Andy,
I don't disagree strongly I just think we as an angling community are being expected to shoulder the burden of conservation for all our salmonids, admitted we are the most interested in them, with perhaps the exception of professional netsmen- who rarely C&R anything.
I take your point on fishmongers, I can only speak from my group of friends who ten years ago would take ( in accordance with the rules) three fish ( salmon) in Scotland and when fishing the rivers around here another four or five salmon during the rest of the season, on our autumn trip they may have a couple more.....But without fail all of they abide by the new rules and indeed put fish back voluntarily now, I think we've kept one between us in three years now, they understand the importance for their sons and future generations that its just not sustainable. Of course there are fishmongers still about, but I've met far fewer in the last five years.....indeed ( and I'm not making a point here) you're more likely to meet a C&R zealot nowadays!
We realise runs of fish are not as sustainable as they were and hope that one day a harvestable surplus will exist again, I'd not think of taking numbers of seatrout from a river other than the Dovey, and then I'm restrained, and confident in the strength of the run of fish. Contrast this with the nith....if I were to fish that river for seatrout I'd put all seatrout back, come what may....if you cared for the long term future of that river you'd be mad to deprive it of any spawning stock.
Good to debate in a non confrontational manner, I don't think we're as far apart as some would think....right I'm off to the Dovey, need to get the tackle in the car!
I don't disagree strongly I just think we as an angling community are being expected to shoulder the burden of conservation for all our salmonids, admitted we are the most interested in them, with perhaps the exception of professional netsmen- who rarely C&R anything.
I take your point on fishmongers, I can only speak from my group of friends who ten years ago would take ( in accordance with the rules) three fish ( salmon) in Scotland and when fishing the rivers around here another four or five salmon during the rest of the season, on our autumn trip they may have a couple more.....But without fail all of they abide by the new rules and indeed put fish back voluntarily now, I think we've kept one between us in three years now, they understand the importance for their sons and future generations that its just not sustainable. Of course there are fishmongers still about, but I've met far fewer in the last five years.....indeed ( and I'm not making a point here) you're more likely to meet a C&R zealot nowadays!
We realise runs of fish are not as sustainable as they were and hope that one day a harvestable surplus will exist again, I'd not think of taking numbers of seatrout from a river other than the Dovey, and then I'm restrained, and confident in the strength of the run of fish. Contrast this with the nith....if I were to fish that river for seatrout I'd put all seatrout back, come what may....if you cared for the long term future of that river you'd be mad to deprive it of any spawning stock.
Good to debate in a non confrontational manner, I don't think we're as far apart as some would think....right I'm off to the Dovey, need to get the tackle in the car!