The Committee's Blog

Annual General Meeting update

The Annual general Meeting of the Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Association was held on Sunday 23 February in the Partick Burgh Halls, Glasgow, with around 120 members in attendance.  The key decisions made were as follows:

1)  Annual subscription 2014 Proposal

Members voted to retain the annual membership at the current levels in 2015 i.e. £185 for a full membership and £78 for an OAP concession, £50 for a student and £20 for a junior membership.  

There was no increase in the cost of the River Leven annual permits which remain priced at £106 for local permits and £116 for visitors, OAP concessions will remain the same.  Likewise there is no increase in River Leven day permits and Loch Lomond day permits which will remain priced at £20.  There will be no increase in the cost of the coarse tickets issued by the Association which will remain priced at £35 for the season and £5 for a day ticket.

The committee are delighted that since taking office in 2012 we have been able to keep the price of memberships and Leven season tickets at the same level, rewarding the loyalty of our members for what has been for some difficult economic times. 

2)  Audit of accounts and finances

Prior to the AGM the committee made arrangements to have the accounts of the Association audited for the period November 2011 to October 2013.  The accounts were audited by Ensors, Chartered Accountants, who concluded that the accounts showed a true and fair view of the financial position of the Association at 30 November 2012 and 30 November 2013.  Copies of both audit reports are available for inspection and should members wish to receive a copy of either of these documents they should write in the first instance to the secretary. 

3)  Election of Committee members

There were no nominations for appointment to the Committee prior to 31 December 2013. Mr David Watt and Mr Angus Soutter were co-opted on to the committee.  Mr James Muir was re-elected for the purposes of defining longest served members.

4)   Notification of VOLDAC representative

The VOLDAC representative for 2014 is Mr Alan Millar.

5) Constitutional Changes

The proposed revised constitution that was distributed with the 2014 AGM papers was passed by the membership at the AGM.  With over 2/3rds of members voting in favour of the new constitution this document has now replaced the previous constitution dated February 1998.  Members who wish to receive a copy of the new constitution should write in the first instance to the secretary. 

6)   Amendments to bye-laws

There were no amendments made to any of the bye laws governing the management of the Lomond system.

April 2014 Committee Update

Appointment of new Secretary

It gives the committee great pleasure to announce that Mr Angus Soutter has been appointed secretary of the Association. 

Continuation of Glasgow Angling Centre Sponsorship Deal

It is with great pleasure that we can announce that Mr Paul Devlin of Glasgow Angling Centre has once again agreed to sponsor our springer conservation scheme.  Last year members released in the region of 50% of all spring fish they caught.  This is a fantastic achievement when compared to even just a few years back and we would like to encourage all members who are lucky enough to catch one of these wonderful fish to consider returning it. 

The idea behind the springer conservation scheme is straight forward – any angler who catches and releases a spring salmon before 1 June will be entitled to claim a reward.  Glasgow Angling Centre have agreed to provide the angler with a £20 tackle voucher this will be matched by the Association providing the captor an opportunity to claim £40 worth of vouchers.  The rules are simple – the release of the fish must be witnessed and where possible photographic / video evidence submitted.  All claims must be with the Committee by 7 June who will have the final say regarding verification.

The committee would like to remind members that the following conservation measures are in force throughout 2014:

·         All sea trout must be returned before 1 May

·         No bait fishing before 1 May

·         From 1 May to 31 May worm fishing on the River Leven will be by circle hook only

·         No more than 2 sea trout can be taken on any day

·         Minimum worm hook size remains size 8 in order to protect juvenile fish

·         Use of fish roe including power bait is banned.

