Vigfusson Calls for Three-Year Netting Ban

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: Fly Fishing & Fly Tying

Fly Fishing & Fly Tying magazine report that:

In a letter to Laurence Talks, the EA’s national senior advisor on Salmonid management, Orri Vigfusson, chairman of the North Atlantic Salmon Fund and international salmon negotiator, has stated that the UK needs to act urgently in response to the lack of spawning fish in its rivers.

He highlights the main problem as being, “the continuation of indiscriminate netting by mixed-stock fisheries”, and accuses the EA of underestimating the decline and ignoring the value of “sensible, practical actions”.

In his letter Mr Vigfusson states, “mixed-stock fisheries have been allowed to further reduce the remaining spawning stock and this ignores the necessity to ensure a robust biodiversity”. He also relates that the UK’s continued netting of salmon is creating discontent amongst those nations that have desisted or reduced their high seas salmon fisheries, such as Greenland and the Faroese, saying, “International agreements only work when all of the parties have equal rights and responsibilities”.

In addition, he writes, “The remaining mixed-stock salmon fisheries in north-east England are also a violation of the letter and spirit of the United Nations Law of the Sea Treaty. Its Article 66 provides that a nation of origin (Scotland) can demand a stop by a host nation (England).”

Mr Vigfusson proposes that, “a three-year ban should be placed on these mixed-stock fisheries as will happen with Scotland’s new approach. This would also be in line with Northern Ireland, the Irish Republic and Canada that all have similar problems. Apart from protecting the salmon that are left this would also give time to agree and raise funds to compensate the displaced netsmen and develop long-term solutions”.

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