[Steven Kidd]

All,

Check this out:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-14616686

How did they get there?

Cheers,

Steven

[Hamish Young]

One possibility is they've come from Russia.
There were/are some Pacific species being farmed on the North Coast of Russia and if I recollect on the East coast of the US or Canada somewhere. It's possible that escapee fish have naffed off into the wild blue yonder and met up with Atlantic Salmon, followed them back to their feeding grounds and then onwards to rivers in Europe and elsewhere.
If that were the case, and there were sufficient numbers, I'd expect them to turn up in Iceland too 
It wouldn't be the first time 'exotic' fish have found their way to these shores and I'm sure it wont be the last.

H 

[gunner100]

From reading other articles in the the press I think that Hamish is absolutely correct. The humpback was farmed in NW Russia and some escaped travelling initially into the Norwegian river systems. From there it is a short hop , skip and jump to UK rivers across the North Sea. This is not the first time we have had invaders from across the North Sea, think gyrodactilys salaris .

[Ben Dixon]

Yup. they've been caught in the Tweed before.  There was a male caught at Boleside a few seasons ago.

How long before the migratory grayling reach the Don I wonder 

[Jim Eddie]

From reading other articles in the the press I think that Hamish is absolutely correct. The humpback was farmed in NW Russia and some escaped travelling initially into the Norwegian river systems. From there it is a short hop , skip and jump to UK rivers across the North Sea. This is not the first time we have had invaders from across the North Sea, think gyrodactilys salaris .

Lyall

G Salaris can not survive salt water so would not be able to come across the North Sea via Humpies.

 

Jim

[gunner100]

Jim,

Lyall

G Salaris can not survive salt water so would not be able to come across the North Sea via Humpies.

 

Jim

I wasn't suggesting that the humpies could bring gyrodactilis salaris with them, the most likely route would be through infected tackle which had been used in Norway. Another possibility is through Norwegian smolts from Norway for their associate fish farms in Scotland.

cheers,
]
lyall

[Jim Eddie]

Jim,
I wasn't suggesting that the humpies could bring gyrodactilis salaris with them, the most likely route would be through infected tackle which had been used in Norway. Another possibility is through Norwegian smolts from Norway for their associate fish farms in Scotland.

cheers,
]
lyall

I woul think the 2nd option (Smolts) is more likely, they are not free swimming and can't survive to long without a host, so don't really think the tackle one is very likely. That said I would not take a risk and disenfect tackle etc .

 

Jim