·        Hen sea trout over 3 Lb in weight must be returned after 31 August

·         salmon and sea trout must be returned in the month of October

·         All coloured or unseasonable fish must be returned, irrespective of the time of year when caught

Coarse Fish

1.         All coarse fish must be returned to the water alive.

Committee Recommendations

1.         Anglers are requested to return as many salmon and sea trout as possible given the fragile state of the stock in the recent past.  Where an angler returns a salmon before 31 May they will be eligible for a reward. (see above)

2.     We strongly recommend that circle hooks should be the only type of hook used when fishing with the worm given that they rarely lead to a fish being hooked down the back of the throat.   Please view the link listed below to access further information about circle hooks and the way they should be fished.  www.youtube.com/watch?v=00dWJ4YRRSI

Fishery Improvements

Your bailiffs have been busy over the winter on the top end of the River Endrick installing foot bridges and stiles.  We are now looking at work parties for the Leven, Fruin and the Endrick.  Provisional dates for these work parties will be updated on the Association calendar, however, at this time we are anticipating our first Endrick work party will be on Sunday 27 April. 

Anyone who wishes to take part in this work party should email the Association direct or contact the office on 0141 353 5004.  Tools, gloves and refreshments will be provided.  A River Leven clean up will take place in May depending on weather / water conditions and we also hope to be on the Fruin as well.

Fish Eating Duck Count

Thanks to the Spey Salmon fishery board we have received some excellent advice regarding the ongoing issue with fish eating birds which can do significant damage to juvenile fish stocks on our tributaries.  As a result of the information obtained we will conduct a survey of the river Endrick in April and September with a view to applying for a control licence in 2015.  Members are therefore requested to volunteer for a fish eating duck count on the Endrick on Saturday 12 April. 

This exercise will see members walking the Endrick from top to bottom in a coordinated fashion counting the number of mergansers and gooseanders on the river.  The meeting point will be at Kilearn village hall car park at 11pm and given sufficient volunteers we should have completed the task within a couple of hours. 

Anyone who wishes to take part in this activity should email the Association secretary direct or contact the office on 0141 353 5004. 

River Web Cams

It is hoped that the river web cams will be connected back up in early May.  Perhaps a bit early for the Fruin but given the water could we see a repeat of the early salmon and sea trout of the Endrick last year?

Smolt Trapping Begins

In late March the Loch Lomond Fisheries Trust installed their smolt trap on the River Endrick and in the first week of April began to pick up smolts which appeared to be in excellent condition.  We will hopefully be able to provide you with more news in the coming weeks.

Trout Seminar Glasgow University Saturday 10 May 2014

All members are invited to attend a trout seminar which will take place at Glasgow University on Saturday 10 May 2014.  This is a free event and will mainly but not exclusively look at ferox trout, touching on research undertaken in Loch Lomond.  To attend members should register at:

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-ibis-ferox-project-seminar-current-research-and-management-strategies-registration-10923748225#Itwould

Committee Comment

It has been a very quiet start to the season with water levels remaining consistently high on the Leven and the Loch and until recently very few anglers venturing out.  To date a few fresh sea trout and a handful of kelts have been reported, it is hoped that the majority of our spent fish took the opportunity to make a quick return to sea given the water conditions and with any luck will be back again to potentially provide us with more sport in the future.  With water levels still on the high side there is every chance we will have reasonable water conditions through to May just in time for our spring run, fingers crossed!

Once again we are grateful to Mr Paul Devlin of Glasgow Angling Centre for supporting our springer conservation scheme.  Last year saw the best every catch and release figures for spring fish with out of a recorded fish returned by members.  We know there were more spring fish caught, and it is pleasing to note that the catch and return rates were about the same for non-members also.  The committee would encourage everyone to do their bit to preserve this key component of our stock and build on the successes of the last 2 years.

LLAIA Committee

PayPal

Last year the Committee informed you that we were considering introducing direct debits to pay for memberships and subsequent feedback indicated there was sufficient interest to merit the introduction of such a scheme.  Looking at the various options if was decided to trial PayPal due in part to its popularity as well as it’s versatility whereby you can pay by either debit or credit card. 

