Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Salmon Fishing Scotland Winter on the Tay in Perthshire, Scotland November 2010.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Winter on the Tay in Perthshire, Scotland November 2010.

Winter scenery on the river Tay in Perthshire, Scotland in November 2010. Are we in for a repeat of early January 2010 or will it be far more severe?

Stanley mills on the famous Pitlochrie beat of the river Tay at Stanley, Perthshire, Scotland.


Winter scene at the Wash house at Stanley, Perthshire, Scotland.


Looking downstream form the Meikleour bridge into the famous Islamouth beat.


The Meikleour home beat on the middle Tay looking upstream from the bridge across the river just above Islamouth.

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Monday, November 29, 2010

Salmon Fishing Scotland Snow Storm in Perthshire, Scotland November 2010.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Snow Storm in Perthshire, Scotland November 2010.


Video of the early winter snow storm at Stanley, Perthshire, Scotland on the river Tay.

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Salmon Fishing Scotland Perth 800 Fireworks.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Perth 800 Fireworks.


Video of the fireworks celebrating the Perth 800 years on the banks of the river Tay in Perth, Scotland.

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Sunday, November 28, 2010

Salmon Fishing Scotland Winter comes early in November 2010 in Perthshire, Scotland.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Winter comes early in November 2010 in Perthshire, Scotland.


Heavy snow falling today in Stanley, Perthshire, Scotland.


It snowed all day. If this is just a taster for the winter to come heaven help us!


Early winter scenes from the river Tay in Perthshire, Scotland.

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Friday, November 26, 2010

Salmon Fishing Scotland Perth 800 Fireworks.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Perth 800 Fireworks.



The Lightnight event for the Perth 800 year celebration was the biggest attraction without doubt with the spectacular half-hour long firework show on the River Tay from Perth Bridge to Queen’s Bridge despite heavy snow falling from the wintry sky.

The firework display was fired from six pontoons in the middle of the river and Stanners Island, while the 60-strong combined Perth Youth Orchestra and Perth Symphony Orchestra along with Perth and District Pipe Band played as the live accompaniment to the pyrotechnics show.


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Thursday, November 25, 2010

Salmon Fishing Scotland Faroese fishermen angry about EU grant to Scottish netting company.

This is an article written by Arnot McWhinnie which is published in the Daily Record angling column this week.

Faroese fishermen angry about EU grant to Scottish netting company.

Angry Faroese fishermen are threatening to scrap the 20-year-old voluntary agreement which stopped commercial fishing for salmon in their feeding grounds in the North Atlantic.

The fishermen are furious at revelations that the one million fish they reckon they have saved for most of Scotland’s northern and east coast salmon rivers have been scooped up by Scottish mixed stocks coastal nets over the same two decades during which they exercised restraint.

Their anger was also fuelled by the awarding of an EU grant of £100,000 to the Usan Fisheries of Arbroath for the wild salmon they catch so they can be given protected status like Parma ham, champagne, or Melton Mowbray pork pies.

The mixed stock fishery, one of the biggest in Scotland, operates various netting stations along the Angus coast, and on its website boasts: “The "wild" salmon and sea trout we catch are the harvest of some of Eastern Scotland's most famous salmon rivers including the mighty Tay, South Esk, North Esk, Dee and Don.”

The Faroese wrote to Scotland’s First Minister, Alex Salmond, last week warning him that they might start up fishing again, and adding: “In effect every fish we saved was killed in Scotland by netsmen. This means that all the efforts of our Faroese longliners have been utterly in vain and a total waste of time, money, and effort”.

They further warned Mr Salmond that if their “quite rightly appalled” fishermen began their operation again: “Your netsmen will soon find that they have few fish to catch, and Scotland’s multi million pound sporting salmon fishing industry will be damaged beyond repair.”

The letter also challenged the First Minister: “Unless you wish to be remembered as the man who stood idly by as a great Scottish resource was ruined, we urge you to help stop the netting of wild salmon in Scottish waters before it is too late”

The furious Faroese also reminded Mr Salmond that the Scottish Government paid nothing towards the cost of buying out the North East English drift nets which was borne by a lot of international and private UK money,

It added: “It is high time that that Scotland ended its liking for this kind of free ride. We are driven to ask whether the Scottish authorities have done anything meaningful to enhance salmon stocks and rebuild the sustainability of Scottish salmon.

“The answer must be a resounding no”.

The Atlantic Salmon Trust has written a letter of protest to the Scottish Government about the £100,000 grant to Usan Fisheries, pointing out that mixed stock fisheries are considered to be “inappropriate” by the European Commission.

The Trust received a reply saying their objections were “inadmissible”.



Within the last few days wild Atlantic salmon champion, Orri Vigfusson, who spearheaded the move to halt salmon fishing in their feeding grounds off the Faroes, Iceland and Greenland, has also joined in the condemnation.

