Marine biologists ‘researching rivers to death’, claims Perthshire ghillie

One of the River Tay’s most respected ghillies has criticised Scots marine biologists for “researching rivers to death” while salmon stocks continue to dwindle to their lowest ever ebb.

George Mcinnes, a former senior detective who became the head ghillie at the famous Ballathie beat on the River Tay when he retired from the police in 1992, accused scientists of being anti-hatchery while restocking rivers works well in other rivers all over the world.

Mr Mcinnes was speaking at the presentation of the Redford Cup, awarded annually to the angler who catches the heaviest salmon from the river on January 15 – the opening day of the new season.

This year only one salmon, a nine-and-a-half pounder, caught by Speyside angler Stuart Voce, from the Taymount beat, was entered for the much sought after trophy named in memory of Perthshire businessman, Ian Redford, whose son Ian Jr played for Dundee, Dundee United and St Johnstone.

In its heyday the River Tay was renowned for its huge runs of large spring salmon and, to show how the decline has hit the river, Mr Mcinnes – a founder member of the River Tay Ghillies Association – cited the example of the 1982 opening day catch when more than 80 fish were landed, the biggest being a 25-pounder.

This year so far, spring catches are at their lowest ebb. The killing of any spring salmon has now been made illegal, not only on the Tay but on every salmon river, and this year, in a bid to preserve summer and autumn stocks which are also in decline, the Tay District Salmon Fishery Board is urging anglers to return every salmon they catch.

Mr Mcinnes, now 80 and who is retiring from his job at the end of the season, said the Tay was not the only river to be suffering.

He said: “In my opinion salmon fishing, particularly on the Tay, has been researched to death, and a more practical approach is required.

“We have to find a reason why this decline is happening. Much of the blame is laid at what happens at sea, for example water temperatures rising, but we as anglers can do nothing about that.

“I believe the biggest cause of the decline is the lack of juvenile salmon called smolts returning to the sea. From birth, young salmon have to run a gauntlet of predation before they reach the sea and migrate to their feeding grounds where they become bigger before returning to their natal rivers to begin the breeding process again.

“The predation is due to goosanders, mergansers, cormorants, otters, mink, seagulls and herons which gorge themselves on parr and when they turn into smolts to head downstream. And at the mouth of the rivers smolts and adult salmon are eaten by thousands of seals and lots of dolphins.

“Nearly all of these predators are protected by law and very little is done to control their numbers.

“As ghillies and anglers we are up against powerful organisations like Marine Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, the Scottish Environmental and Protection Agency, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and many others who are all against a serious cull of predators.

“If salmon had feathers and a beak these organisations would do more to help them.

“Marine biologists adopt a scientific approach to the problem where a more practical approach is required. Most of them say hatcheries don’t work. Why then do hatcheries seem to work in most other countries?

“In my opinion it’s now got to the stage where all salmon rivers require a massive boost from hatcheries to prevent a catastrophic decline and maybe even extinction of an iconic fish, together with an important loss of revenue from anglers who come from all over the world to fish for them and the loss of jobs.”

In addition to the Redford Cup, winner Stuart Voce received a £250 tackle voucher from Robert Jamieson, of the famous James Crockart & Sons gun and fishing tackle shop.

Picture: Louis Flood. Ghillie George Mcinnes.