If you are interested in paying by direct debit via the PayPal system for season 2014 please log in to the Association web site at www.lochlomondangling.com and open the permit prices and retailers page and the PayPal link is at the bottom of the page.  

For 2014 it is proposed to carry out membership debits with either a one off payment or over a 3 month period.  The cost to participate in the 3 month scheme is outlined in the table below:

Full Membership

Leven Only Tickets

The fees payable cover the Association for the charges levied by PayPal to the nearest pound and will be added to your renewal fee e.g. full members will pay £192 over 3 months – £64 per month, Leven (non local) members will pay £121 over 3 months – £40.33 per month – etc.

If you reply in December the first debit will come off your account immediately and your permit will be issued in February.  Should you delay in applying there will be a corresponding delay in the issue of your permit e.g.   members who sign up later than December will have to allow 3 months to elapse before an annual membership is sent out by post, for example, if you intend to fish from mid April you will have to sign up by mid January.

Please note season ticket holders who pay through PayPal must complete a membership form and forward it to our office at 4 Woodside Place, Glasgow, G3 7QF, otherwise you will not receive your membership card and tags for season 2014. 

Scottish Government Wildlife Crime APP

Members who own an Iphone may be interested in the following App that has been developed by Police Scotland.  We have reproduced the article in full and would encourage members who are in a position to participate to upload the App.

APP-LYING THE LAW – WILDLIFE CRIME APP LAUNCHED –

An app has been launched that will enable people to record and report suspected cases of wildlife crime directly to Police Scotland via their iPhone.  The app is the brainchild of former Wildlife Crime Education Officer, Andy Turner who was looking for a way to improve awareness, detection and reporting of wildlife crime throughout Scotland. The app allows users to access basic guidelines on do’s and don’ts at a crime scene, and complete an on-screen form to record the suspected wildlife crime. Users can also attach two photographs which are automatically tagged with a GPS reference of the location. The information is then sent to Police Scotland by email.

Minister for Environment and Climate Change, and Chair of the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW) Scotland, Mr Paul Wheelhouse said: “This reporting app will be an extremely useful tool in the fight against wildlife crime, and I would like to thank all those involved in its development. “Wildlife crime incidents can often go unreported. I hope that the app will be used to provide valuable information to wildlife crime officers, and help us continue to build a more accurate picture of the extent of wildlife crime in Scotland.”

Andy Turner said: “Scotland has a population of 5.3 million people. With more and more of these people now accessing the countryside an excellent opportunity exists to raise awareness of both wildlife crime and legal countryside practices and improve reporting of crime by employing readily available mobile phone technology.”

Police Scotland Wildlife Crime Coordinator, Sergeant Andy Mavin said: “The Wildlife Crime App is an excellent idea that I am sure will improve both the accuracy and efficiency of reporting and improve the overall detection of wildlife crime. The ability to tag a GPS location to a report will assist Officers in locating the incident – which by their nature are often very remote locations – while adding to evidential value.”

Regards,

LLAIA Committee

Glasgow Angling Centre Sponsorship Deal.

Mr Paul Devlin of Glasgow Angling Centre has kindly agreed to sponsor our spring fish conservation initiative. With immediate effect any angler who catches and releases a spring salmon before 1 June will be entitled to claim a reward. GAC have agreed to provide the angler with a £20 tackle voucher. This will be matched by the LLAIA ,providing the captor an opportunity to claim a £40 voucher. The rules are simple. The release of the fish must be witnessed  and where possible, photographic or video evidence submitted. All claims will be decided by the committee.

Conservation Measures In Force On The Lomond System.

For the avoidance of doubt, the following conservation measures are now in force throughout the Lomond system since 7 March 2013.

Salmon.

1. Full and associate members will be allocated 5 tags per year. Where a salmon is killed a tag must be fixed on the carcass immediately.

2. No salmon may be killed after 30 September.

Sea Trout.