He wrote to Richard Lochhead, the Scottish Government Minister for Rural Affairs pointing out that Scotland is the only EU member state operating a policy of mixed stock salmon fishing killing fish spared by other nations.

He stated: “These nations have voluntarily agreed to a moratorium on the netting and long-lining of wild salmon in order to allow more salmon to return to their natural spawning grounds.

“Scotland, on the other hand, seems to be unable to grasp the obvious. The indiscriminate netting by Scottish netsmen produces a poor economic return from what should be one of Scotland’s most valuable resources.

“In addition to the needless damage done by commercial netting the poorly regulated fish farming industry has accelerated a decline in the stocks of wild salmon. Some would say that in this respect Scotland has a very impressive record of thoughtless economic and environmental vandalism.

“The recent award of yet another huge EU grant to Scotland’s salmon netsmen raises a question. Why are you so intent on supporting a dying netting industry, especially when that industry is wrecking what remains of the wild stocks of salmon in so many rivers?

“The Atlantic’s salmon stocks are international and need to be managed through international cooperation. But I assure you, Minister, I speak for many other salmon nations when I say we are appalled at having to witness the continuation of a Scottish salmon policy that has so little regard for the future.”

Speaking personally I, too am appalled, as every angler should be, by these revelations and intend making my views known to Alex Salmond and Richard Lochhead. If you want to make your views known, e-mail them at scottish.ministers@scotland.gsi.gov.uk


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Salmon Fishing Scotland Netting company secures large grant and infuriates Angling interests.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Netting company secures large grant and infuriates Angling interests.

This was an article in our local paper recently written by Chris Hardy.

Anglers' anger at Usan Salmon Fisheries grant.

A £100,000 European grant to a Montrose firm has prompted the angling lobby to accuse the Scottish Government of ignoring accepted conservation principles and dealing a major blow to conservation.

Usan Salmon Fisheries Ltd was given the money to invest in its netting business, and wild fish organisations have accused the European Union and the Scottish Government of failing to apply consistent policy on salmon conservation.


Damning the grant award, the Association of Salmon Fishery Boards (ASFB), the Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland, the Atlantic Salmon Trust and the Salmon and Trout Association accused the Usan fisheries of indiscriminately exploiting fish destined for rivers on Scotland's east coast.

Usan Fisheries responded that behind the accusation was a desire to exterminate traditional salmon netting in Scotland at any cost, rather than species conservation.

Director George Pullar described the claims as a baseless attack on his firm's success by interests looking to protect sport fishing for the privileged.

ASFB chairman Alan Williams, on behalf of the four fishery bodies, said the EU and Scotland were signatories to the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO) Convention that salmon fisheries should only target stocks at "full reproductive capacity."

He said the mixed-stock nature of the Usan operation meant the viability of the individual stocks being exploited was unknown by definition.

The Scottish Government was on recent record as saying it recognised the advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea "that fisheries on mixed stocks, either in coastal or distant waters, pose particular difficulties for management."
Exploiting

NASCO has defined mixed-stock fisheries as exploiting a significant number of salmon from two or more river stocks.

Mr Williams said it was also relevant that the nearest river to Usan's nets is the South Esk, a special area of conservation (SAC) for Atlantic salmon under the EU's Habitats Directive.

The EU and the Scottish Government were legally obliged to protect the integrity of SACs.

Mr Williams said, "It beggars belief that public money is being used to improve the effectiveness of a major mixed-stock salmon netting operation given the international consensus that exploitation of fish outside their river of origin is poor management practice.

"This grant amounts to a major slap in the face to all those who have worked tirelessly on salmon conservation over the last two decades to ensure a sustainable future for one of our most iconic species.

"Although the grant emanates from the EU, there can be no doubt that Scottish Government bears considerable responsibility as it advises on, vets and signs off applications for fisheries grants from Scottish companies.

"On the one hand Scottish Government pays lip-service to salmon conservation, whilst on the other it gives financial and marketing support to those who seek to maximise commercial exploitation of our wild salmon before they reach their river of origin."

Tony Andrews, chief executive of the Atlantic Salmon Trust (AST), said that populations of early-running salmon in all three affected SAC rivers — Tay, Dee and South Esk — were not as abundant as they were 30 years ago.

He said, "The AST's position is that uncertainty on the viability of stocks in these three rivers, from which the Usan mixed-stock fishery kills large numbers of salmon, dictates the necessity of applying the precautionary measure of closing this net fishery with immediate effect."

Paul Knight, chief executive officer of the Salmon and Trout Association, said, "This episode only goes to prove what wild fish organisations have suspected for many years — that there is no political commitment to protect one of Scotland's most iconic natural resources, the wild Atlantic salmon.

"A recent major official report made recommendations as to the future management of mixed-stock fisheries, but several months later has yet to receive a response from the Scottish Government...

"Is it any wonder that wild fish interests feel discriminated against?"

Usan Fisheries is one of the few remaining salmon netters in the country and the grant, given with the support of the European Fisheries Fund, (EFF) will be used for the construction of a net and boat manufacturing and repair unit, and three power net washing beds.

