Dave Thompson MSP

Dave Thompson, SNP MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch and Member of the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment (RACCE) Committee spoke up in support of ranching at the River Lochy at a meeting of the Committee on Wednesday the 9th of March.

This was as part of a discussion on salmon conservation via the Conservation of Salmon (Scotland) Regulations 2016 and the Tweed Regulation (Salmon Conservation) Order 2016, which is Government-led legislation to protect and conserve iconic species.

The measures are designed to manage the exploitation of salmon and maintain good management of natural resources to promote social and economic benefits for future generations.

Mr Thompson said, “I welcome the debate around the conservation of salmon and other iconic species.

“However, ranching of salmon has been developed for quite some time, particularly in the Lochy, but also in a number of other rivers in Lochaber. The eggs are taken from particular rivers, the fish are reared and then the fish are put back. Researchers clip the fins so that they can identify the fish when the fish are caught.

“Researchers are doing a lot of scientific work in relation to that. However, in order to do what they do, the researchers need to kill all those fish so, I am seeking assurances from the Cabinet Secretary that he will work with the River Lochy folk to ensure that the research that they have been doing over a number of years can continue unabated in that regard.

“I am reassured that the importance of ranching and the role that it plays in restocking are recognised by the Government and that constructive discussions with parties involved are set to continue”.

Note:

Dave Thompson (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP):

Good morning, cabinet secretary and your team. I have a constituency question that is to do with the River Lochy, although the implications go wider than just the Lochy and other rivers in Lochaber. You mentioned ranching.

The ranching of salmon has been developed for quite some time, particularly in the Lochy but also in a number of other rivers in Lochaber. The eggs are taken from particular rivers, the fish are reared and then the fish are put back. Researchers clip the fins so that they can identify the fish when the fish are caught.

Researchers are doing a lot of scientific work in relation to that, which will be beneficial for the overall scientific approach that you are taking. However, in order to do what they do, the researchers need to kill all those fish and I do not see anything in the regulations per se that would allow that to happen.
For the science and so on, will you assure me that you will work with the River Lochy people to ensure that the research that they have been doing over a number of years can continue and that they can continue to kill the fish as part of that?

Richard Lochhead: As I said in my opening remarks, good and constructive discussions have been taking place on specific issues across the sector to deal with individual circumstances and the arrangements that are in place on certain rivers.

You mentioned the River Lochy and I am aware of your interest. I assure you that the importance of ranching and the role that it plays in restocking are recognised. You highlighted that there is a way in which ranched fish can be identified. Our intention is that those constructive discussions will continue and have a positive outcome. Officials are directly involved in those discussions, and I ask Jeff Gibbons for feedback.

Dave Thompson:

I have listened with great interest to the debate this morning. I have many salmon rivers in my constituency, not just in Skye, Lochalsh and Lochaber in the west, where there are at least a couple of dozen rivers, but also in the east of my constituency, with the Spey and the Ness. Fishing is a big issue in the constituency. A number of people have expressed concern about process at this morning’s session. I have a lot of sympathy for those concerns.

Although there has been engagement with local communities, it could have taken place earlier and been a bit better. I believe that the Government is now engaged. I take the cabinet secretary at his word that there will be rapid action on reclassification on a river-by-river basis. If there is an error with the Ness, as is claimed by Mr Sutherland in speaking to Dave Stewart and Rhoda Grant that can be corrected very quickly. Wrong classifications for other rivers can also be put right. I accept that the Government will review the classifications and will do so extremely rapidly.

I was pleased to get the assurance that the ranched salmon project in the River Lochy, which has been successful for a number of years and is attracting more people to fish on the Lochy, with fish coming back in a way that they have not done for many years, will be allowed to continue. That will be hugely beneficial for tourism and everything else. I am reassured that something will be done to help with the situation with the ranched fish, with the clipped fins and so on. Before the meeting, Jon Gibb, who runs the Lochy and is the head bailiff in Lochaber, was asked directly whether it would be better for the regulations not to go through, or to go through on the assurance that the categories would be reviewed. His advice was that it would be better if the regulations went through. On the basis of that and other information, I will support the regulation today.

Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee Report of March 9 contained at the following link:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=10429