1. There is no tagging system for sea trout.

2. No sea trout may be killed before 1 May or after 30 September.

3. All hen sea trout over 3lb in weight caught after 31 August will be released.

4. No more than 2 sea trout can be taken on any day.

Coarse Fish.

1. All coarse fish must be returned to the water alive.

General Conditions.

1. All coloured or unseasonable fish must be returned, irrespective of the time of year when caught.

2. No worm fishing is allowed before 1 May.

3. Worm fishing between 1 May and 31 May will be by use of circle hooks only.

4. Minimum worm hook size remains size 8 in order to protect juvenile fish.

5. Use of shrimp or prawn is banned.

6. Use of fish roe including power bait is banned.

Committee Recommendations.

1. Anglers are requested to return as many salmon and sea trout as possible given the fragile state of stock in the recent past.

2. We strongly recommend that circle hooks should be the only type of hook used when fishing with the worm, given that they rarely lead to a fish being hooked down the back of the throat.

Endrick Work Party.

With the new car park and stiles in place on the River Endrick, the committee is keen to commence work on improving the fishing environment on the upper Endrick. To this end an upper Endrick work party will take place on Sunday 21 April meeting at 10am at the parking area at Coolies Lynn bridge. Anyone who wishes to take part should email the Association direct or contact the office on 0141 353 5004. Tools, gloves and refreshments will be provided. A River Leven clean up will take place in early May depending on weather/water conditions.

 
Water Bailiff – Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Association.

The  Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Association has a vacancy for the post of Water Bailiff. The LLAIA is one of the largest angling clubs in Scotland, and leases salmon and sea trout fishing on the Rivers Leven, Endrick and Fruin as well as Loch Lomond the largest fresh water loch in Scotland. The Association also owns several stretches of watr on the River Endrick and has fishing rights on the Clyde estuary.

Water Bailiff duties are varied and include:

– Protection of salmon and sea trout stocks by enforcing fisheries legislation.

– Conducting maintenance and improvement works.

– Liasion with Loch Lomond Fisheries Trust, including assisting with scientific data collection.

The successful applicant must be able to work as part of a dedicated team, have excellent communication skills, possess a knowledge and appreciation of the work of a bailiff, must hold a full driving license and ideally have experience of boat handling.

The post covers the entire Lomond catchment area and will provide the successful applicant with a unique opportunity to work in a diverse range of fishery environments. The post holder will work an average of 40 hours over the course of the year. It should be noted that during peak times night shift work may be necessary. I return the LLAIA will offer the successful candidate a competitive salary, which will be subject to negotiation, and relevant training opportunities where necessary.

For further details call the Secretary, Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Association on 0141 353 5004. To apply for this post please send your CV and a covering letter by 15 May 2013 to: The Secretary, Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Association, 4 Woodside Place, Glasgow G3 7QF.

Regards,

LLAIA Committee

The Annual general Meeting of the Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Association was held on Tuesday 26 February in the Partick Burgh Halls, Glasgow, with 154 members in attendance.

The key decisions made were as follows:

1)  Annual subscription 2014 Proposal

The members voted to retain the annual membership at the current levels in 2014 i.e. £185 for a full membership and £78 for an OAP concession.  Members also agreed unanimously to reduce the cost of a junior membership from £50 to £20 with immediate effect i.e. for season 2013.

Any young person wishing to purchase a junior membership (available for persons aged 12 – 18 years) should write, phone or email the Association at the contact address provided at the end of this report.

Other permit prices are as per the AGM report.  Namely no increase in the cost of River Leven annual permits, River Leven and Loch Lomond day permits to rise from £15 to £20 and no increase in the cost of either a River Leven child season permit or day ticket.  Coarse tickets issued by the Association will rise to £35 for the season and £5 for a day ticket.

2)  Election of Vice Chairman

With the resignation of Sid Gath the Committee recommend the appointment of Mr Eddie Edmonstone as Vice Chairman.  This recommendation was accepted by those in attendance with no votes against.

