Fishing for the truth about angling in Scotland
IT MIGHT be the close season in Scotland for salmon fishing, but there was to be no festive season truce this year it seems in the on-going battle between anglers and commercial interests over conservation and exploitation of the iconic species.
Continue ReadingA 34.5lb SALMON from the River Nith in Dumfries and Galloway has won the 2011 Savills Malloch Trophy for its captor, angler Sam Valentine.
Continue ReadingEVER gone on a fishing trip with the lads and been tempted to run a small sweepstake to liven up proceedings? Not Exactly Fishing reveals how a smart London coarse angler with an inside knowledge of underworld crime, ran off with the profits on a fly-fishing holiday to the wilds of Scotland’s remote Sutherland.
Continue ReadingIT IS heartening today to see two organisations calling for our politicians to stand up and be counted – at least as far as supporting the future of our wild fish are concerned. As I suggested here at the beginning of the year, that action to put our politicians on the spot on the future…
Continue ReadingSALMON anglers in Scotland had a bumper year in 2010 according to provisional figures released today. Rod catches of salmon are expected to be well over 100,000 – the highest since consistent records began nearly 60 years ago. More than two-thirds were released back into the water. But the record-breaking total – and the prospects…
Continue ReadingIT CAN hardly have come as much surprise to Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond to find a letter postmarked ‘Faroes’ on his desk this week. He might reasonably have been anticipating it since June 2008. That was when the Greenland and Faroese authorities first targeted Scotland – along with Norway – for a lamentable lack…
Continue ReadingRELATIONS between wild game fishing interests and the Scottish Government over fish farming controls have suffered another reverse with the collapse of a key agreement set up to try to establish peace between the salmon industry and anglers.
Continue ReadingIT SEEMED, on the face of it, a fairly innocuous conversation. We were sitting in the conservatory of the Borrodale Hotel on South Uist enjoying one of the chef’s substantial stomach-lining breakfasts in readiness for what was likely to be a fairly challenging day ahead. Outside, the wind gusted to 35 mph and huge droplets…
Continue ReadingTHE LAWYER behind the recent high-profile success of Fish Legal in campaigning against fish farm escapes and Scottish Water pollution incidents has been hired by the Salmon & Trout Association (S&TA) to lobby the Government and politicians in the on-going battle for sustainable aquaculture.
Continue ReadingFURTHER evidence of healthy grilse and salmon runs emerges from Sutherland where the Oykel produced a record-breaking return for July with a staggering 730 fish. In a month of fluctuating spates producing near-perfect conditions, 12 rods accounted for 286 fish between July 12 and 17 alone. Richard Donkin’s entertaining blog has more details. Of course…
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