Anglers' anger at Usan Salmon Fisheries grant
A £100,000 European grant to a Montrose firm has prompted the angling lobby to accuse the Scottish Government of ignoring accepted conservation principles and dealing a major blow to conservation.
The South Esk. Next page: Three of Usan Salmon Fisheries' Pullar family (from left) David jun, David sen and George.
- By Chris Hardy
- Published in the Courier : 16.11.10
- Published online : 16.11.10 @ 11.34am
Usan Salmon Fisheries Ltd was given the money to invest in its netting business, and wild fish organisations have accused the European Union and the Scottish Government of failing to apply consistent policy on salmon conservation.
Damning the grant award, the Association of Salmon Fishery Boards (ASFB), the Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland, the Atlantic Salmon Trust and the Salmon and Trout Association accused the Usan fisheries of indiscriminately exploiting fish destined for rivers on Scotland's east coast.
Usan Fisheries responded that behind the accusation was a desire to exterminate traditional salmon netting in Scotland at any cost, rather than species conservation.
Director George Pullar described the claims as a baseless attack on his firm's success by interests looking to protect sport fishing for the privileged.
ASFB chairman Alan Williams, on behalf of the four fishery bodies, said the EU and Scotland were signatories to the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO) Convention that salmon fisheries should only target stocks at "full reproductive capacity."
He said the mixed-stock nature of the Usan operation meant the viability of the individual stocks being exploited was unknown by definition.
The Scottish Government was on recent record as saying it recognised the advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea "that fisheries on mixed stocks, either in coastal or distant waters, pose particular difficulties for management."
Exploiting
NASCO has defined mixed-stock fisheries as exploiting a significant number of salmon from two or more river stocks.
Mr Williams said it was also relevant that the nearest river to Usan's nets is the South Esk, a special area of conservation (SAC) for Atlantic salmon under the EU's Habitats Directive.
The EU and the Scottish Government were legally obliged to protect the integrity of SACs.
Mr Williams said, "It beggars belief that public money is being used to improve the effectiveness of a major mixed-stock salmon netting operation given the international consensus that exploitation of fish outside their river of origin is poor management practice.
"This grant amounts to a major slap in the face to all those who have worked tirelessly on salmon conservation over the last two decades to ensure a sustainable future for one of our most iconic species.
"Although the grant emanates from the EU, there can be no doubt that Scottish Government bears considerable responsibility as it advises on, vets and signs off applications for fisheries grants from Scottish companies.
"On the one hand Scottish Government pays lip-service to salmon conservation, whilst on the other it gives financial and marketing support to those who seek to maximise commercial exploitation of our wild salmon before they reach their river of origin."
Tony Andrews, chief executive of the Atlantic Salmon Trust (AST), said that populations of early-running salmon in all three affected SAC rivers — Tay, Dee and South Esk — were not as abundant as they were 30 years ago.
He said, "The AST's position is that uncertainty on the viability of stocks in these three rivers, from which the Usan mixed-stock fishery kills large numbers of salmon, dictates the necessity of applying the precautionary measure of closing this net fishery with immediate effect."
08.14pm - 16.11.2010 Jim Smith - Inverness, scotland Report This
Fair play to the netters - seems like a great way of life - live and let live I say!
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