Liz Smith MSP met with members of the River Earn Improvement Association at the fishing hut at Kinkell Bridge.
Serious concerns have been expressed over the proposed classification of the River Earn as a Category 3 river under the recommendationsof the Consultation on Wild Fisheries Reform.
Liz Smith, Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife said:
“This is a very serious situation which, if the current proposals are adopted, is likely to kill of angling clubs and have a seriously detrimental effect on fishing tourism.
“It seems very clear to me that the vast majority of anglers feel very strongly that their livelihood is under considerable threat despite the fact that, in most cases, they have gone to great lengths and spent a great deal of money improving the river environment. It is therefore very unfair that they are being penalised because of inaccuracies within the criteria for the categorisation of rivers.
“The SNP Scottish Government will have received some very strong objections in the recent consultation. I hope it will take these concerns seriously and act quickly to protect our anglers.”