SFFF SG 5-2: Annual/Weekly Close Times Discussion forum
comments to date (22/11/04)
SEERAD
Annual and weekly close times exist for salmon and sea
trout. There is also an annual close time for brown trout.
It has been suggested that allowing Sunday fishing for
salmon would help increase access. Do you have any views
on this? Also, do you think that other species require the
protection of a close season?
Ron Woods
I don't fish for trout or migratory species myself, but
given that most game fishing is practised as "catch and
keep" perhaps there is a reasonable argument for annual
close times for them, certainly in waters which are
"naturally" stocked. And I imagine the weekly close day
provides migratory fish with the chance to ascend to their
spawning grounds undisturbed. The fact that the weekly
close day happens to be a Sunday is a cultural anachronism,
and the specified day could presumably be altered if game
angling interests felt it was impeding reasonable access.
I wouldn't wish to express a view on that.
There is however absolutely no reason for a general or
even regional close season for coarse species. They spawn
at widely varying times of year, often in areas
inaccessible to anglers. In any event, the level of
angling pressure in Scotland - now or in the foreseeable
future - is not such as to cause any significant impact on
the sustainability of coarse fish stocks with year-round
fishing. With the benefit of proper scientific studies we
may find that there are some sensitive spawning sites on a
few waters where there might be grounds for local
restrictions, but that is not a matter which would be or
could be address by national legislation.
Alan Ayre
Annual close seasons for salmon, sea and brown trout
give these fish protection when out of condition due to
spawning. For the same reason, I believe a break should be
introduced for other species. The Grayling Society
certainly advocates one for grayling on the same lines as
that which operates south of the Border i.e. mid March to
mid June.
The long standing Sunday break for migratory salmonids
contributes to conserving current low stocks and it seems
sensible to retain it until stocks recover. Only if this
transpires should the practice be reviewed. It should not,
however, be allowed to dictate fishing opportunities for
other fish. For example, winter grayling fishing (when the
fish are at their best) is restricted in some rivers to
only a couple of months because salmon are spawning then,
yet at the same time Sunday fishing is not allowed. This
is too much of an imposition, and it must put off more than
a few visitors planning a weekend fishing break.
S Gardiner
Not allowing salmon fishing on Sunday is just stupid.
It is the day that most people have the spare time to do
what they enjoy, and with anglers it is just the same.
If I am right, the rule has something to do with the
church and not working on a Sunday etc, etc. I think those
days are long gone and allowing salmon fishing on a Sunday
would see a huge boost to the sport.
Kemp meikle mid clyde aa
Sunday salmon fishing would increase access ,income and
opportunity remove class barriers that have existed for
centuries .to increase conservation to balance increased
opportunity amend annual close times at start and finish of
season by similar no of days this is the view of 2 clubs I
chair
SFFF SG 5-2 (b) Closed Periods for Grayling in
Scotland
Legislation in Scotland imposes closed seasons on
migratory salmonids and brown trout to protect them whilst
spawning and recovering from its effects. During this
period most are out of condition and not fit to eat.
Legislation also prevents fishing for salmon on a Sunday,
and on some rivers this is used as an excuse to stop
anglers fishing for other species including grayling.
Most Scottish anglers have been traditionally
preoccupied with migratory salmonids and trout. In many
cases they have tried to rid their waters of coarse fish
and grayling, believing them to be detrimental to their
more esteemed quarry, consequently no closed season has
ever been introduced to prevent fishing for them. In recent
years scientific work elsewhere in the UK and abroad has
shown that grayling occupy their own niche in a habitat,
and where the habitat is in good heart they have little
impact on other species sharing it. They struggle when
conditions deteriorate being less tolerant of poor water
quality and pollution than most other species.
Unlike other salmonids, which spawn in the winter,
grayling spawn in the spring. Unfortunately there has been
insufficient research to establish precisely when and where
they spawn. It is known that some grayling migrate
considerable distances, sometimes ascending feeder streams
to spawning gravels, but others don't go so far and spawn
in the main river. In England and Wales the grayling closed
season is for the same period as for coarse fish, ie from
15th March to 15th June. There is now evidence that some
grayling in the south of England spawn earlier and an
official review1 has recommended that the Environment
Agency should amend the closed season in their Southern,
South-west and Thames regions to commence on 1 February and
run for three months. Elsewhere it is likely that
variations in habitat and climate have a bearing on when
and where individual populations spawn. It is generally
thought they do so progressively later the further north
they occur with Scottish fish spawning in mid April, though
climate change may in time affect this. More definitive
evidence is required on this topic as well as on many other
aspects of grayling behaviour.
