Code of Good Practice Working Group (CoGPWG)
Fish and fisheries management at an appropriate scale and to a consistent standard, will be a central base upon which we will realise our shared vision for the sector. One of the principal aims of the Strategic Framework is to move towards the objective that management decisions affecting freshwater fisheries and fish species should be underpinned by scientific evidence. It is recognised that some issues such as habitat management should be localised, whereas other issues such as considering or mitigating for acid rain or climate change will have both local and national significance.
Minutes of the 1st Working Group meeting on 19 January 2009
Minutes of the 2nd Working Group meeting on 18 March 2009
The minutes of the meeting that took place on 1 July 2009 will appear here shortly.
Mixed Stock Fisheries Working Group (MSFWG)
Mixed-stock salmon fishing impacts on management, in that by definition it takes fish from a number of different river stocks. Whereas anglers can practise 'catch and release' in order to preserve vulnerable stocks or stock components, net fisheries are carried out with the purpose of harvesting fish. On some occasions, where salmon have been taken in fixed engines and thus remain free swimming until removed, netsmen released fish as a conservation measure. However, those netsmen who are members of the Salmon Net Fishing Association of Scotland have preferred to delay the start of their season to allow the agreed most vulnerable stock component free access to freshwater. It is acknowledged that netsmen's rights to catch fish are just as much enshrined in heritable title as those of anglers. We intend to set up a committee to look at all aspects of mixed stock exploitation, especially its impact on good management as well as on stocks. It will develop a strategy to conserve vulnerable stocks of a species listed within an Annex of the European Habitats Directive, and to meet our other international obligations, such as to NASCO. We would also propose to study all the existing and emerging science that is pertinent to this subject, and develop recommendations which could be fed into policy development for Scotland.
Minutes of 1st Working Group meeting - 12 November 2008
Papers
Minutes of 2nd Working Group meeting - 13 January 2009
Papers
Minutes of 3rd Working Group meeting - 24 February 2009
Papers
Minutes of 4th Working Group meeting on 6 May 2009 will appear here shortly.
Papers
Review of Statistical Bulletin Working Group
The Scottish Government statistical bulletin reports salmon and sea-trout catches each year for the previous year. The time-series is over 50 years in length, which is one of the longest formal national catch records for migratory salmonids in existence. We will explore options for enhancing the presentation of the bulletin as an aid to improving the understanding and knowledge of the public in trends and current status of stocks.
Minutes of the 1st Working Group meeting on 28 April 2009
The minutes of the 2nd meeting on 16 July 2009 will appear here shortly.