The Conservatives have launched an 11th hour bid to block the Scottish Government’s “arbitrary” new rules for anglers.
The SNP administration plans to introduce widespread measures to protect salmon stock this April, which will include banning killing beyond estuary limits and “managing” the killing of Atlantic salmon inland.
But the Scottish Conservative’s rural affairs spokesman Alex Fergusson has said the measures will harm businesses and fishing enthusiasts – and is lodging a motion calling for the Scottish Government to “see sense” on the issue.
The MSP said: “The Scottish Government proposals will introduce a complete ban on catching salmon out with river estuaries and a 100% 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, in that they are not based on correct or current local scientific data and use rod-catch return figures on ‘spate’ rivers – figures which simply do not give an accurate picture of the health or otherwise of salmon stocks.
“To compound these matters, the Scottish Government has given a mere 10 weeks’ notice of the implementation of these regulations.
“Even if these measures are the right ones, they must be given more time to allow stakeholders to adjust accordingly.”
He claimed the 10 weeks’ notice did not fulfil the requirement, and adding: “I will be lodging 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.”
According to the Scottish Government, the plans are designed “complement, not replace, other management activities” and it is hoped they “will ensure harvesting in Scottish domestic waters is sustainable and that fishing does not damage vulnerable stocks or cause damage to the network of Special Areas of Conservation in place across Scotland”.