Salmon restrictions ‘penalise anglers instead of polluters’

THE “draconian” catch and release scheme penalises salmon fishermen and not polluters who are responsible for their decline, the Angling Trust has claimed.

New by-laws that aim to protect the salmon and sea trout stocks on the Severn and Severn estuary are to be introduced following a proposal by the Environment Agency.

It is hoped that the new measures, which will also protect stocks on the Usk and Wye, will be in place for the next 10 years.

However, the Angling Trust has now argued that the restrictions are “overly draconian” and do not tackle the issues at the core of their decline.

Agricultural pollution, combined sewage overflows, urban pollution and barriers to fish movements are all “fundamental reasons” why salmon stocks are declining, said the organisation.

“These restrictions on the angling community are not mirrored on those that are the cause of the decline of salmon and sea trout in our rivers.”

“Our view is these restrictions are overly draconian, will not effectively address the problem of falling numbers of salmon and sea trout and could prove to be counterproductive,” it said. The new by-laws will require the release of all salmon and sea trout caught in the Severn Estuary, as well as restrict angling fishing methods in order to improve the handling and survival of released fish.

Mark Owen, head of fisheries at the Angling Trust, said: “It is unfortunate that ministers have chosen to restrict fishing methods in the way they have. This seems to be blaming anglers for the problem of falling salmon and sea trout numbers. If we have to accept this, we want to see a lot more effort put into the real causes of decline; poor water quality, pollution, barriers to migration, predation, and loss of habitat.”

Kevin Austin, Environment Agency’s Deputy Director for Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment said: “We are committed to protecting our precious salmon stocks for future generations to enjoy.

“This is why we are taking steps to limit pressures that contribute to salmon declines. We understand that the new by-laws may not be popular to some fishermen, and we are not making this decision lightly. We must act now before it’s too late and encourage all fisherman to play their part to ensure the next generation of anglers will be able to enjoy the benefits of sustainable salmon and sea trout fishing.”