Renowned Somerset artist Jo Minoprio is putting on an exhibition to highlight the 'devastating collapse' of the Atlantic salmon population.

The Exmoor art exhibit, 'Fabulous Fish', is said by organisers to: "Put the alarming state of our rivers in the spotlight.

"At the epicentre of these pressures, and therefore the exhibition, is a species facing devastating collapse; wild Atlantic salmon."

Fabulous Fish will showcase the work of 11 professional artists whose work will draw attention to the danger of habitat destruction and climate change.

The show will celebrate the rich biodiversity inhabiting our waterways while drawing attention to the environmental challenges we face.

Alongside the artworks there will be a number of talks delivered by local conservation experts.

Showrunner Jo Minoprio said: “I have decided to use my Fish exhibition as a platform to raise awareness of how desperate the situation is, right now, beneath the surface of our rivers here on Exmoor.

"I am a keen angler, carry out river fly monitoring, am a voluntary water bailiff, am on the board of the Exmoor Rivers and Streams Group (ERASG) and am passionate about saving the salmon and therefore our rivers."

Last year the Environment Agency issued a warning over stocks of salmon in UK rivers. Their annual salmon stock assessment found 74 per cent of salmon rivers were considered 'at risk', meaning salmon stocks had fallen below sustainable levels. The agency said rivers in the South West were amongst the worst affected nationally.

Kevin Austin, Deputy Director for Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment for the Environment Agency, said: "Today’s assessment for England is of great concern and without urgent action Wild Atlantic Salmon could be lost from our rivers in our lifetimes.We have seen some real successes through our work with partners, particularly on the river Don and Tyne, but more much progress is needed.

As the climate emergency becomes more acute, we need coordinated action between governments, partners and industry to enable stocks to stabilise and recover to sustainable levels"

The exhibit will be hosted Lanacre Barn Gallery in Withypool, overlooking the river Barle, wherein between 70 and 80 per cent of returning salmon in the River Exe catchment are thought to spawn.

The exhibition will run daily from March 25 to April 8, from 11am to 5pm. It will be hosted at Lanacre Barn Gallery in Withypool, TA24 7SD.

For further information see the Moorland Art website.