This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Scottish Executive confirms salmon and seatrout statistics for 1999
20/09/2000
Catches of salmon and sea trout in Scotland last year were the lowest on record, figures published today by the Scottish Executive confirmed.
The total number of salmon and grilse caught and retained by anglers and netsmen was 55,538 - down 39.4 per cent on 1998. The weight of salmon and grilse taken was 29.2 per cent below the 1998 figure at 197.8 tonnes - the first time the catch has fallen below 200 tonnes since records began. The mean weight of salmon was down by 0.5 kg compared with 1998 while the average weight of grilse was down by 0.1 kg.
The total number of sea trout caught was 34,593 - down 24.1 per cent on 1998. The total weight taken was 35.5 tonnes, which was down 25.4 per cent on 1998. Mean weights were the same as in 1998.
Scottish Fisheries Minister John Home Robertson said:
"These statistics have been well-trailed - but are still a serious cause for concern. The 1999 catches of salmon and grilse are officially the lowest on record.
"There has been some anecdotal evidence that catches this year may be a little better in some parts, but the outcome for the year as a whole is still likely to be well down on catches of a few years ago.
"This has many obvious implications for the long-term sustainability of salmon in Scottish rivers. There is now absolutely no doubt that we need to take fresh initiatives to conserve stocks and to improve the regulation of fisheries.
"The Scottish Executive is already working to tackle the problems faced by freshwater fisheries - and, in particular, salmon and sea trout. Our recent announcement that the Salmon Conservation (Scotland) Bill is at the heart of the Scottish Executive legislative programme shows our commitment to addressing the problems."
BACKGROUND
1. The figures are contained in a Statistical Bulletin - Scottish Salmon and Sea trout Catches 1999 [pdf].
2. The total number of wild salmon and grilse reported caught in 1999 was the lowest on record.
3. The total weight of wild salmon and grilse caught was also the lowest on record.
4. A total of 14839 wild salmon and grilse weighing 57.4 tonnes, was caught and released by the rod and line fishery in 1999. This is the highest catch and release figure since records were first collected in 1994, and represents 28.2% of all salmon and grilse caught by angling.
5. Catches by rod and line were 37.1% down on the 1998 catch, and 41.0% down on the 1994-1998 average. Net and coble caches in 1999 were down by 23.4% on the 1998 figure and down by 63.9% on the 1994-1998 average. The catch taken by fixed engine showed a decrease of 53.0% compared with 1998 and was down on the 1994-1998 average by 77.6%.
6. A total of 296 fish of farmed origin weighing a total of 1.2 tonnes was reported caught and retained.
7. The number of sea trout reported caught and retained in 1999 (34593) was down on the 1998 catch by 24.1%. The total weight caught was 35.5 tonnes, a 25.4% decrease on the 1998 figures. Compared with 1999, catches taken by anglers were down by 22.2%; net and coble catches were down by 21.3%; and fixed engine catches were down by 38.8%.
8. A total of 9162 sea trout were caught and released. This represents 27.2% of all sea trout caught by rod and line, and is the largest number released since such records were first collected in 1994.
9. The sizes of salmon catches can be affected by a number of factors, including the weather, timing of runs, the amount and quality of fishing effort, as well as the number of fish.
News Release: SE2511/2000
20 Sep 2000