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Reform and conform?
To catch a Scottish salmon when its fresh run off the tide
Is a dream of many anglers in Britain and world wide
But there’s been much consternation o’er thirty years and more
For numbers have been dwindling since the heady days of yore
It isn’t only anglers who’ve broadcast their alarm
World Wildlife Fund conservers too have pointed to the harm
Being done to populations in freshwater and the brine
Hence Angling for Change was formed in 1999.
It led to many meetings and considerable debate,
Ere a new Strategic Framework launched in 2008
Prompted Government commitment to a visionary aim
Of restoring Scottish fishing to its former worldwide fame
The banking scandal then forced public finance to the edge
And sceptics feared that Holyrood would opt out of its pledge
During years of little progress, but they had to change their view
After Andrew Thin was tasked to head a Fisheries Review.
Thin’s subsequent report urged many changes to the norm
And it’s sparked two consultations for Wild Fisheries Reform
Putting paid to any lasting doubts or sceptical conjecture
Over Ministerial promise of a strong all-species sector.
To smooth the path some “experts” were recruited to advise
Auld Reekie’s civil servants should complexities arise,
And by publishing the minutes of a small Stakeholder Group
It was hoped to keep most Scottish anglers firmly in the loop.
Some hope.....for many yet are not aware of what’s at stake
Through the legislative changes politicians want to make,
Their reactions when the penny drops will likely be emphatic....
That the current draft proposals are confused and bureaucratic.
And even those more well informed believe there’s quite a few
Bill provisions that are faulty and there’s still much work to do
Ere the drafts are all corrected and won’t further flabbergast
All who hope new legislation will prove better than the last.
An example of a problem that is causing some uproar
Is the gift to fishing owners of the force of criminal law
For its feared some will use it to keep anglers off their water
Quite against the Bill’s intentions, and a thing they shouldnae oughter.
And there’s several more proposals in the package which are not
Quite as clear as they might be (some might say they’re tommyrot)
Like securing fishing access after killing off POs,
How to find more volunteers to support the FMOs,
How too rigid fishing close times might be widely seen as failing
All who want to fish on Sundays and in winter months for grayling.
Financing “other species” though’s the biggest nut to crack
(It sealed the fate of AfC you’ll find on looking back) .
For the bulk of Scottish anglers willnae ever want to pay
Any conservation licence / levy.... call it what you may.
But what to do? Your bard has tried to highlight and explain
Some changes that are coming which might go against the grain.
So wake up, gentle reader, if you find things less than clear
Send in your views, for fishing Armageddon’s nearly here.
AAnon
Annex B
Wild Fisheries Reform 2015 consultation – personal response
I am sceptical about the proposed reform of wild fisheries management and the upheaval
that it will create, and have not specifically addressed the 38 questions. Instead I give my
personal views via the following comments which are directed at wild fisheries, particularly
rivers and small streams. They do not include put and take rainbow facilities which perform a
useful service in keeping pressure off wild resources.
It is likely that the same people who are doing fisheries work at the moment will, after a mad
hatter’s tea party, be doing it in the future wearing a different hat, but will be stretched even
further to cope with a new and more complex system. The system will have to rely heavily on
volunteers who are already thin on the ground; anglers generally will take exception to what
many will see as bureaucracy, especially if a rod licence or equivalent is introduced; many
riparian owners will likely not be bothered to comply with all-species requirements and with
the hassle of applying for and issuing tags for killing migratory fish (extending this to other
species is laughable, most anglers put non-migratory fish back these days anyway); more
bailiffs/wardens will have to be found and paid to deal with an increase in duties; and the
task of finding enough money to make the system work effectively will be difficult if not
impossible.
One important thing the proposals have going for them is the introduction of an all species
system, which might help bring some salmon proprietors kicking and screaming out of their
current migratory-only closets. Their reluctance to having other-species anglers on their
waters is partly why so few protection orders have been applied for/granted over the years.
Winter grayling fishing is still restricted or unnecessarily prohibited in some areas because
owners and angling clubs unduly fear anglers will poach or disturb spawning salmon. This
needs to change.
If Government paid more attention to and tackled the factors that are threatening fish
populations there would be little need for such wide ranging fisheries management reform. If
Ministers really are committed to improving “all salmon and freshwater fisheries” they need
to place much more emphasis on reducing threats to them from hazards such as point
source and diffuse pollution; poor sewerage effluent; abstraction; riparian habitat loss;
marine and inland fish farming; bird, seal and mink predation, INNS etc.
Dwindling bee populations are currently attracting much media attention, but anglers also
worry about poor aquatic insect life. Aquatic (and in some cases terrestrial) invertebrates are
the life blood of good fish stocks, yet regularly monitoring their numbers has been reduced
by SEPA (replaced in a few areas by volunteers) despite continuing dangers to them posed
by sedimentation and chemicals emanating from farms, forestry and industrial sources.
Government should ensure that SEPA has sufficient funds to deliver this fundamental
service and to act effectively on problems found.
The suggestion of an Angling for All programme is attractive, but knowledge that fish stocks
are in good heart is a priority before increasing angler effort. With this in mind getting more
young people to take up fishing takes priority over increasing fishing tourism.
Finally, most anglers value their local fishings. Many volunteer their time to sit on angling
club committees and engage in work to improve fish stocks and riparian habitats. Rivers
Trusts have in recent years helped to direct this voluntary effort in a positive direction, so any
new system must value and encourage local volunteers and do nothing to make them lose
heart.