SGA FISHING GROUP RESPONDS TO SALMON: LICENCE TO KILL CONSULTATION

Responding to the Scottish Government’s announcement of a consultation on a kill licence and tagging system for wild salmon:

The Scottish Gamekeepers Association Fishing Group will be taking an active part in the forthcoming consultation and any subsequent national conversation on the subject.

The detail of how the scheme will operate and be policed, and the use of the best science available to decide the number of fish which can be caught, will be crucial to successful application.

However, the SGA Fishing Group, which numbers ghillies, boatmen, river workers and anglers, agrees with the principle being put forward in the consultation.

A Spokesman for the SGA Fishing Group said: “The SGA Fishing Group urged Scottish Government to introduce a tagging scheme to balance conservation with the need to maintain a viable sporting product and the jobs, economic and tourism benefits derived from that.

“When salmon stocks are low in rivers, you cannot have a situation where anglers are voluntarily practicing responsible conservation through catch- and-release while netting operations are not bound by any similar conservation restriction.

“Not only does that have a negative affect on salmon conservation when there are so many threats already facing wild fish, it also has an effect on anglers who are doing the right thing but are left with little fish to catch and all the knock-on detrimental impacts of that.

“This consultation is an opportunity to create a better balance between the various fishing interests and the need to conserve low stocks of a fish already protected under the habitats directive.

“By binding rod anglers and netsmen to the same restrictions, it could restore some badly needed equity and may provide a platform to move forward and address the many issues facing our rivers and wild fish.”

For link to Scottish Government announcement, see: http://news.scotland.gov.uk/News/Stronger-control-on-killing-wild-salmon-12fb.aspx