Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Scottish Water Bailiff Conference 2017.

Monday, March 20th, 2017

On the 7th and 8th March the L.L.A.I.A hosted  the 2017 Scottish Water Bailiff Conference which took place at the Abbotsford Hotel in Dumbarton.

At the beginning of 2017 the LLAIA Committee was tasked with organising the two day event, the venue and more importantly the speakers and field trips.

This is the first time that the annual water bailiff conference has been held outside the forty one District Salmon Fishery Board and is regarded as a major endorsement of the LLAIA by the numerous Scottish Fishing Organisations, Government and Institute of Fisheries Management on how over the past few years the activities of the Association have been seen to be putting best practice and unique actions into operation influencing bailiffing in other fishery areas.

Although there is a lot of planning involved in arranging a conference like this, there was no cost to the LLAIA. The venues, buses, meals etc are all paid by Fisheries Management Scotland and the Institute of Fisheries Management. On the first day there were just over seventy delegates in attendance, the majority of whom were water bailiffs from throughout Scotland including our own team. Representatives from Police Scotland, MOD Police, FMS, IFM and SEPA also attended.

The conference was opened and a welcome extended to all in attendance by Geoffrey Fitzjohn, a Director of Luss Estates one of the main Riparian owners of the Lomond catchment, and endorsed the historical association between the LLAIA and Luss Estates.

The Police Scotland’s Chief Constable Phil Gormley gave an address on the working relationships between the Police and Water Bailiffs and discussed items of mutual importance and wild life crime in general. He thanked the many volunteer bailiffs for their commitment and dedication in countering poaching. This was the first time a Chief Constable has attended a conference and was a boost for Scottish bailiffing. It was also a major coup for the Association.

The LLAIA Secretary Gareth Bourhill gave a presentation on the history of the Association, a description of our catchment and historical and current issues with regards to the poaching activities we encounter.

The Ministry of Defence Police explained the importance of partnership working with the LLAIA bailiffs. Some areas of our catchment come into their patrol zone so there is common interest.

Scottish Government officials gave an update on the Wild Fisheries Review and how it may affect bailiffing in future

Generally it was agreed that the most important thing is to allow bailiffs to share best practice and understand how colleagues on other systems work..

Two senior scientists from the SEPA ecology team gave presentations on the monitoring of fish communities in both fresh water and river estuary environments with regards to the water framework directive and discussed the standards and benchmark figures used and how estuaries and freshwaters, particularly in the Loch Lomond catchment, faired.

At the end of the first day new bailiffs sat the IFM exam which is a mandatory requirement. A dinner followed in the evening where the Roger Barnes Memorial trophy is presented to the bailiff scoring the highest mark in the previous year’s exam.

The second day was field based with forty bailiffs split across two buses and hosted by LLAIA bailiffs. These left for pre-arranged destinations, with the River Leven and Loch Lomond being visited. Certain “incidents” were played out at each location and after returning to the hotel at lunchtime debate took part about the different illegal scenarios. The weather was rather inclement but anglers that were on the Leven that day must have wondered what was happening when twenty bailiffs charged off a bus……followed a few hours later another twenty!

The conference was a great success and we have already had some very positive comments about the LLAIA and its varied catchment.

Poaching issues happen across Scotland so sharing best practice and networking through events like this with other bailiffs can only help preserve our fish stocks.

 

Regards

LLAIA Committee.

 

 

 

Loch Lomond NPA – New Camping Bye Laws.

Wednesday, March 1st, 2017

The Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Authority today announced new camping bye laws which will be in force from 1 March to 30 September, annually. While these regulations cover extensive areas of the National Park including the east and west shores of Loch Lomond, they do not extend to the islands.

For full information see: National Park Press Release.

The NPA have issued a separate leaflet of guidance for anglers: Angling in the Park 2017

 

Regards

LLAIA Committee

 

Membership Joining Fees Waived

Friday, February 24th, 2017

Membership

If you’re considering joining or re-joining the LLAIA now’s the time to do it. As an incentive, the committee has decided to waive the £25 joining fee between 1 March and 30 April inclusive. Anyone wishing to take up this offer can download an application form from this site, see LLAIA Membership on our Home Page.

Forward the form, fee and two passport sized photographs to:

The Treasurer, LLAIA, Woodside Place, Glasgow, G3 7QF.

The full ticket fee of £210 represents excellent value and there are no plans at present for any increases.

Regards

LLAIA Committee.

Annual General Meeting – Update.

Thursday, February 16th, 2017

The  AGM of the Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Association was held on 15 February 2017 at Partick Burgh Hall, Glasgow with 130 members in attendance.

The interim chairman, secretary and treasurer delivered reports on behalf of the committee covering the  period 15 December 2016 to 15 February 2017. This was a busy time with end of season business merging into the planning and administration of the next. It had demanded a lot of effort, but the transition had gone relatively smoothly and problem free. The Interim Committee were thanked for their support and work.

