ABOUT US
OUR VISION
A world where salmon thrive in rivers that are valued and nurtured by riverine communities
NASF (UK) fund local conservation projects that help restore our salmon rivers whilst enlivening people’s appreciation of this precious species.
Together we can restore our waterways — securing the sight of leaping salmon in Britain for future generations.
WHY NOW?
The North Atlantic Salmon Fund UK launched in 2025 to support community-based salmon conservation across Britain.
Wild salmon are in crisis, with a 70% drop in British salmon numbers in 40 years, whilst Wales and Scotland saw this rapid decline in less than 15 years.
In 2023 the International Union for the Conservation of Species (IUCN) Red List upgraded the plight of salmon globally to ‘near threatened’, whereas British salmon’s dire threat warranted ‘Endangered’ status.
By acting now together we can still prevent the extinction of our beloved salmon in UK waterways. So, NASF (UK) are wading in to help, with a rallying cry to all British citizens to join us and help save our wild British salmon
#SaveBritain'sWildSalmon #SaveOurWildSalmon
OUR MISSION
Our charity's mission is to protect, conserve and enhance Britain’s population of wild Atlantic Salmon in our rivers. At the heart of our strategy to achieve this is the launch of our new community-based salmon conservation award, 'The Orri’.
The Orri, was created in honour of NASF founder, Orri Vigfússon, an award-winning salmon conservationist, known affectionately as the ‘Godfather of Salmon’.
Icelandic businessman Orri Vigfússon is credited with saving the wild North Atlantic Salmon from extinction when numbers previously plummeted in the nineties. Orri did so by eliminating commercial fishing of Salmon in their main feeding grounds off the coast of Greenland, compensating fisherman who transitioned to sustainable fisheries.
Orri succeeded in saving salmon in the past, and now we introduce 'The Orri' Award, to support community-based salmon conservation projects here in the UK, to help prevent their extinction in British rivers.
NASF UK is dedicated to protecting and restoring wild Atlantic salmon. As part of this mission, we oppose open-net pen salmon farming due to its significant environmental and ecological impacts.
Open net farms release untreated waste directly into surrounding waters — contributing to pollution and habitat degradation.
Escapes of farmed salmon can interbreed with our endangered wild salmon populations reducing genetic fitness and resilience.
High stocking densities found in UK farmed salmon systems encourage the spread of sea lice, which transfer to migrating wild salmon and sea trout, affecting their survival.
At a time when wild Atlantic salmon are already under serious threat, these combined pressures are of major concern.
NASF UK advocates for sustainable aquaculture approaches that do not harm wild salmon or their environments.
OUR VIEWS: SALMON FARMING
WHO WE ARE
We are collaborators, working with other conservation organisations towards a common goal, to conserve and restore migratory North Atlantic Salmon in UK rivers.
Overtime ‘The Orri’ award winning community projects will create a national network of citizen salmon conservationists, all working with us towards a shared goal.
Our advisors, partners and community network together can stop British salmon becoming extinct in our rivers, with wide benefits for our freshwater ecosystems.
Meet the NASF UK team
Robert Sloss
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Robert’s love of fish and fishing started at the age of three, catching mackerel off his father’s boat. He is a passionate salmon and trout fisherman, with a deep desire to see these fish protected in their natural environments.Robert met Orri Vigfusson in 2002 and was inspired by Orri’s single-minded determination to turn around the plight of the Atlantic Salmon, often against very steep odds. A few years’ later, Orri asked Robert to become a trustee of NASF(UK) and following Orri’s passing, he became its chairman.
NASF (UK) benefits from Robert’s expertise in strategic thinking and creativity in funding — gained during his 25-year long career as a UK business leader in Sustainable Development. In his role as Chairman Robert wanted to create something to continue Orri’s legacy, with the result being ‘The Orri’, an annual award, combining conservation and community.
Tom Silk
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When at his desk, Tom runs an Innovation and Growth consultancy that champions collaborative working to help businesses succeed. In his role as a Trustee of NASF UK, he has used his marketing background to position NASF UK’s focus to be different, but complimentary to the good work of our salmon conservation partners.When freed from his desk, Tom is never happier than on the banks of a wild river with his wife and three boys. He has a passionate belief in the importance of man’s connectivity with Nature, recognising that if we don’t appreciate the natural world around us, we will never provide the love and respect it requires to flourish.
Dani Morey Strang
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Dani is a monthly columnist for ‘Trout & Salmon’ magazine and a salmon fishing guide based on The River Spey in Scotland.
She grew up fishing the southern chalk streams of England and has since travelled the world in pursuit of new fishing challenges. With over 40 years of experience she’s witnessed first-hand the negative impacts of environmental and ecological changes, on local communities and the wider world, alongside a stark fall in Atlantic salmon numbers.
As a mother, Dani is keen to ensure that everything is done to protect our wild salmon for generations to come — organising charity days, ladies days and youth schemes to educate and encourage as many people into fishing and conservation as possible.
Dani was a judge for the inaugural ‘Orri’ award 2025 before being invited to join NASF UK as a Trustee in July 2026. She is keen to help promote citizen change and conserve salmon in UK rivers.
Nicky Shale
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Nicky’s love of nature was shaped by her upbringing in the rural West Midlands, where she spent much of her childhood exploring nearby lakes, streams and woodlands. She went on to study Zoology at the University of Bristol and Ecology at the University of Oxford, inspired by conservationists including Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey and Sir David Attenborough.
