Anja Murray: River recovery is possible — failure is not an option

The seas where salmon mature and the rivers that they have been returning to for thousands of years have now been utterly transformed by human activity

This is the time of year when Atlantic Salmon try to return to the streams where they were born. Picture: Paul Nicklen/National Geographic/Getty Images

In September, migrating Atlantic Salmon are returning to the streams where they were born. Some have spent just a year at sea. For others, which have spent several years in the North Atlantic, their journey home can take more than a year to complete, covering distances of 3,000 km!

Despite decades of research, scientists still don’t fully understand how Atlantic Salmon navigate their way across thousands of miles of open ocean. Once they get here, they are able to smell the waters of their exact natal river, distinguishing between the subtly different waters of neighbouring tributaries.