3)  Election of Committee members

As there were no nominations for appointment to the Committee prior to 31 December 2012 according to article 7 (d) the two longest serving Committee members may contⁱnue in office.   Given that the Committee was elected in block last year it was deemed for the purposes of establishing longest serving members that Mr James Raeburn and Mr Keith Adams were re-elected for the purposes of defining longest served members.

While no notifications for election to the Committee were received by 31 December, notification was confirmed before the AGM that 3 members wished to serve.

Mr Tam Dorrian, Mr Robert McKinlay and Mr Gareth Bourhill were duly elected on to the Committee.

4)   Notification of VOLDAC representative

The VOLDAC representative for 2013 is Mr Alan Miller.

5) Constitutional Changes

The following constitutional amendments were proposed and accepted by the membership on the night in accordance with the existing Association constitution:

a)   Article iii (2)(a)   (to increase the number of junior members)

“Junior Membership shall be open to the children up to the age of 18th birthday of Ordinary Members.”

To

“Junior Membership shall be open to any young person up to the age of 18.”

b)   Article iii (2)(k) (to introduce reduced membership rates for younger anglers)

“Between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one Junior Members in Full-Time education may be eligible for concessionary subscriptions to be set by the Committee annually.”

To

Between the ages of 18 and 21, or in the case of those in full-time education to the age of 23, members may be eligible for concessionary subscriptions to be set by the Committee annually.

c)   Article iii (j)  (to increase the benefits available to members)

“An Ordinary Members spouse and children or grandchildren up to their eighteenth birthday and accompanied by or under the supervision of an Ordinary Member may fish all the Associations waters free of charge.”

To

“An Ordinary Members spouse and children or grandchildren up to their eighteenth birthday and accompanied by or under the supervision of an Ordinary Member may fish all the Associations waters free of charge, this will include the right to fish for coarse fish on Loch Lomond throughout the coarse fishing season.”

d)   Insert Article vii (d) (iv)  (to extend membership of the committee to a representative from the River Leven season ticket holders and the coarse season ticket holders)

“The Committee will be allowed to appoint one Associate member and one coarse fishing ticket season holder to the Committee to represent the interests of River Leven and coarse anglers.”

e)   Article viii  (to allow the Committee to bring experts, who were not necessarily Association members on to sub committees if required)

“The Committee shall have the power to appoint such Sub-Committees or Management Teams as they think fit, which shall consist of elected Ordinary Members only.”

To

“The Committee shall have the power to appoint such Sub-Committees or Management Teams as they think fit.”

6)   Amendments to conservation bye-laws introduced in June 2012

The following amendments have been made to the bye-laws passed by the EGM of the Association in June 2012:

• The number of tags issued to each angler will rise from 3 to 5
• There will no compulsory catch and release of salmon before 1 June, however, all salmon must be returned in the month of October
• Hen sea trout over 3 Lb in weight must be returned after 31 August
• The above changes will apply to all Association waters including those parts of the River Endrick above the Honeyholm bridge.

Committee Comment

While the decision of the membership to amend the decisions made at the EGM of June 2012 is disappointing to a majority of the Committee, we can all none the less acknowledge that our club has finally agreed to adopt bye laws which enshrine the principle of conservation.  This is a major step forward for the Association where members are already returning in the region of 73% of all salmon caught and 89% of all sea trout caught.

The move to issue each member with 5 tags brings us into parity with what is offered on the Clyde and the Kelvin.  There will, however, be practical issues to resolve, not the least being that we have already issued in the region of 300 memberships and 300 sets of tags.  It was suggested on the evening of the AGM that members who have received their permits be consulted and asked if they wish to receive the additional 2 tags.   The Committee believe this is a pragmatic approach and we will be writing to members imminently.

With regards to the updated bye laws please be aware these will be strictly enforced as will the pre-existing bye law relating to the killing of any coloured / unseasonable fish.

