The Scottish Government today (Wednesday 9th March) used their majority on the Rural Affairs Committee to push through their Salmon Conservation Order, which will see a blanket ban on salmon taking for every fishing method for at least a year on the River Annan and the River Nith, from April 1st onwards.
The ban comes despite the Scottish Government’s failure to undertake electronic fish counting on the rivers.
Despite not being a member of the Rural Affairs Committee, Dumfriesshire MSP Elaine Murray attended the Committee Meeting in order to ask the Scottish Government to re-examine the order which will threaten the future of angling clubs on the Rivers Annan and Nith, historic Haaf netting in the Solway and fishing related tourism across the region, and failing that, called for the Committee to reject the order.
In the end, all opposition members of the Committee voting against the Scottish Government’s plans, however SNP politicians chose to pass the regulations there and then rather than have it proceed to Parliament to be debated and voted on by all MSPs at a later date.
Elaine said:
“Haaf netters and anglers across Dumfriesshire will find it extremely difficult to forgive or forget this disastrous order which has been pushed through by the Scottish Government. What makes things worse is that there has been simply no proper scientific evidence given by the Government to back up their decision to introduce a blanket ban on salmon taking in our region. Although it appears that they may be invited to take part in belated scientific studies, angling Associations in the region and the haaf netters on the Solway will receive no direct compensation to counter their loss of earnings as a result of the ban, and it will also mean the Annan Common Good Fund will take a hit which would decrease the potential for investment in Annan. The ban will be felt in every part of the region, as fishing tourism will likely fall, something which is absolutely crucial for rural economies like ours.”
“It speaks volumes that the SNP had to use their majority on the Rural Affairs Committee to force this guesswork decision through, with every single member of the opposition voting against. If they had any consideration for our angling associations, and if they cared about preserving our ancient fishing methods, then they simply had to delay the conservation methods in order to undertake proper scientific research on our rivers to give them the basis of making a more reasonable decision.”
Elaine Murray MSP’s full speech which she made at the Rural Affairs Committee meeting:
In proposing this Order, the Minister has obtained a rare achievement – in uniting the Dumfriesshire anglers and Solway netters, who are frequently in disagreement. However, she has united them in opposition to her order. The Minister will be well aware of their concerns, as I have forwarded them to her and her officials and was advised that their representations would be taken into consideration. Unfortunately, there is not much evidence that this is the case.
All the organisations which have contacted me fully support salmon conservation. Of course they do, the future of their activities and clubs depends on the continuation of a healthy population of salmon in our rivers. This is not about fishing versus conservation – the objections concern the data and information on which the decisions underpinning this order have been taken.
The Annan Common Good Fund Sub Committee of Dumfries and Galloway Council administers the operation of Poke, Haaf and Stake Nets on the North side of the Solway. They believe that the legislation will have a devastating effect on all netting activity, including Annan’s traditional fishings which are enshrined by Royal Charter. The income of the Common Good fund will fall and its potential for investment in Annan with it. The Common Good also consider that the categorisation of the River Annan as a level three river is based on inaccurate data and should be re-assessed, as the River Annan has been a productive river for three of the past five years, and the Council has already for several years implemented conservation measures. This blunt instrument of an order contrasts sharply with the approach taken with respect to the River Eden in Cumbria, where an agreement has been reached with the Environment Agency and Natural England on an acceptable level of catch.
Rod angling clubs in Dumfriesshire consider that fishing tourism will be badly affected if this order is passed, as potential visitors will prefer to spend their time and money on rivers where they are permitted to keep at least some of the salmon they catch. Angling clubs, already struggling to survive financially, may cease to exist . The River Nith Angling Association and Dumfries and Galloway Angling Associate also consider that the science behind these proposals is flawed, pointing out that there are virtually no fish counters on Scottish rivers recording the numbers of returning salmon and the categorisation is based purely on the number of rod caught salmon. The reason for a perceived decline could just be that there are fewer anglers around, rather than fewer salmon.
Fishing is important to tourism in Dumfriesshire, our rivers are one of the regions great assets and losing fishing tourism would have consequences for other tourism businesses and the local economy.
I urge the Minister, as an MSP for the South of Scotland, to reconsider this order which could threaten the future of angling clubs on the Rivers Annan and Nith, historic Haaf netting in the Solway and fishing related tourism across the region. If she will not, I ask the Committee to reject the order.