All interim offices and committee positions were declared vacant and the following office bearers and committee members elected.

 

Chairman:  Jim Raeburn

Vice Chairman:  Robert Wilson

Secretary:  Gareth Bourhill

Treasurer:  Scott Sinclair

Committee Members.

Robert Mair

Thomas McBride

Gerd Elsweiler

Euan McGrandle

David McClymont

John Bell

Alan Armstrong

 

The Chairman addressed members on the impact of LLAIA Catch Returns on our future Conservation Categorisation. Although Marine Scotland have indicated that future grading will involve scientific data, catch returns will continue to play a major part in the process. It is therefor imperative that all members submit returns as soon as the season ends to ensure transmission to Marine Scotland by 31 December annually.

The subject was debated and member’s suggestions noted. The committee would list addressing this matter highly on their priorities.

Members were thanked for their attendance and the meeting closed.

Details of representatives from the Vale of Leven District Angling Club, River Leven and Coarse angling clubs will be announced when finalised.

The first meeting of the new committee will take place on 23 February 2017.

If you have any questions, suggestions or queries please contact the committee using the Contacts tab  on our homepage. Thinking of joining? See LLAIA Membership.

 

Regards

LLAIA Committee.

Wild Fisheries Reform – Update

Friday, February 3rd, 2017

The Scottish Government today issued the following press release..

Anglers in Scotland will be shielded from increased costs. Proposals to introduce rod licences and a new wild fisheries levy will not be taken forward, Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham has announced.

The Scottish Government has ruled out these measures as well as the criminalisation of freshwater fishing without written permission and proposals to overhaul the structure and remit of District Salmon Fishery Boards, following a consultation on draft provisions for a Wild Fisheries (Scotland) Bill and draft Wild Fisheries Strategy.

The Scottish Government will  enable work streams  which encourage, empower and support the modernisation of fishery management, including the piloting of voluntary Board mergers to identify any existing legislative issues, and will also develop a fishery management plan to trial any changes with Boards. It will also explore potential freshwater conservation provisions ahead of the introduction of a Bill to Parliament.

Ms Cunningham said:

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting our famous and valuable wild fisheries, to modernise our fishery management structures and to establish a more secure and sustainable future for this vital sector.

“Our Wild Fisheries Bill will build on our significant conservation achievements to date, including the annual salmon conservation measures, Spring Conservation Orders, and the moratorium on coastal mixed stock fishery netting for three years.

“However it’s important that we represent the interests of our anglers, that’s why we have listened to the sector’s concerns around increasing costs and restricting access to fisheries and are ruling out the introduction of rod licences and a freshwater levy.

“We’ve heard through the consultation that these steps would limit the opportunities for our anglers and potentially discourage young people from taking part.  Further, outwith the Bill, we will therefore work with the angling community to identify ways to increase participation and to improve engagement across the sector.

 “I am grateful for the considerable time and energy that the wild fisheries sector has given to date to help inform the programme of reform. We will continue to work closely with our key stakeholders to make sure the legislation that is ultimately brought forward is robust and fit for purpose, so that   anglers  have confidence in the management and development of the fisheries that they depend on.”

 

The analysis of the consultation is available to view at: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/marine/Salmon-Trout-Coarse/fishreform

 

Regards

LLAIA Interim Committee.

 

 

 

Annual General Meeting – 2017

Wednesday, February 1st, 2017

The Annual General Meeting of the Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Association will be held on Wednesday 15th February 2017 at Partick Burgh Hall, 3-9 Burgh Hall Street, Partick, Glasgow G11 5LN. Doors open at 7.00pm and business will commence at 7.30pm prompt.

A new committee and office bearers will be elected at this meeting.

The Interim Report, Agenda and Admission Tickets have now been posted out to members.  Only full members may attend the meeting. New members will be admitted on production of their membership cards. Full membership renewal fees will be accepted on the evening.

 

Regards

LLAIA Interim Committee

Season 2017 – Permits Now Available.

Tuesday, January 10th, 2017

The new season for migratory fish on the Lomond System opens on Saturday 11 February, 2017.

All permit types, apart from full member season tickets, are now available from our outlets. Click on Permit Retailers on our homepage.

New and renewal of full memberships are only available through the LLAIA. For full details see LLAIA Membership.

 

Regards

LLAIA Interim Committee.

Interim Committee Update – 28.12.2016

Wednesday, December 28th, 2016

Annual General Meeting.

The AGM of the Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Association will be held at on Wednesday 15 February, 2017 at Partick Burgh Hall, 9 Burgh Hall Street, Glasgow G11 5LN. Doors will open at 1900. The meeting will commence at 1930 and close at 2100. The agenda and calling letter will be posted out to members in due course.

