Salmon

Nith District Salmon Fishery Board considers " Catch and Release" as an effective policy to assist in the management of migratory salmonids.  The Board is aware of the economic implications for proprietors of imposing catch and release policies.  However the Board has to ensure the sustainability of populations of Salmon and Sea trout first and foremost.





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Sea trout

At a recent Board meeting the subject of Sea trout conservation was discussed. The Board now recommends that all proprietors should adopt a policy of catch & release for sea trout. The policy will provide that a maximum of two (2) sea trout may be caught and retained per day and that all sea trout over the weight of 3 lbs should be returned to the river. (These larger fish are very often females and therefore considered important spawning stock). By adopting this policy the Board is able to demonstrate to central government that it can manage the fishery sensibly and thus retain autonomy over its management. In addition such voluntary policies are easily removed as and when appropriate. Please see the graph below which illustrates the declining numbers of sea trout recorded in the catchment. The figures have been extrapolated from the National FRS fisheries statistics. From that same source the Board are able to calculate that, in the Nith Catchment there is currently released 18% of all sea trout caught. The ASFB briefing paper recommends that the Board should be aiming for a figure of 55% of all sea trout caught being released. The Board sincerely hopes that you will see merit in adopting this conservation policy so that you can be seen to assist in the hoped for re establishment of good numbers of sea trout within the Nith Catchment. The alternatives are that either we will have statutory control imposed upon us by the Scottish Executive or we will have to try to adopt regulatory enforcement by petitioning the Scottish Executive to give the Board the necessary powers to apply compulsory control and restriction upon the numbers of sea trout that can be retained.