Closed seasons provide protection for fish whilst out of
condition during their spawning period. Winter grayling
fishing is not allowed in some Scottish rivers to protect
spawning salmon, and where access is provided wading is
sometimes discouraged or even banned in case redds are
disturbed. Grayling have no such protection. Scottish
populations are completely wild (they are nowhere
supplemented by stocking), and The Grayling Society
believes a closed season for them should be imposed,
initially between mid March and mid June. Over time that
period might have to be adjusted in accordance with
improving knowledge of the habits of populations in
differing areas.
It may be argued a close season is unnecessary in that
the trout season generally begins in March and anglers will
not be fishing specifically for grayling at that time.
There may be some merit in that view, especially if anglers
were to be required to return to the river any grayling
inadvertently caught during the Spring months. However,
many anglers here and abroad with little knowledge of
grayling fishing are being attracted to it. Frequent
articles about big Scottish fish in the fishing magazines
encourage them, and it is likely that their numbers will
grow. Because access is limited on most grayling rivers
some available beats are already becoming over-fished. Many
of these new grayling fans are experienced only in put and
take rainbow fishing and have little appreciation of the
limitations and fragility of wild fisheries. They are
weaned on a culture of big fish capture, and the prospect
of catching a big grayling, even though it may be heavy
with ova, is attractive to some of them. Currently they can
legitimately pursue them here in the Spring on a trout
ticket, unless a club or proprietor stipulates otherwise,
and few do. Big grayling are old fish not easily replaced
and need protection at this vulnerable time.
The species is afforded some protection under Annex V of
the EC Habitats Directive. This decrees that exploitation
must be compatible with maintaining populations at a
favourable conservation status. Currently most discerning
anglers believe that some rivers which once had thriving
populations are experiencing diminishing stocks. The large
kills of the past are over, and though grayling are good to
eat there is a growing emphasis on catch and release so
cropping is scarcely to blame. Grayling recruitment can
suffer if conditions at spawning time are less than ideal,
but other unidentified causes may be to blame. The
Fisheries Trusts need to pay more attention to the problem.
Preoccupied with other salmonids they are just starting to
look at grayling populations and have not yet established
sufficient data to say what if anything is wrong. Anglers
catch returns would be useful indicators in the longer
term. Meantime, any moves to conserve stocks at their
current level or to improve them would be welcome, and a
closed season would not come amiss as a precaution in case
the misgivings over stocks turn out to be correct. It would
provide protection for the remaining fish at a time when
they are at their weakest, help educate the ignorant of the
need to conserve wild game fish, and curtail the excesses
of the uncaring. How one would police it is a different
matter for grayling tackle is little different to that used
for brown trout and miscreants could say they are fishing
for them.
It should not be forgotten that grayling fishing is
already subject to various local restrictions. It is
allowed on some rivers (on much of the Tay for example)
throughout the year, but on others winter fishing is
restricted to only a couple of months when salmon anglers
are off the water, and on some beats there is no winter
access at all. Those in control will point out that you can
fish for grayling during the trout season, but they ignore
the fact that the fish is at its best in the winter
months. Not only do grayling fishers miss much of the
cream of the fishing at such venues, but they are also
subject to a bar on Sunday fishing at some of them.
Consequently there may be those who will protest at their
fishing opportunities being further decimated by a closed
season. There is much room for compromise here, including
acceptance by all of sensible regulation that allows
exponents of all angling disciplines access to suitable
water and a decent bite at their own particular cherry, but
within the bounds of sustainable stocks.
Conclusion
1. Grayling are wild fish and stocks in some
Scottish rivers are reputed to be dwindling.
2. Bearing in mind protection is required under the
EU Habitats Directive, measures should be put in place to
discover the cause(s) of falling stocks and help rectify
the situation.
3. Fishing pressure on grayling is likely to rise
if current trends continue, and access to more beats during
the trout closed season would be beneficial to lessen the
load on hot spots.
4. Like other salmonids grayling lose condition
when spawning and ought to be protected from exploitation
at this vulnerable time.
5. Given the worries over falling stocks the
precautionary principle should be adopted and a closed
season introduced to allow fish to reproduce with as little
hindrance as possible.
Alan Ayre
Chairman
The Grayling Society
November 2004
Reference
1. Ibbotson, AT et al, A Review of Grayling Ecology,
Status and Management Practice, EA technical report
W245.