Netting Experiment!!

[underghillie]

Just heard that the Tay board have sanctioned another mad experiment when i say Tay board i really mean the lunatics that call them selfs the Tay board because in my opinion that is what they are.

The latest experiment entails the use of one of the old Tay Salmon Fisheries netting stations to catch and tag 1000 salmon for reasons better known to the board and probably the boards scientists?

I say better known to the board as the board tell the people who live and work on the river zippo

By the way one of the boards scientists says there is nothing wrong with the Tay system and there is nothing more that any one can do to improve the system!

If i was a board member I would now ask the question why do the board need scientists if there is nothing any one can do to improve the system, think of the saving in wages

I will now list some of the boards crazy ideas

1, Catch and Release recommendations. This only works on Main stem beats apart from two board member run beats.

2, shrimp and prawn experiment for 3 years lasted 1 year

3, No worms to be fished in September and October, same two beats do not stick to the guidelines set by them selfs


I thought that our new chairman would sort the system out But sadly i was very much mistakin

My final point is that i put some of MY personal savings into buying off the nets and now the idiots who run my beloved river are trying to undo the work of previous boards.

If i had the power! i would push for a vote of no confindence in the present board because from what i can see there is no one on it that has the Bolocks to sort the system out.

Tony Black

[Stevie]

tagging 1000 salmon, for what? they will probably never be caught or seen again, sounds crazy.

[guidduglucy]

I think it's to show what the angler exploitation is of the fish that run the river, there's an equation that can be used to work out the size of the run or something like that, all part of the river stock management and fish movement. We have had one at the Lees that was tagged in the nets by the foundation. I have been tagging the Springers released on the Lees (well the ones that I land/net for the rods) and out of 35 released with tags only one has been recaught at Lower Floors 12 days later. As you point out Tony it should be one rule for everyone and stick to it!

[keirstream]

If i had the power! i would push for a vote of no confindence in the present board because from what i can see there is no one on it that has the Bolocks to sort the system out.

Tony Black[/quote]

Tony,
3.15 A.M.
What sauce was it this morning???

Time this nonsense of non compliance with regulations on the beats was sorted out once and for all right enough.
On the scientific netting front there will, as Malcolm points out be some sound reason for it but why no consultation with you guys.
More transparency and less of the New World Order tactics of "You dont need to know whats going on, just comply to our every new law and demand and pay the ever increasing burden of taxation and keep quiet about it" is what we dont need.

Youve nailed your colours firmly to the mast though and rightly so.
Professionals who work and have invested their lifes in the river should know whats going on.

[hazeldub]

Crazy - Why distress the fish. You seem to have a right bunch of rockets on the Tay Board Tony

[wiseguay]

I heard it's radio tags so they track the health and wellbeing of the 30lb'ers

[madkeen]

Another strange one and yet again I can't find anything official about this experiment.
It looks like the board are going to do a different experiment every year so what about for next season-we catch broodstock from say the Tilt/Garry mix them up with fish caught in the Lower river and plant the resulting fry out in the lower river.

[The Huntingtower Womble]

Jul 10, 2011 20:03:53 GMT madkeen said:

Another strange one and yet again I can't find anything official about this experiment.
It looks like the board are going to do a different experiment every year so what about for next season-we catch broodstock from say the Tilt/Garry mix them up with fish caught in the Lower river and plant the resulting fry out in the lower river.

I think the board need planted heid first in rabbit holes IMHO

[underghillie]

Jul 10, 2011 14:11:52 GMT keirstream said:

Tony,
3.15 A.M.
What sauce was it this morning???

[/quote]

Nae sauce last night Tom, i could not sleep with anger thinking about the crap the Tay board seem to come up with.

can you imagine the state of the poor Salmon after being caught in a sweep net, we as anglers are to use soft knot-less nets so as not to damage the fish and that knotted mesh is illegal!!

The last time i seen a sweep net in operation the mesh was knotted and most of the fish if not all lost scales, as we as anglers know the Salmon and Grilse at this time of year loose a lot of scales when you touch them leaving the fish susceptible to disease, i have added a few pics of a fish found dead a couple of weeks ago which was obviously mishandled.





you can clearly see where the fish has been griped round the wrist of the tail. So one can only imagine the state of the Salmon after being netted and tagged in this crazy experiment.

[keirstream]

Jul 10, 2011 21:21:09 GMT underghillie said:

Jul 10, 2011 14:11:52 GMT keirstream said:

Tony,
3.15 A.M.
What sauce was it this morning???

Nae sauce last night Tom, i could not sleep with anger thinking about the crap the Tay board seem to come up with.

Tony,
seeing the photos I couldnt agree with you more.
I also seem to remember a recent broadcast on television where the head biologist of the Tweed took the netted fish measured them and threw them up the bank.
Shocking.

[strathglass]

That's a right sad photo but I'm a bit unsure how the alternative handling advice adds up. It's clear that has been a result of someone holding the tail of the fish either for a pic or during release and that in this case an infection has set in. Is this maybe an occasional price, however sad, that we have to pay for introducing stricter C and R guidelines?

I would totally admit that when I hold a fish either for release or for photos I will grip its tail(pretty firmly if honest) and support its belly, is this wrong? Surely better to get a right good hold rather than risk a fish flipping free and dropping and suffering possible internal injury.

I guess the only sure fire way of catch and release is being skilled enough to bring fish to hand, unhooking in water, no beaching, no net, no pic. Will this ever be the norm in this country I wonder?

[coolhand]

This is only my fourth season on the Tay, but this is the second experiment introduced by the Board in that time (the first being last seasons shrimp experiment). Interestingly both experiments have been introduced mid season, and with a distinct lack of consultation or communication. When challenged, they appear unaccountable.
The Tay Board would be well advised to remember that their revenue is dependant upon a number of stakeholders:
The Owners and Ghillies who invest in the development and marketing of the Beats.
The Anglers who elect to fish on the Tay and, in turn, recommend it to other fishermen.
The former have clearly lost confidence in the current Board and how likely are Anglers to confidently book rods on a river managed by a Board who seek to covertly introduce "experiments" mid season.
Given the Faroe Island Fishermans published reaction to the EU grants awarded to the Usan Fisheries, is it really in the best interests of the river, its stakeholders and Salmon conservation to invite a headline such as "Netting is back on the Tay!!". People rarely read beyond headlines.
At the very least the Board needs to consider very carefully how they consult with stakeholders regarding the management of the river, and provide some prompt clarification with regards to this latest issue. Were they operating in a truly commercial environment they would have been voted out by now (or gone bust).

[force10]

Jul 10, 2011 21:21:09 GMT underghillie said:

can you imagine the state of the poor Salmon after being caught in a sweep net, we as anglers are to use soft knot-less nets so as not to damage the fish and that knotted mesh is illegal!!

So you practise catch and release do you?

[Cannaecast]

Here we go yawn!!!!!!

[herefishy]

Mr Force 10,

Welcome to the forum, why not tell mr underghillie who you are instead of hiding behind a handle