Minutes of the 4th Meeting of the Freshwater Fisheries
Forum Steering Group held at Strathearn House, Broxden,
Perth, on Thursday 7 October 2004.
In attendance:
Gordon Brown - SEERAD (Chairman)
David Dunkley - SEERAD
Graeme Waugh - SEERAD
Richard Gustar - SEERAD (Secretariat)
Andrew Wallace - Association of Salmon Fishery
Boards
Brian Davidson - Association of Salmon Fishery
Boards
George Holdsworth - Association of Scottish Stillwater
Fisheries
Jane Wright - Association of West Coast Fisheries
Trusts
Sarah Bayley - Association of West Coast Fisheries
Trusts
Seymour Monro - Atlantic Salmon Trust
Willie Miller - Consultative Committee on Protection
Orders
Professor Peter Maitland - Fish Conservation Centre
Ross Gardiner - Fisheries Research Services
Dr Alastair Stephen - Institute of Fisheries
Management
Robert Ritchie - Salmon Net Fishing Association of
Scotland
Ian Calcott - Scottish Anglers National Association and
Salmon and Trout Association (Scotland)
Derek Keith - Scottish Campaign for Public Angling
Callum Sinclair - Scottish Environment Protection
Agency
Ron Woods - Scottish Federation for Coarse Angling
David Howell - Scottish Natural Heritage
Miranda Lindsay - Scottish Rural Property and Business
Association
Introduction
1. The Chairman advised the Steering Group that
Lewis McDonald MSP had now taken over as Deputy Minister
for Environment and Rural Development.
Apologies
2. Apologies were received from Jane Davis
(British Trout Association); Dr James Butler and Bob
Laughton (representing east coast fisheries trusts); Dr
John Armstrong (Fisheries Research Services) - Ross
Gardiner deputised for JA; Colin Innes (Salmon and Trout
Association (Scotland)) and Ronnie Picken (Scottish Anglers
National Association) - Ian Calcott deputised for CI and
RP; and Jonathan Hall (Scottish Rural Property and Business
Association) - Miranda Lindsay deputised for JH.
Minutes of Previous Meeting
3. The Steering Group agreed Mr Miller's
proposed amendment: replace "them" with "those who had not
done so" (paragraph 7, line 2). The minutes were approved
with this single amendment.
Action - SEERAD to put approved minutes on the
SE website.
Matters Arising
Task Matrix
4. The Steering Group was told the Task Matrix
was on the SE website.
Paragraph outlining who members represent
5. The Scottish Campaign for Public Angling
(SCAPA), the Salmon Net Fishing Association of Scotland
(SNFAS) and the Scottish Rural Property and Business
Association (SRPBA) were asked to provide a
contribution.
Action - SCAPA, SNFAS and SRPBA to submit
paragraph.
Other fora
6. The Chairman said that sea fisheries issues,
being generally technical in nature, would bear little
significance to the work of this Group. However, the
Highlands and Islands Aquaculture Forum (HIAF), of more
relevance, would be meeting shortly and he would be able to
feedback to the Group at the end of the month.
Action - Chairman to report back on the work of
HIAF.
Representation of the British Trout Association (BTA),
SRPBA and the National Farmers Union (Scotland)
(NFU(S))
7. The Steering Group was told that Jane Davis
would represent the BTA at future meetings. Miranda
Lindsay was representing SRPBA, but Jonathan Hall would
attend future meetings. The NFU(S) had still to respond to
the invitation.
Discussion forum comments
8. A summary of comments was circulated. There
was some discussion about using a 'road show' to inform the
angling public and gather views between Forum meetings.
The need to generate press interest was also reiterated.
Seymour Monro asked if the web address could be attached to
all Forum correspondence.
Action - SEERAD to ensure that the Forum
website address is attached to all Forum
correspondence.
SEERAD to look into the possibility of holding
a 'road show'.
Multiple rods
9. The Group was asked to consider whether there
is a case for some angling sectors using more than one rod,
and if so which sectors and how many rods. For example,
should the legislation distinguish between 'game' and
'coarse' fish or 'salmonids' and 'non-salmonids'. The
information provided by Professor Maitland and Peter
Hutchinson to inform this issue was acknowledged. The
Group also needs to consider whether the definition of set
lines needs changing, and what to do about harling.
10. The Group was asked whether it was in favour
of a split between salmonids and non-salmonids regarding
the maximum number of rods one can use. The majority of
the Group was in favour. Those against thought it might
create enforcement difficulties and that such decisions
would be best made at the local level.