Mr Pullar said on Monday he was astounded at "this baseless attack on our success."

"The government salmon catch statistics speak for themselves," he said.

"Angling remains responsible for the large majority of exploitation and not, as the doomsayers would have it, the handful of remaining netting operations in Scotland.

"While there are those that continue to vilify netting, the statistics are incontrovertible...

"We indirectly contribute to the ASFB via our local fishery board rates, therefore it is somewhat ironic and certainly immoral that they should target us in this way.

"The ASFB should maintain its objectivity and represent all fishing methods fairly, rather than pride itself on being a front for the angling lobby.

"It is also noteworthy that of the millions of pounds given in grants from the EFF fund, little or nothing is said about the awards made to other fishing sectors.

"Sadly, we are all too aware that for some, this is about the persecution and extermination of traditional salmon netting in Scotland at any cost, rather than species conservation — sport fishing for the privileged.
Highland clearances

"Such behaviour is reminiscent of the Highland clearances and should have no place in a modern and inclusive Scotland.

"The AST comments are unsurprising as Mr Andrews is a substantial angling proprietor in the Esk district where we operate.

"Clearly he, in common with the other angling interests, stands to gain if we are forced out of business.

"We have the heritable title to fish for salmon and have been doing so for generations.

"These rights are categorically not for sale and will be passed on in future down through our family as part of the rich fabric of Scottish tradition.

"It is clearly not in our interests to over exploit stocks and we are mindful of conservation issues and have made various sensible voluntary proposals to the Esk board on this.

"Our positive record speaks for itself."

A Scottish Government spokesman said that the application from Usan Fisheries for a grant from the European Fisheries Fund was assessed against the published criteria.

The focus of this consideration was that this project would improve working conditions and health and safety.

The grants programme was open to those with an interest in eligible commercial fisheries, aquaculture and fish processing businesses.

The spokesman said, "The Scottish Government, along with local managers, keeps the status of Scotland's Atlantic Salmon stocks under review.

"We recognise the need for continuing vigilance particularly in regard to the spring component.

"There are similar trends in rivers in other parts of Scotland with no coastal salmon netting pressures."

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Monday, November 22, 2010

Salmon Fishing Scotland Autumn Salmon Fishing on the Tay, Perthshire, Scotland 2010.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Autumn Salmon Fishing on the Tay, Perthshire, Scotland 2010.


Autumn Salmon fishing memories from the river Tay in Perthshire, Scotland 2010. Click here to see full album.

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Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Salmon Fishing Scotland Spring Salmon Fishing on the Tay in Perthshire, Scotland 2010.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Spring Salmon Fishing on the Tay in Perthshire, Scotland 2010.


Spring 2010 Album. To view individual pictures click here.

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Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Salmon Fishing Scotland Spring Salmon Fishing on the Tay 2010.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Spring Salmon Fishing on the Tay 2010.


These are some spring memories on the Tay in 2010.

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Thursday, November 11, 2010

Salmon Fishing Scotland Autumn Salmon still running in November 2010.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Autumn Salmon still running in November 2010.


This is a fresh run grilse weighing approximately 6 pounds that was on the bank of the river Tay today on the Catholes beat at Stanley, Perthshire, Scotland. The official Tay salmon fishing season for rods finished on 15th October 2010 but the otters do not stop fishing for food. The Atlantic salmon run was much better this year which has encouraged everyone throughout Scotland. In particular the grilse run was very strong. There does not seem to be a defined peak to the grilse run any more. Back in the 80's and 90's the grilse run was at it's greatest in late July on the Tay but in recent years the run has only really started in August and continued right to the end of the season. This was certainly the case this year. At Stanley in August, September and October grilse accounted 80% of the total catch. Even on the last few days of the season sea liced grilse of 4, 5 and 6 pounds were part of the daily catch. There is plenty of evidence of changing runs on all the rivers in Scotland. Do the really big autumn salmon now run after the season ends?

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Monday, November 8, 2010

Salmon Fishing Scotland Autumn Scenery in Perthshire, Scotland 2010.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Autumn Scenery in Perthshire, Scotland 2010.

These were some recent pictures I took on Shooting days in Perthshire, Scotland.
The colours are still visible before the winter storms bring all the leaves down off the trees. This is Perthshire in full glory.

Baldarroch on the river Tay at Murthly.


Dungarthill near Dunkeld, Perthshire, Scotland.


Dungarthill near Dunkeld, Perthshire, Scotland.


Dungarthill near Dunkeld, Perthshire, Scotland.

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Monday, November 1, 2010

Salmon Fishing Scotland Atlantic Salmon Migration on the Almond in Perthshire, Scotland.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Atlantic Salmon Migration on the Almond in Perthshire, Scotland.


Video of Salmon leaping up the Horseshoe weir at Almondbank in Perthshire, Scotland recently.

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