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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.