The election of office bearers and committee will take place at the AGM. As mentioned previously, any member wishing to take office or a place on the committee should notify the secretary in writing  by 31 December 2016.

 

Catch Returns.

The submission of catch returns for Season 2016 is still  disappointingly poor. We cannot stress how important these returns are. Fortunately we have been regraded from Conservation Category 3 to Category 2 for season 2017 allowing the taking of some salmon. However, the categorisation is reviewed annually by the Scottish Government and this season’s catch returns will be used to determine our status for season 2018. So we could quite easily find ourselves back as a Cat 3 again. There is only so much that any committee or biologist can put forward to defend our case, but if the process requires ‘number crunching’ it’s only our anglers who can provide these figures.

This is an area that the next committee will have to look at as a matter of urgency.

Since the LLAIA is currently going through administrative change, Marine Scotland has granted a two week extension and returns must be submitted to them by 14 January. If you still have your form send it in now.  Even though it’s been a blank year, we still need to know. Post it to the office at LLAIA, 4 Woodside Place, Glasgow G3 7QF

or email to:   catch_return@lochlomondangling.com

 

Memberships/Permits

Full memberships, Leven Season and Estuary tickets will be available shortly. If you’ve already sent in your renewal please bear with us. The outgoing committee very kindly arranged for the printing of permits etc to allow as smooth a handover as possible and we are in the process of reviewing our systems.

New and renewal membership forms can be downloaded from this website at LLAIA Membership on our homepage. We offer PayPal facilities, either by single or three monthly payments

Coarse season and day tickets are now available at the usual retail outlets. Click on Permit Retailers on the homepage for further information.

Trout and Salmon Magazine.

Long term LLAIA member Dick Dickson has kindly agreed to provide monthly updates on behalf of the Association to Trout and Salmon magazine. Dick is a regular on the Loch and Rivers and very much has his ‘finger on the pulse’ on what’s happening on the system. We realise that many of our members don’t rely on the internet and prefer  browsing through magazines such as T&S.

The use of this facility has been a bit sporadic over the past few years and it’ll be good to see the Lomond system back in the wider public arena again. Dick’s updates will begin early in the new year.

 

Contacts.

If you would like any further information, make any comments, suggestions or have any queries you’d like answered, please feel free to use the email facility at Contacts on our homepage. We’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.

 

Regards

LLAIA Interim Committee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Submission of Catch Returns – Season 2016.

Monday, December 19th, 2016

Members, associate member and ticket holders are reminded that catch returns for this season are urgently required for submission to Marine Scotland by 31 December 2016

These returns will once again be used in the determination of the Lomond System conservation categorisation for season 2018.

We were granted a reprieve from Cat 3 to Cat 2 for season 2017, but once again this will be reviewed using catch returns and if season 2016 shows a drop, then we could be designated Cat 3 for season 2018.  Even if you had a blank season we still need your return.

We realise that the electronic submission system has been proving problematic for some members. There is no transmission receipt showing if your return has been made successfully. The returns system will be reviewed before the end of season 2017 as we can’t afford to lose this data and need the membership’s full co operation.

In the meantime would all members, even if you’ve already submitted online, please complete this manually by posting to the office or emailing:   catch_return@lochlomondangling.com

A stock of forms have been made available for members of VOLDAC at the club.

 

Regards

LLAIA Interim Committee.

LLAIA EGM – Update.

Thursday, December 15th, 2016

An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Association as held on Wednesday 14 December 2016 following a request made on 10 October 2016  to debate specific issues.

The meeting was opened and chaired by Mr Iain Wilkinson of Luss Estates with approximately 100 members in attendance.

The Chairman, Mr Malcolm MacCormick, announced that he and the committee were retiring after five years in office. This intention had been previously intimated to members in the LLAIA Annual Report.

He addressed the membership, highlighting the improvements made and difficulties faced over this period. We would like to thank Mr MacCormick, and the outgoing committee, for their efforts on our behalf and wish them every success in future.

An interim committee was then elected and with no other business tabled, Mr Wilkinson thanked for his attendance and the meeting closed.

Interim Committee.

Chairman: Mr Jim Raeburn

Vice Chairman: Mr Robert Wilson

Treasurer: Mr Scott Sinclair

Secretary: Mr Angus Soutter

Committee Members

Mr Robert Mair

Mr Tam McBride

Mr Gerd Elsweiler

Mr Alan Armstrong

Mr John Bell

Mr David McClymont

This committee will have stewardship of the Association until a committee and office bearers is duly elected at the Annual General Meeting, to be held early next year. The date of of the AGM will be announced in due course. Any members wishing to serve as office bearers or committee members should submit notice to the secretary by 31 December 2016.

 

Regards

LLAIA Interim Committee.