Today, she adds Orri Vigfússon to that list and is proud to support the continuation of his legacy through her work with NASF UK.
Nicky is an ecologist specialising in strategic storytelling and environmental communications, she works with NASF UK to develop, refine and deliver their communications strategy.
Charlie Arden
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From his early childhood Charlie has been obsessed with the wild Atlantic salmon and their incredible life-cycle. He joins NASF (UK) with a firm commitment to reverse their decline.Charlie currently lives in London, working as Investment Director at Praxis Capital, a property investment company . However, driven by his passion for nature and marine-life, he spends all available time touring the UK’s rivers and coastlines, especially in Purbeck, Dorset – where he grew up. He also embarked on a year-long sabbatical in 2024, sailing across Europe, the Atlantic and the Caribbean.
‘The Orri’ award judges 2025
Elvar Örn Friðriksson
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Elvar joined the North Atlantic Salmon Fund (NASF) board in 2017 and assumed a full-time role as Program Director in 2020, driven by a lifelong passion for salmon. He has fished for salmon his entire life and has guided in Iceland for over 15 years, so the species has always held deep personal and professional meaning. When the opportunity arose to contribute meaningfully to their conservation, it was a natural step.
During his early days with NASF, Elvar worked closely with Orri Vigfússon on several major conservation efforts. Orri’s vision and tireless commitment to saving wild Atlantic salmon had a profound influence on Elvar. ‘The Orri’ award is deeply meaningful — not only as a personal honour but as a way to carry forward his legacy and continue the vital work he began to protect wild salmon for future generations.
Dani Morey
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Dani is a monthly columnist for ‘Trout & Salmon’ magazine and a salmon fishing guide based on The River Spey in Scotland.
She grew up fishing the southern chalk streams of England and has since travelled the world in pursuit of new fishing challenges. With over 40 years of experience she’s witnessed first-hand the negative impacts of environmental and ecological changes, on local communities and the wider world, alongside a stark fall in Atlantic salmon numbers.
As a mother, Dani is keen to ensure that everything is done to protect our wild salmon for generations to come — organising charity days, ladies days and youth schemes to educate and encourage as many people into fishing and conservation as possible.
Simon Evans
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Simon Evans is a nature lover, fisherman and environmental scientist who has found his happy place running the Wye and Usk Foundation (WUF). Simon’s UK fish conservation and river management expertise are extensive, gained during his 30 years’ working in nature conservation and fisheries management organisations.
As CEO of the Wye and Usk Foundation his time is spent recovering the Wye and Usk catchments with his team and building partnerships with others to solve the more complex problems. Simon’s practical salmon conservation knowledge will be invaluable in helping to review applications to the ‘Orri Award’ grant.
Savita Willmott
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Savita Willmott is Chief Executive of The Natural History Consortium, a charitable collaboration of 13 major environmental organisations working to develop innovative practice connecting people and nature.
In 2021 the charity was awarded “Top Innovator” status by the World Economic Forum’s Uplink programme. Savita designs the charity’s engagement platforms and research programmes including Festival of Nature (a West of England-wide celebration of nature running since 2003) and the Communicate (the UK’s conference for environmental communicators). She is a committed volunteer and Trustee supporting regional and national organisations.
Savita’s extensive experience in engaging new audiences with nature, aligns with the community focus of ‘The Orri’ award, and NASF (UK)’s focus on broadening the church of salmon conservation.
Charles Donaldson
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Charles brings a unique blend of salmon conservation expertise, private sector insight, and field leadership to NASF UK and The Orri Award. He first met Orri Vigfússon over a decade ago while working in Northeast Iceland, eventually becoming Head Guide on the Selá River with Six Rivers Iceland - one of the last strongholds of Atlantic salmon.
Spending up to six months a year in the field, Charles has developed a deep understanding of salmon as both a keystone species and an environmental indicator. He maintains partnerships with leading conservation organizations, including the Atlantic Salmon Federation where he is a National Council Member.
Currently a Field Representative with The Conservation Fund, he leads conservation real estate and restoration projects, aligning closely with The Orri’s mission of grassroots, community-based salmon protection.
Jim Murray MBE
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Jim Murray MBE is a renowned actor most recently featuring in ‘The Crown’ and ‘Masters of the Air’. Beyond the screen, Jim is a fierce advocate for Britain’s rivers and the endangered wild Atlantic salmon. A lifelong fly fisherman, Jim founded Activist Anglers in 2023 to empower and educate anglers to protect their local waterways.
He combines his passion for conservation with creativity. His 2024 exhibition Creatures of Light at the Royal Watercolour Society submerged canvases in ten key UK salmon rivers to reflect their habitats using natural pigments, raising awareness and funds for the Atlantic Salmon Trust, where he serves as an ambassador. Jim also hosts the acclaimed podcast The Last Salmon and is instrumental in Project White Hart, a pioneering salmon restoration effort for the Test and Itchen chalkstreams where he lives.
Gordon Sim
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Gordon Sim has extensive public and private leadership experience, having launched and overseen the growth, development and recent sale of LOOP Tackle Design AB.
A longtime fisherman and conservationist, Gordon now has a strategic conservation role assisting LOOP tackle, NASF Iceland and other organisations in furthering the cause of protecting wild North Atlantic Salmon.
Gordon’s expertise in overseeing the growth of dynamic innovative brands and securing investment, alongside his passion for wild salmon conservation, are an asset in our evolution of NASF (UK)’s ‘The Orri’ award.