for People
Mike Meneer, Pacific Salmon Foundation
Scaling up Through Environmental Farmer Groups
Teresa Dent, Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust
BREAK
‘Investment Ready’ for Nature Finance
Six Rivers Iceland
Peter Williams, Six Rivers
Philanthropic Positives and Pitfalls
Allison Collina, Pacific Salmon Foundation
Mobilising Nature Finance for Watershed Restoration
Alex Adam, Rivers Trust with Charlotte Harrington, BELU
Panel Discussion
The Power of Collaboration
Collaboration: Building on Solid Foundations
Mark Saunders, International Year of the Salmon
Next Steps for Missing Salmon Alliance and Wild Salmon Connections
Pedro Landale & Kat Gillbe, Missing Salmon Alliance
LUNCH
NETWORKING & MEETINGS
Wild Salmon Connections was hosted by the Missing Salmon Alliance in partnership with like-minded organisations across the northern hemisphere including the Atlantic Salmon Federation, Norwegian Salmon Rivers, Pacific Salmon Foundation, and Long Live the Kings.
Wild Salmon Connections was generously supported by The Fishmongers’ Company, Newcore Capital, YETI and the Piton Trust.