COP’s legacy
A FEW weeks ago, I spoke to Dr William Yeomans, from the Clyde River Foundation, as they prepared for COP26 in Glasgow.
The team are working on trout hatcheries for Clyde in the Classroom 2022 – with 100 classes enrolled from all eight counties of the Clyde catchment area, from Elvanfoot to Inverclyde.
It caught the attention of the Scottish Parliament, with SNP MSP Alasdair Allan – a member of the Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee – lodging a motion with crossparty support to help safeguard wild salmon.
It said: “The Parliament welcomes efforts by leading salmon conservationists from around the world, including the Missing Salmon Alliance.
“They have joined forces to bring Salmon School – a lifesize school of 350 mirrored salmon-like forms, sculpted from molten glass by Joseph Rossano and concerned artists from around the globe – to COP26.
“As part of the migration phase of Salmon School, the Clyde River Foundation has worked with pupils from 26 primary schools across the Clyde catchment area to inspire future stewards of rivers to learn more about the amazing life cycle of salmon and the challenges they face.
“The Parliament recognises what it sees as the importance of wild Atlantic salmon to Scotland’s cultural and natural heritage and the rural economy; understands that wild salmon need free access to cold, clean water and that concerted action is required to protect salmon, and other native species, from what it sees as the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss; and notes the calls for the Scottish Government to ensure that the forthcoming wild salmon and biodiversity strategy delivers what it considers the ambitious outcomes required to safeguard wild salmon.”
Co-operation at a local level by organisations like Missing Salmon Alliance and the Clyde River Foundations leads to delivering government support and eventual legislation. It is why events like COP26 should exist.
Angling associations work on the banks to conserve habitats and maintain local stretches. Removing barriers to migration has lead to salmon moving further upstream than they have in decades.
The River Tay District Salmon Fisheries Board had a hen fish return to the river and taken in to the broodstock as an adult.
We’re all in this together. We do our bit personally and can apply pressure on those in power to do act in the best interest of our environment.