11. The Group concluded that it would need to
defer to the Forum, asking whether a distinction should be
made between salmonids (inc. salmon, trout, charr, grayling
and whitefishes) with a maximum of 1 rod per angler
permitted (with a dispensation for harling), and non
salmonids with a maximum of 2 rods per angler per permit
permitted, up to a total of 4 rods.
Action - Steering Group to defer to the
Forum.
Use of live fish as bait
12. The majority view was that there should be a
ban. But the Scottish Federation for Coarse Angling and
SNH wished only to restrict live baiting to the use of fish
in the waters from where they had been caught.
Action - Steering Group to defer to the
Forum.
Section 30 (Scotland's fish fauna)
13. The Group acknowledged the scientific paper by
Professor Maitland on Scotland's native fish fauna. The
Chairman reiterated the Group's agreement at the last
meeting that a section 30 equivalent in Scotland was
necessary.
Action - SEERAD to outline what form a Scottish
equivalent to section 30 would take.
Freshwater Fisheries Forum
14. The Group was told that the SNH conference
facilities at Battleby had been provisionally booked for 4
February for the next meeting of the Forum. The Group
discussed this venue and the format of the day, agreeing
that members of the Steering Group should present on the
major issues.
Action - SEERAD to finalise arrangements for
the Forum.
Bill Issues
Management structures
15. The Chairman told the Group that a decision
was necessary on whether to adapt the management structures
currently in place or start afresh. It was also necessary
to think about how future structures can be funded. The
Chairman thanked Ron Woods and Andrew Wallace for their
papers and asked for members comments.
16. There was discussion about current structures,
i.e. district salmon fishery boards (DSFB), and whether
they worked. There was agreement that the way in which
that system was funded worked well in relation to salmon
fishery management. However, everyone also agreed that all
species should be covered. The general consensus was that
the system of DSFBs could be used as a starting point, but
the current failings of that system need recognising.
There was also agreement that any new system should be
Scotland-wide, and should be mandatory, with the new
management bodies being charged with administering the
system in their area.
17. The Chairman told the Group that private
funding was very important in establishing a new structure
- some public money may be available, but private funding
will be relied upon. From the discussions, the Chairman
said it appeared there was general support for more
private/ public investment and for rod licences (or levies
on permit sales) to achieve this.
18. The Chairman asked the members of the Group to
consult their constituents on management and funding. He
suggested establishing a management sub-group to consider
views and generate a single document proposing a new
structure of management for freshwater fisheries in
Scotland, to report back at the next meeting:
Management sub-group:
- Andrew Wallace - ASFB
- Dr Alastair Stephen - IFM
- Jane Wright - AWCFT
- George Holdsworth - ASSF
- David Howell - SNH
- Ron Woods - SFCA
- SEERAD representative
Action - Management sub-group to develop ideas
further and report back at the next Steering Group
meeting.
Access
19. Ministers have already said the 1976 will be
repealed. This Group needs to consider a suitable
replacement that will increase access without compromising
sustainable fisheries. The Group asked to see the analysis
of responses to the recent consultation on the system of
Protection Orders (PO). The Group agreed that Willie
Miller and Derek Keith should produce a paper for
discussion at the next meeting.
Action - Willie Miller and Derek Keith to
collate information on access with a view to presenting
a plan, for increasing and managing access, at the next
meeting.
SEERAD to circulate the analysis of responses
to the recent consultation on the system of
POs.
Annual/ weekly close times
20. The current prohibition on Sunday salmon
fishing, and whether annual close times were needed for
species other than salmon and trout were discussed. The
majority of the Group were in favour of keeping a weekly
close time for salmon. The Group also discussed the idea
of a weekly close time for trout. It was suggested that it
might be a good idea if the proposed Bill provided enabling
powers for Ministers to make annual and weekly close times.
Mr Calcott of SANA advised the group that he was
representing grayling interests and relayed that the
Grayling Society (through Alan Ayre) would like a close
season for grayling. Mr Calcott was asked by the Chairman
to provide the rationale behind why one was felt needed.
The Chairman concluded that there was no appetite to alter
the weekly close time for salmon, but provision may be
required to bring one in for brown trout in certain areas.
Also an annual close for grayling should be considered.
Action - SANA to suggest close season dates for grayling in
consultation with the Grayling Society.
Date and Place of Next Meeting
10.00am, 25 November, Pentland House, Edinburgh.