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Irish to continue
netting
FISSTA the Federation of Irish Salmon and Sea Trout Anglers
which represents 19,000 anglers - have reacted angrily to
the insistence of the Minister of State for Marine, Pat the
Cope Gallagher, TD, to continue drift-netting for salmon.
After a 30-day consultation period, FISSTA claim that the
Minister's blind support for commercial netting is out of
tune with the long-established views of international community,
against the advice of his own scientists, and fails to address
the immediate problem of dwindling stocks.
In protecting his case, The Minister has alluded to the fact
that he may consider scientifically based national quotas
by 2007. He explained his inaction was due to a change in
the basis of scientfic advice: "The adoption of this
shift would have meant an additional cut of over 30% on the
actual TAC (Total Allowable Catch) in 2005. This would have
placed an unreasonable burden on the coastal communities that
depend on the salmon resource for their livelihoods,"
said Minister Gallagher.
Despite this, the Minister re-affirmed his commitment to conservation.
"It is my intention to have in place by 2007, national
and district quotas fully aligned with the scientific advice.
Thus from 2007 onwards we will manage salmon on a fully sustainable
basis according to world-class scientific advice."
ArisSuzuki sponsors disabled award
The Wheelyboat Trust have announced this year's Alan Faulkner
Memorial Award is being sponsored by Suzuki Marine. The award
is presented annually to the game fishery that provides disabled
anglers with the most outstanding service, facilities, opportunities
and access. The prize to the winning fishery will be one of
Suzuki's five horsepower four-stroke outboard motors, worth
more than £700. Fishery nominations are now being sought
so please contact the Trust on 01798 342222 or download a
form from their website www.wheelyboats.org.
Weekly sea lice count?
The Sea Trout Group (STG), along with other wild fish interest
groups, is currently pressing for proper regulation of salmon
farms, particularly in terms of sea lice management, escapes
and disease control.
'We would like to see a scenario where the farmers count sea
lice weekly, to an agreed protocol, and report these figures
to a regulator such as the FRS Fish Health Service. We are
calling for a regulator to be appointed, and given powers
to advise on and subsequently order lice treatments where
levels on a farm show worrying trends, backed up by enabling
powers to close down a site as a last resort, if lice management
proves impossible", said the STG's Fiona Cameron.
"Scotland is lagging behind other salmon producing countries
such as Norway and Ireland, which both have regulatory schemes
governing sea lice management. We do not seek more regulation
of salmon farming just better, more fit-for-purpose regulation,"
added Ms Cameron.
Lost Glo-Brite returns
Veniard have finally obtained stocks of Glo-Brite No 4 one
of the lost colours, writes Magnus Angus. Number 4 is the
reddy orange so useful for tags and butts. It's in stock now!
Fowey mystery fish-kill
Thousands of salmon and sea trout were killed when the River
Fowey was polluted over a five-mile stretch between Liskeard
and Bodmin. West Country tourism chiefs last night called
for government help to offset losses running into millions
of pounds caused by the mysterious pollution.
The chemical which has devastated salmon and sea trout stocks
in one of Cornwall's famed sport angling rivers has yet to
be identified by scientific tests. One theory is that poachers
may have caused the widespread contamination. Four generations
of fish are thought to have perished, and the river could
also take years to recover.
Local fishery owner Paul Eliot said, "There's speculation
it may have been poachers, because half-a-dozen large salmon
were seen in the pool at the foot of the falls a week before
this happened."
Scots take the honours at Spey-o-Rama
Scottish Spey casters stunned the USA game scene by taking
the top five places at California's Spey casting event.
Using UK rods and lines, and casting off both shoulders, standing
in three feet of water, using rods no longer than 15ft 1in,
Scott McKenzie topped the ratings, with Gordon Armstrong,
James Chalmers, Ian Gordon, and Andrew Toft beating all comers.
Alliance welcomes Angling Charter
New Countryside Alliance Campaign for Angling director, Rob
Gray - former editor of Shooting Times - has welcomed the
Labour Party's updated Charter for Angling, and has praised
LabourÕs Parliamentary Spokesman for Angling, Martin
Salter MP, for incorporating many of the Alliance's views.
The Charter views that angling is classless, growing in popularity
(especially amongst the young), vital to the economy and conservation
and yet increasingly under threat from animal rights' extremists.
Master instructors
The Association of Advanced Professional Game Angling Instructors
(AAPGAI) have now introduced a new Master Instructors qualification
to its members. Candidates, who must have held an APGAI qualification
for at least one year, will be examined on a similar basis
to Masters qualifications available in other countries.
Award-winning East Haugh
East Haugh House Hotel in Perthshire has being awarded Scottish
Country Sports Hotel of 2005 at the Scottish Hotels of the
Year Awards. The judging panel, which consisted of tourism
chiefs, hotel magazine editors, and hotel inspectors, is in
recognition of East Haugh House owners, Neil and Lesley McGownÕs
vast experience and passion for country sports.
Cautioned farmer forced to pay
The Anglers' Conservation Association (ACA) has won damages
on behalf of Nottinghamshire's Tollerton Hall Fly Fishery
following a fish kill in July 2002 caused by careless spreading
of slurry on farmland.
Poultry-derived slurry ÔpondedÕ in the field
and ran off into a tributary. Slurry can cause a huge drop
in dissolved oxygen levels in water, and many trout, chub
and pike were found dead in the affected waters which included
the Polser Brook at the Tollerton Hall Fly Fishery.
Although the Environment Agency promptly investigated the
incident, the farmer received only a formal caution and was
not prosecuted or subject to any fine. The civil claim brought
by the ACA on behalf of the affected fishery covered the costs
of re-stocking.
Trees for Tywi
A total of 18.5 km of habitat restoration has now been completed
on the Tywi river catchment, one of the major beneficiaries
of the Fishing Wales and Sustainable Fisheries Programme.
Volunteers from the Tywi Bailiff Group planted native ash
and willow trees, which will bind the soil, stabilise the
riverbank and prevent further bank erosion and damage to habitats
on the River Br‰n - an important tributary for spawning
and rearing salmon and sea trout. In partnership with Forestry
Commission Wales, over 30km of river habitat restoration is
due to be completed in the Tywi catchment, in which conifer
trees will be replaced to create buffer strips on the river.
Icelandic river details
Icelandic fishing statistics for different rivers are now
accessible via the worldwide web. Sportsfishers can view statistics
for each river, see total catches, as well as annual fishing
figures (high, low, average). In addition, forecasting modules
based on previous cycles give indication as to which river
might be best to choose.
The system is downloadable at www.eleanetwork.com <http://www.eleanetwork.com>
and is called Monitor.
For full details read the June issue of Fly Fishing &
Fly Tying magazine. |
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