The AGM though was not just about tags and bye laws it was also about constitutional change and facing up to the problems of an aging membership.  Some of the changes that were passed on the night should go some way to attract younger anglers into the club.  This is essential if the club is to survive and flourish. The decision to finally allow an Associate member on to the Committee is also welcomed as is the decision to include coarse fishing representation on the Committee.  It is hoped that these changes will be followed up next year with a revised constitution and it is the intention of the Committee to fully consult on this issue later in the year.

Voluntary Catch and Release Policy.

Last season we introduced a Voluntary Catch and Release Policy to help protect our stocks of spring salmon which have been in gradual decline over the years. We now aim to introduce a similar policy this year and would ask all conservation minded anglers to subscribe.‘ Please think twice before dispatching the Lomond System’s springers.’

Regards,

LLAIA Committee.

The Annual General Meeting of the Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Association will take place on Tuesday 26th February, 2013 at Partick Burgh Hall, 3-9 Burgh Hall Street, Partick, Glasgow G11 5LN. Doors open at 6.30pm and business will commence at 7.30 prompt.

The Annual Report, Agenda and Admission Tickets will be delivered to members very shortly. 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.

( Reports 07.02.2013)

Regards,

LLAIA

New Fishings Leased.

The committee are delighted to announce that from the 8th of October we have secured the lease for the Claylands beat on the middle Endrick.  In the past this was a very popular stretch of river and is once again available for members to fish.

This beat is located on the south bank of the Endrick and starts at the Cowdenmill dam pool and runs for about 2 miles downstream finishing just below Balfron where it meets with Alan Cuthbert’s stretch which is also now leased by the Association.  The beat consists of several good pools and various runs and will be a welcome addition to our current fishings.

Currently access to this beat is via the two foot bridges located at either end of the beat or by wading from our Cowdenmill fishings on the north bank or walking up from Balfron bridge.  Members should note that the lower footbridge bridge while crossable with care is in need of repair and members use both bridges at their own risk.  There is strictly no access to the south bank via the track down to the cottage at Cowdenmill nor is there parking at Claylands farm.  Members should also restrict themselves strictly to the river bank at and around Cowdenmill cottage and not approach the horse paddock or enter the back garden of the cottage.  Any infringements of these rules will be dealt with by the committee.

With the lease of Claylands the Association now owns or leases almost the entire fish-able stretch from Cowdenmill Dam pool to the bottom of Drumtain on the middle Endrick, with the exception of a small stretch of water on the north bank above and below Balfron road bridge.

Regards,

LLAIA Committee.

Extraordinary General Meeting.

On Wednesday 13 June 2012 at the EGM of the Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Association, the membership voted in favour of taking decisive steps to conserve migratory fish stocks in the Lomond system.  Dr Andy Burrows of the Loch Lomond Fisheries Trust gave an in-depth presentation which was followed by a question and answer session. Thereafter the following key policies were voted through:

1)  From 2013 there will be full catch and release of all salmon and sea trout caught before 1 June and after 30 September.

2)  From 2013 all sea trout above 3lb in weight will be returned.

3)  From 2013 a maximum of 2 sea trout can be taken per day.

4)  From 2013 a fish carcass tagging system will be introduced that will limit anglers to kill a maximum of 3 salmon during the permitted period (1 June – 30 September)

5)   From 2013 full catch and release will be mandatory on the upper Endrick from Honeyholm Bridge upstream.  This will include Coolies Lynn, Netherton and Fintry stretches.

The committee believe that these decisions will provide an excellent foundation for what we hope will be a system wide recovery of migratory fish stocks.  While these new rules do not come into effect until 2013 the committee are keen that anglers begin to adopt these principles with immediate effect and would encourage all anglers who fish the Lomond system to adhere to the above code for the remainder of season 2012. 

Simply put, the more fish we release the more we will have on the redds at the end of the year and the more that will return in 4/5 years time.  Hand in hand with returning to a natural stocking policy will be an increase in fish protection and it is hoped that we will have positive news on this front in the near future.

