Slide 1:
FRESHWATER FISHERIES FORUM
- Legislation regarding access
Slide 2:
PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
- Balance between exploitation &
conservation
- Promote local management
- Continue to promote access for anglers
- Remove prohibitive restrictions
- Seek enhanced access whenever public investment
improves fisheries
Slide 3:
SCOTLAND'S FRESHWATER FISH AND FISHERIES - SECURING
THEIR FUTURE
- Review objectives of P.O.s
- Aim to repeal the 1976 Act
- Replace P.O.s with a new system
- Balance needs of anglers and owners
- Establish a system of Scotland-wide protection
- "When opportunity arises"
Slide 4:
ACCESS STANDARDS 1
- Access linked to management of sustainable fish
stocks
- Anglers must have legal right or must obtain
written permission
- "Optimum" access
for all species in season
- "Appropriate" charges to both locals and
visitors
- Permits readily available from convenient outlets
(- including the internet?)
Slide 5:
ACCESS STANDARDS 2
- Arrangements well publicised ( + internet?)
- No unjustified restrictions on methods
- Night fishing available
- Closed times have to be justified
- "Area Permits", where possible
- Effective public consultation
- Means of avoiding "abuses"
- Effective "policing"
Slide 6:
POSSIBILITIES
- Leave Act unchanged
- Simply repeal & revert to pre-1976
- Simply "protect" all owners
- "Protect" owners & create "access orders"
- Establish a Scottish Anglers' Trust
- Build on experience of P.O.s
Slide 7:
SCOTTISH ANGLERS' TRUST
- Corporate body established by Parliament.
- Administers freshwater fishing rights.
- Eligible for financial assistance from
Parliament.
- Owners who grant rights to the Trust gain
"Protection" and public investment.
- Owners who do not, must continue to rely on Civil
Law only.
Slide 8:
TRUST SETS UP AREA ANGLING BOARDS CONTAINING
REPRESENTATIVES OF
- angling clubs and organisations
- riparian owners
- councils within the area
- co-opted members
Slide 9:
COMPOSITION OF TRUSTS AND BOARDS
- not less than eleven members
- elected at AGM and eligible for re-election
- angling organisation representatives shall form
majority
Slide 10:
POWERS OF TRUST AND BOARDS
- Administer all freshwater fishing rights in
Scotland.
- Decide on prices of permits, affiliation fees to
Trust, hours and places of access, permitted and
prohibited tackle, stocking and re-stocking.
- Decide on compensation, if any, to owners and
lessees.
Slide 11:
SANCTIONS FOR CONTRAVENTIONS OF REGULATIONS
- Trust may impose a fine and demand financial
compensation.
- Trust may serve a Prohibition Order.
- Breach of Order shall be punishable by a fine.
Slide 12
SON OF PROTECTION ORDERS
- Link protection to
access (& management)
- Identify & incorporate current best
practice
- Set and publicise minimum standards
- Make stronger efforts and incentives to encourage
participation by owners and/or occupiers
- Avoid/eliminate "blanket protection"
- Remove protection as and when necessary
Slide 13:
- New owners given opportunity to opt in/out
- Oblige those seeking protection etc. to adopt
appropriate structures & practices
- Ensure adequate public consultation
- Create an effective monitoring system
- Find way of including "public" waters
Slide 14:
- Create an effective policing system
- Administration and funding must be transparent and
accountable
- New name -
NOT "PROTECTION" Orders
Slide 15:
GRANDSON OF P.O.s
IN EACH MANAGEMENT AREA
- create an "Order", which gives protection to all
owners,
- give owners the option of staying within the
"Order"
- Owners who wish to retain protection must adopt
"standards" of access. (and Management)
Slide 16:
- Owners who do not agree to adopt those standards or
who do not respond to the invitation are deemed to
withdraw.
- The fishings of such owners will remain subject to
the present system involving Civil Law only.
Slide 17:
VOTING ON ACCESS
- OPTION 1. ANGLERS' TRUST
- OPTION 2. SONS OF P.O.s
- OPTION 3. GRANDSONS OF P.O.S