Conservation of Salmon (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2018 (SSI 2018/37)
Despite the strongest objections made by the committee, support from the main Riparian Owners and local MSP Ms Jackie Baillie, from the 1st April 2018 the Lomond system will be a Conservation Category 3 for the whole of the season. All Salmon caught must be carefully returned to the water without delay. No salmon may be retained
This is a very disappointing result given the amount effort put in and meetings attended by the committee to contest this assessment. At the recent ECCLRC meetings on the 13th and 20th March at Holyrood. The Lomond system featured in the majority of debate time The sole reason for the downgrade is the low 5 year catch average on the Endrick which is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) river and Marine Scotland’s calculations show that there are not a sufficient number of salmon returning to the river.
This is a annual assessment, so if our 5yr catch average goes up we could, as in the 2017 season, be classed as a Cat 2 again, hence the Committee’s active work over the last year to ensure all catch returns are submitted and even if that’s a nil return..
A letter of formal notice is being sent out to all members who have already renewed their membership. Those of you who have been issued with tags should disposed of them in your recycle bin for plastic as they are now void. Rules and bye laws for sea trout remain unchanged and as printed on our permits.
Please note that this ruling is under Scottish Statute Law not a LLAIA bye law. Our water bailiffs will vigorously enforce the regulations and any person found to have retained a salmon will be dealt with accordingly.
This situation is something tha,t despite our best efforts, has been put on us by Marine Scotland and we ask for you continued to support.
We will continue to fight for change in the methodology as to how salmon stocks are measured and will keep members updated on progress made.
The Report by ECCLR Committee on Conservation of Salmon (Scotland) Amemndment Regulations 2018 can be viewed by opening the following link:
Regards
LLAIA Committee