New Fishings Obtained.

Members may be interested that the results of the EGM have benefited them immediately. As a direct consequence of our adoption of conservation minded policies two pieces of water have once again been leased to the association. 

1.      Wester Ballichruin which is on the north bank of the Endrick looking downstream from Balfron Station Bridge (the water pipes) and contains some excellent pools has been re-acquired. 

2.     Alan Cuthbert’s stretch on the right hand bank looking upstream from the Balfron road bridge, which also has some excellent holding water.

These new stretches of water will be known to many Endrick fishers and will be a welcome addition to the water at our disposal.  As a condition of the leases members should note that bye laws 1), 2) and 3) above, that will be introduced elsewhere in the system in 2013, will apply with immediate effect on both waters.   

The committee are proud that over the 4 months they have been able to re-lease 3 waters, including the Craigbell stretch, that were lost to our members over the last few years.  With the leasing of Alan Cuthbert’s water the club now has access on the Endrick from Cowdenmill all the way down to Drumtain. This is a significant amount of water with a huge variety of fishing and we hope that members will take full advantage of the additional opportunities that are now available.

Regards,

LLAIA Committee.

EGM.

An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Association, will be held in accordance with the Association’s constitution and rules, on Wednesday 13th June 2012 at the Woodside Halls, Charing Cross, Glasgow. Entry will be by means of a current membership ticket only. The meeting will start at 7.30pm prompt.

Members Survey.

The committee of the LLAIA are keen to modernise our club and run it in a transparent and democratic manner. Rather than impose measures on the membership without consultation, it is our intention to seek members’ views about certain subjects.

A questionnaire has been prepared on several key issues and will be circulated to all members in advance of the EGM. It should be returned if possible by Wednesday 6th June  2012. This is an opportunity for you to voice your opinion on the issues detailed in the questionnaire and debate them at the EGM.

The following links contain information relevant to these topics which you may find useful. Left click on each subject.

Why Return Spring Fish?

Spring fish are easier to catch and far more vulnerable to predation by anglers. We could be catching as many as 35% of our spring stock each year.

Why Return fish?

Scottish annual egg count versus hatchery production, page 8 provides clear evidence why nature is always best.

Scottish Fish Returns.

Why we are out of line with the rest of Scotland.

Tay Smolt Programme Paper.

Outlines why there will be no smolt programme on the Tay and provides information on capture rates on the Lochy hatchery bred smolts.

Genetics and Hatcheries. 

Outlines why restocking is not normally the answer and notes that fishery managers may in the past have done more harm than good by stocking – more through ignorance than design.

Spey Hatchery Results.

Page 9 provides figures for the success or otherwise of the Spey hatchery in trying to improve upper Spey returns.

Tweed Hatchery and Smolt Programme Paper.

This paper considers why the Tweed does not have a hatchery or a smolt programme and notes that hatcheries can only make a noticeable contribution when wild production is very low indeed, but wild production production can recover very quickly without artificial stocking.

Habitat Improvement.

In the 6 years between 1999 and 2005 the Tweed Foundation spent just over £300,000 on habitat improvement, this was more than doubled through lottery funding. Over the last few years rod caught records have been up significantly. Between 2009 and 2011 the LLAIA spent over £90,000 on a smolt programme. Last year about 10 fish were re-captured. There is no evidence that this programme has had a significant positive impact on our fishery. 

Please return your completed questionnaire, to reach us by Wednesday 6 June 2012 to:

Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Association, 4 Woodside Place, Glasgow G3 7QF.

We look forward to seeing you at the EGM on Wednesday 13 June 2012 at Woodside Halls, Glasgow.

Regards,

LLAIA Committee.

We are very pleased to announce that a new lease on the Craigbell Pool has been negotiated and LLAIA members will once again be able to access it three days a week. There will be no booking system and members will be required to observe the following code of conduct.

