APOLOGIES for misleading readers over my last post regarding the proposed introduction of boating charges on Loch Lomond this year.  Only the £30 boat registration charge is voluntary; the launching charges at the Duncan Mills and Milarrochy slipways are compulsory and take effect from April 1.

Loch Lomond game anglers now face daily fees of £15 to launch a boat plus the normal £15 per rod rate.  The annual charges are £55 and £175 respectively.  It will be interesting to see the impact these charges, levied by the national park authority, have on loch usage statistics where 2010 boat registrations were already down 9.2% on the previous year’s total of 5679.