A brief update on key news and some activities that have been taking place around our system in recent weeks.

In this issue:

  • What can you expect from a day ticket costing just £25?

  • LLAIA Bailiffs apprehend poachers on the River Endrick

  • Important information about escaped farmed fish (Marine Scotland)

  • Remedial work at Mill of Glenboig Car Park

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What can you expect from a River Leven day ticket costing just £25?

What can get these days for £25?

After purchasing a day ticket for the river then a  “Red Letter Day” duly unfolded for angler Brian McGrath on the Leven on Saturday 12th September

In his own words Brian had a “fantastic day” catching a ‘full house’ of wild salmon estimated at 6lb, sea trout estimated at just under 2lb and a brown trout estimated at just under 1lb well as two farmed salmon.

“It was a fantastic days fishing.
All fish were caught on a black and silver flying c fished up stream on a fairly slow retrevie. They all took the flying c just on the swing at the end of my retrieve.
I can only estimate the size of the fish as I generally don’t weigh or measure fish unless they look like a pb. Just a very quick picture and back to fight another day. The sea trout and brown trout where from the bucks and the salmon was from the Howgate Stream.
It typical greedy trout fashion they gave it their all in the take. The sea trout taking a bit of line on a fairly tight drag whereas the Atlantic salmon take was very subtle almost like a pluck. I knew it was a real salmon as soon as felt the weight. The salmon stayed deep in the current for around a minute using it to it’s advantage, before eventually coming to the surface and giving me three great acrobatic displays and taking a big of line. Such a great feeling hearing that drag.

Very sad about the farmed salmon in the system and hopefully we can get rid of as many as possible before they can do anymore damage.
I estimate the wee brownie around 8oz to 10oz, the sea trout about 1lb and 12oz and the salmon around 6lb give or take a few ounces.
All fairly small fish but all equally stunning and very much appreciated”.
Very sad about the farmed salmon in the system and hopefully we can get rid of as many as possible before they can do anymore damage.
Brian McGrath

Congratulations Brian and certainly sounds like you had a terrific and enjoyable outing and thank you for sharing your day with us.

Undeniably a very successful and rewarding day for Brian – and all for the price of a day ticket costing £25.

LLAIA Bailiffs successfully apprehend poachers on the River Endrick

On the evening of Tuesday 1st September thanks to the vigilance and prompt action by our Bailiffs two individuals were discovered, detained until Police Scotland arrived and then subsequently charged with fisheries offences and other criminal offences. As is the normal procedure all fishing  equipment was confiscated and all video and other evidence has been passed to Police Scotland for subsequent consideration by the procurator fiscal.

I am sure that we are all grateful for the degree of commitment and resolve that our Bailiff team continue to deliver in patrolling and enforcement actions across our system.

Important information about escaped farmed fish (Marine Scotland)

Below you will find the latest information released on 14th September by Marine Scotland concerning escaped farmed fish.

Fisheries Management Scotland would like to thank anglers and fisheries proprietors for their efforts in reporting escaped farmed fish. 66 fish have now been reported to Fisheries Management Scotland, but we know that this is an underestimate of the total number of fish caught to date.

Following feedback that we have received, we would like to emphasise the following points:

  1. Escaped farmed fish do not form part of the calculation of rateable values for salmon fisheries in Scotland. Reporting farmed salmon will therefore not lead to an increase in rateable value of your fishery. It is important that these fish are reported to Fisheries Management Scotland.
  2. It is important that, in addition to reporting these fish to Fisheries Management Scotland and the Fish Health Inspectorate, that all farmed fish caught are reported to Marine Scotland in your annual catch return. Escaped fish are reported separately and do not contribute to the wild salmon catch statistics.
  3. Marine Scotland Science do not include farmed salmon in the annual conservation assessments.
  4. Marine Scotland do not consider the killing of farmed fish on a Category 3 River to be a breach of the 2016 Conservation regulations.

 

As a reminder to all of our anglers and members please note that it is crucial that you take the appropriate action at all times should catch or suspect that you have caught a farmed fish within the Lomond System.

Please use the link below for information on how to identify a farmed fish and what to do if you catch one.

Lomond System News Byte – REMINDER – How to identify a farmed fish and what to do if I catch one?

Remedial work at Mill of Glenboig Car Park

Following reports of very heavy ground conditions at the Mill of Glenboig Car Park. Ground membrane has now been put down and then 15Tons of type 1 delivered and laid by bailiffs this week at this car park. The surface  still be little bit “Soft” until stones settle and compact. Remaining work includes the erection of  our carpark sign the same as the one at Barnsford, so bailiffs will dig in and concrete post when ground is a little drier. Hopefully this will greatly improve the surface for members parking vehicles at this location and the effort here by our Bailiffs in this work is greatly appreciated.

Our thanks are extended to the local farmer for excavating the base out for us in preparation for the new surface.