Future of Scottish salmon still uncertain,says expert – Fishupdate.com

Future of Scottish salmon still uncertain,says expert Fishing Monthly Published:  01 July, 2004

THE future of Scottish salmon is still in jeopardy, Orri Vigfusson, International Chairman of the North Atlantic Salmon Fund (NASF) said today,Thursday July 1st.

Speaking at a seminar in Edinburgh, co-hosted by the Sporting Division of independent chartered surveyors CKD Galbraith, Vigfusson said that there is an acute need for intervention to protect wild salmon stocks. Vigfusson called for a ban on interceptory netting in Scotland, which is claimed to kill thousands of salmon destined for Scottish lochs and rivers. The NASF has campaigned for some time for the Scottish Executive to act to preserve salmon before the species is wiped out in Scotland.

Vigfusson said: “It is the duty of the Scottish Executive to support wild salmon but they are failing to do so. The NASF has raised £20 million to date to protect salmon originating in Scotland and elsewhere – including £3.5 million to support the buy-out of the North-East drift net fisheries in England – but the Scottish Executive did not support that buy out. Our campaign must go on.”