1. Fishing will be available on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday each week.

2. Only two anglers may fish the pool at any time.

3. Fishing is by fly only and all rules applicable to LLAIA fishings on the River Endrick shall apply.

4. When anglers are waiting to fish the pool, those already fishing must steadily progress through, leave the water and return to the head of the pool to wait in turn.

5. Unless fish are damaged they should be returned at all times.

6. No alterations shall be made to the weir or the river bed.

7. When in doubt as to the identity of persons fishing the pool, members should seek to confirm their status and if in any doubt contact the Association bailiffs.

As many of us know, the Craigbell Pool can hold a fair head of fish resting after their passage through the Potts. If conditions are right and the fish in the mood it can be day out to remember.

Regards,

LLAIA Committee.

For many years the Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Association has managed its own hatchery operation. In 2008 the smolt programme was commenced.The following year the hatchery was closed and the operation outsourced to the north west Highlands where fingerlings and parr were reared for introduction to LLAIA controlled waters.

Last winter (2011) the previous administration decided against catching brood stock, closed the smolt programme and in February the remaining hatchery fed fingerlings were brought south and planted out just prior to the AGM.

A survey of the LLAIA hatchery site reveals that it has fallen into a state of disrepair and is no longer fit for purpose. The current committee believe that investment in this facility would be inadvisable due to the risk to the water supply (it is on the top of a hill) and the massive investment that would be required to get it up to a functioning state.

Contrary to the information supplied to Association members, the proprietor of the hatchery operation mentioned earlier is prepared to do business with this committee in the future. However, there is a problem in accessing hatchery space this year and we have no guarantee that space will be available. Therefore it is almost certain that in 2012 the LLAIA will have to rely on natural spawning to replenish juvenile fish numbers.

Without an artificial stocking safety net every pair of spawning fish will be crucial to our future sport.

While there have been encouraging signs in respect of conservation efforts related to our sea trout stocks, which everyone recognises as being particularly vulnerable, up until recently the LLAIA has been almost alone in Scotland in refusing to act to conserve wild salmon stocks. looking at our most valuable stock component, the heavy spring salmon that enter our system normally from March onwards, the figures are depressingly stark:

– In Scotland in 2011 over 90% of the spring stock was returned.

– LLAIA members on the other hand recorded only returning one spring salmon.

Exploitation of the wild salmon stock at this level cannot continue otherwise we may face a collapse of arguably our most important run of fish. The new committee are clear about the way forward, particularly since the safety net of the hatchery has been removed.

We need to return as many fish as possible, especially spring fish.

To this end the LLAIA has introduced a reward scheme for members and ticket holders alike, incentivising the return of spring fish. The Association in conjunction with the Glasgow Angling Centre will reward every angler who returns a spring fish to the system.

For each salmon returned, the Glasgow Angling Centre will donate a £20 tackle voucher and the LLAIA will match this with a voucher to the same value or a bottle of whisky.

Obviously each claim will be looked at carefully, so we would expect photos (video if possible), witnesses, scales, fin clippings, as much evidence as possible. Further information regarding fin clippings and scales is contains in the following links:

http://genome-lab.ucdavis.edu/Protocols/tissuesampleprot.pdf

http://web.nrdpfc.ca/finclip.htm

 http://www.celticseatrout.com/anglers/scale-samples.htm

http://www.stateofthesalmon.org/fieldprotocols/downloads/SFPH_p1.pdf

For avoidance of doubt, it is unlikely that there will be a brood stock collection later this year. We will rely on a completely natural stocking, so as members you have to consider seriously how best to enhance and protect future stocks on our system. Members will be given the opportunity later this month to complete a questionnaire which will, amongst other things, consider the future direction of conservation policy. Until then we would urge everyone to think very carefully about killing spring fish.

It is your system, make sure that you do what is necessary to keep it healthy, put them back if possible and claim your reward. 

Regards,

LLAIA Committee.