Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser has blasted new Scottish Government salmon conservation measures which could severely hurt fishing based around the Tay and Earn rivers.
The SNP government plan to bring the new rules in on 1 April 2016 but the measures are likely to affect angling clubs, proprietors and fishing related businesses.
The Scottish Conservatives are to oppose the plans, which will see a complete ban on catching salmon out with river estuaries.
Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser said:
“Salmon fishing is a vital component of the rural economy across Perthshire with people coming from across the world to fish the Tay. Therefore any conservation measure needs to be based on sound science and introduced within a timescale that allows angling clubs, fishing proprietors and fishing related businesses time to adapt to them.
“The Scottish Government proposals will introduce a complete ban on catching salmon out with river estuaries and a 100 per cent catch-and-release only policy for the majority of Scottish rivers, including almost all west coast ‘spate’ rivers, which have been allocated arbitrary ‘conservation limits’.
“It is however, becoming clearer by the day that the figures used to calculate these limits are badly flawed and in need of revision.
“To compound these matters, the Scottish Government has given a mere ten weeks’ notice of the implementation of these regulations. Angling Clubs, proprietors and fishing related businesses across Perthshire will have already organised their activities for the coming season – activities that will have to be reviewed in their entirety if the Scottish Government goes ahead with its plans.
“Even if these measures are the right ones, they must be given more time to allow businesses and constituents across my region to adjust accordingly. Ten weeks’ notice does not fulfil that requirement and I will support a motion to annul the legislative instrument when it comes before the Scottish Parliament in an effort to get the SNP government to see sense on this issue.”