Salmon Fishing Scotland Catch and Release.
This was an article in the Scotsman this week.
I would certainly be interested in your comments on this.
Tay salmon stocks 'facing extinction'
KURT BAYER
SCOTLAND'S world-famous "queen" of salmon rivers is being fished to extinction, according to its ghillies, who are pleading with its fisheries board to implement new laws to save its depleted fish stocks.
Anglers from across the world have flocked to Perthshire for decades to fish for Atlantic salmon in Scotland's longest and most renowned river, the Tay.
But the Tay Ghillies Association has revealed it has been "a dreadfully poor salmon fishing season", with catches down by 50 per cent and expected to fall even further next season. The association accuses the Tay District Salmon Fisheries Board of ignoring a number of warning signs.
A spokesman for the Tay Ghillies Association said: "The annual catch numbers on the River Tay this year with rod and line will not amount to any more than 6,000 fish. The Dee, which is a fraction of the size of the Tay, with a fraction of the anglers, are set to do 5,000."
However, David Summers, of the Tay District Salmon Fisheries Board, said: "The idea that the Tay has completely collapsed is grossly overblown."
He said the policy of catch-and-release needed strengthening, adding: "For next season we are advocating that, in the spring, you must put back the first fish every day and you may keep the next one.
"We currently ask that anglers not fish with worms before the end of May and certainly not in September and October. However, we are reviewing this policy."
In Scotland, 85,901 salmon were reported caught in 2006, with 47,471 - 55 per cent of the total catch - being released.
8 comments:
why not ban hooks; the take will be there and the fish unharmed.
Thus even the prawn may be fished.
Why not hooks with a shank-breaking strain of one pound.
Harling on magic carpets.
It will be interesting to see how anglers may be allowed to fish whilst allowing riparian owners to increase fees for poorer returns and allowing the timeshare managements to blame 2 stoke for some increased tax that has to be transfered to the mug(tenant).
On the upside; rising fuel costs will imply harling by oar power
result ghillies that are fit for the task should they want it.
At the end of the day some difficult choices lie ahead.
toodle-piddle
Bob,
Are you one of the pleading ghillies. (Shurely shum mishtake).
Ban angling for five years.
Then devote more time to your other interest, Bird-watching, (Geddit nudge, nudge).
"The Eye"
How many Tay fish were chapped this season and how many were returned.
What beat has the highest chap rate.
What about years ago when vitually every fish was knocked on the head?Obviously there was lots more fish then.So what has been done about the decline,to little to late I say.The damage has been done.I don't agree with compulsary catch & release.But understand the need for restraint.It would be better to put perhaps a 4 fish limit per rod for a weeks fishing.Then if you are lucky to catch your 4 in 1 or 2 days make it compulsary to fish barbless & return the rest.I could live with this,but there comes a time when the cost outweighs the return.This is when rods will look elsewhere.Watching with interest!!!!!!
Tayfisher(for now?)
a one fish limit per day, and that can be very hard too do, then barbles hooks.
ban the 'Raider'
Bob,
Are you aware that some anglers from salmonfishingforum.com have made the following accusations within a thread about the Tay.
Please read the following as it does nothing for the reputation of Stanley Fishings or your goodself :-
Can also understand the grumblings especially for guests who have saved all year for their trip, hotel, beat & travel expenses, only to be told that it is C & R and nothing to show for their trip. The people that annoy me are the foreigners that kill all their fish and can't take them home. Check out the butchers shop in Stanley where the freezer is full of fish which you can buy from a certain ghillie.
The follow up reply :-
Originally Posted by martin
What Ghillie is that?????
Sorry Martin, not up to me to name and shame especially on a public forum. But I am sure the tay ghillies on here will know who I mean.
Originally Posted by UYK
Sorry Martin, not up to me to name and shame especially on a public forum. But I am sure the tay ghillies on here will know who I mean.
Further comment:-
aint that a pity, nothing better than a good name and shame them. especially when its highly illegal activity!!
Further comments :-
Victor, point taken, the key word there is "VOLUNTARY" and not Mandatory!, I take a Tenancy on the Dee for 2 weeks every year and have done for the last 20 years, I also at certain times of the season fish the Dee 2 or 3 times a week! and have supported them through thick and thin, but i can tell you that on certain prolific Dee beats when asked if the angler can take a fish the Gillies responce is "yes as long as you dont tell me!" (which i have never done!), in fact i returned a few Sea-liced fish this season with no problem, so can hardly be called 100% C&R!.
Theres just something nice about "having a choice", am all in favour of sorting out the apparent lower tay greed!
Regards
PT
Pinktomic,
Thanks for posting your views - hit the nail on the head with "Lower Tay greed".....thats a big part of the problem combined with complete igorance!!!
Hi pinktomic,
I mentioned this earlier in the thread. You just have to look at the butchers shop in Stanley where a certain renowned Ghillie stores the fish his foreign guests can't take home. This is all for sale you just have to know who to ask and as you know this has always been a tradition within the Stanley area.
Pretty damaging and i for one would demand who is making these accusations.
Regards,
Stanley Fisher
Bob
Pretty heavy accusations being said here!Needs to be sorted 1 way or another.Reputations at stake here.Some people just like to stir the shit they should stand up or shut up!!!Every faith in you Bob keep up the good work.
Tayfisher.
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