Save the Ythan Estuary
A year ago the biggest commercial netting company in Scotland, “USAN of Montrose” has bought the netting rights on our river Ythan estuary and seashore.
They intend to start using these rights from early May 2015.
This means only a few weeks to go before USAN will start to empty our river Ythan of its already heavily declining Salmon and Sea Trout stock.
This is to happen despite years of carefully nurturing by local anglers and stakeholders supporting conservation work and by catch and release.
USAN of Montrose have been known to kill seals nearby their nets for perceived predatory reasons.
Many feel USAN of Montrose, also known as The Scottish Wild Salmon Company, to have been treated with great favouritism by the Scottish Government.
Over the last years USAN succeeded with support of the Scottish Government to acquire at European level a protected food name and grants to secure extension of their business.
Of the remaining countries which still permit netting, Ireland has banned drift nets and severely restricted fixed nets, England has declared the eventual closure of the North East netting and Norway is under increasing pressure from Russia to reduce further their netting. Only Scotland bucks the trend of conservation, with the increasing exploitation of a diminishing stock.
It is now long past the time for the Scottish Government to take action to cease coastal mixed stock fisheries, in this case, in the Ythan catchment, which is wholly within the Aberdeenshire East constituency of the former First Minister, Alex Salmond MSP, and the currently contested British Government constituency of Gordon.
Yes Mr Salmond – time to stand up and be counted by trying to save our local salmon and sea trout in Aberdeenshire – every government has been ducking the issue for 50 years.
WE ASK THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT TO STOP COMMERCIAL NETTING FOR ONCE AND FOR ALL! It is in their power to do so, like many other governments of other countries like Ireland, England, Iceland and the Faroes have done so too.
PLEASE SAVE THE ATLANTIC SALMON IN SCOTLAND:
STOP COMMERCIAL NETTING
For more information:
Stop the Ythan Seal Cul
https://www.facebook.com/groups/stoptheythansealcull/?fref=ts
STOP Netting rights being used on the Ythan
https://www.facebook.com/NoNettingOnTheYTHAN
