Fishing disaster River Earn to be downgraded only months after anglers told they could keep salmon.

FISHING: Anglers would be forced to release catches if previous change of status reversed

The Scottish Government has been accused of a U-turn over fishing rights on the River Earn after a “disaster” year for anglers which is set to see the river downgraded.

Last year the Earn was upgraded to a Category 2 river, allowing anglers to retain and kill some of their catch for the first time in years after complaints that there was “a perception the river was not worth fishing”.

The Tay District Salmon Fisheries Board also believed the model used by the government was miscalculating salmon stocks on the river and backed the upgrade.

However, less than 12 months later, the Scottish Government and Marine Scotland have put forward their annual consultation which looks to downgrade the Earn to Category 3 – forcing anglers to catch and release.

Crieff Angling Club secretary Gordon Taylor said: “Most people are in two minds as they don’t want the club to fail but they understand the situation.

“We recognise that the stocks of salmon in Scotland are pretty dire and we have to live with it.

“The river has been very quiet. We’re not getting many stories of big catches. Usually if you do get big catches then word goes around and the river gets a bit busier but we haven’t heard of the river getting that much busier.”

Dr David Summers, fisheries director at Tay District Salmon Fisheries Board, said a poor 2018 has affected the fiveyear average of salmon caught on the Earn and forced the recategorisation.

“The poorer catches on the Earn so far this year is not unique but is part of a wider pattern in this part of the world and has nothing to do with its categorisation, but poor returns from sea.

“The Tay is a Category 1 yet it hasn’t had a brilliant season either.

“The Earn became a Category 2 last year because of changes to Marine Scotland’s methodology, which had previously, I believe, underestimated the Earn.

“It cannot be a mistake to try to make a scientific process more accurate. Indeed, I think there are still issues with the model that particularly downgrades lowland rivers like the Earn.

“However, if we continue to get years like the present then obviously it will fall further into the Category 3 territory.”

Jim Henderson, an angler from Auchterarder, wrote to the Scottish Government and called the season a “disaster” and accused it of a U-turn.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Marine Scotland assesses the status of wild salmon stocks annually and we have recently consulted on river categories for the 2020 fishing season.

“Marine Scotland uses all the latest appropriate local data provided by local managers which, in the case of the River Earn, is through liaison with the Tay District Salmon Fishery Board.”

Most people are in two minds as they don’t want the club to fail but they understand the situation. CRIEFF ANGLING CLUB SECRETARY GORDON TAYLOR

Picture: Steve MacDougall. Jim Perrett of Tay District Salmon Fisheries Board at the Earn near Forteviot Bridge. The Scottish Government and Marine Scotland have put forward their annual consultation which looks to downgrade the river to Category 3, forcing anglers to catch and release.