KEEP THE TRADITION OF SALMON NETTING ON THE TAMAR TAVY

I would not expect the EA or their partners to own up to a dereliction especially as they disclaim any responsibility for any loss,damage costs or claims arising either directly or indirectly from the counter data's use or interpretation. Of course the assumption that fish travel up stream on the Cornwall bank was the conclusion of a tracking programme performed years ago and now some what discredited by the Tom conclusions.As any EA official would know the use of rod catch CPUE is not a perfect science as it does not take in every element and comnditions.
Redd counts are no longer performed and electro fishing is only effective in shallow water,so
apart from Gunnislake supporting factors are questionable to say the least. Of course the fact thatr its taken nineteen years to find out that the figures were compromised a fact that mustbe investigated and compared to the annual rainfall and seasonal high water events between 1994 and 2004.I'm amazed that a Minister will allows defra to rule given the facts on Gunnislake and I hope the netsmen will tell him so tomorrow.I hope they will also ask him if he has any intention of becoming an ambassador for the Angling Trust especially as he will give the final deliberation on the NLO.As an avid reader of Trout and Salmon magazine and the river reports I find it unfair that netsmen will be limited to twenty salmon per season while anglers potentially can catch 1 per day between June and October.But this is the usual net bashing experienced throughout the British Isles a 90% reduction in netting effort and a 10% increase in rod licence uptake.The intention is obvious.

Why would a rod fisherman want to catch one fish per day between June and October. He can't sell the fish, and he certainly can't eat them all. Most rod Fishermen are keen on conservation and apart from the cost of a days fishing (£50 at Endsleigh) they could probably not afford to fish every day. Netsman Bill has a valid point the Nets should not be fighting the Rods but working with them and the EA for the conservation of Salmon Stocks for future generations to enjoy as well.

#53: Guest - Subject May I add, if a rod fisherman was in a position to fish every day he would not catch many fish in a season as the stock numbers are just not there. He would be lucky to catch 10 fish, fishing all day, everyday for a complete season and would be expected to return 7 out of 10. In most cases now all are returned. I know many anglers who fished the Tamar for upwards of 3 weeks last year and caught NO fish. The Tavy Salmon are critically low also.  Its a sad situation for all involved, but whats more important for the Salmon?

I do not know the river that well but have read all the posts with great interest. I can understand why the traditions of the netsman are being appealed by some here, but also understand the plight of the salmon who's numbers have declined enormously.
However, I can not see how the arguments for the wealthy against the poor are in anyway valid? I presume, that due to Salmon fishing with rod a line, many "working class" people are in employment. Who looks after the river, who maintains the river banks, access, habitats. What about all the staff who are in employment for the service industry, hotels, guest houses and such. What about the small independent outdoor shops who service the visiting tourist anglers. What about the restaurants who cater for the visiting anglers. It seems that the netsman, 3 in number, are a very tiny piece of the Cornish and Devonian jigsaw who could potentially have a hugely pernicious effect to the SW economy. Think of the outcome for the hundreds of working men and women who will lose their lively hood in the southwest if the nets are allowed to take, what seems like a precious resource out of the economy. Not to mention, a creature that has been part of the river for centuries. This as a modern world where we all need to stand up and protect the greater good, hopefully common sense will prevail. Best wishes

Funny because everyone suggests that it's been a bumper year for the rods but you cant have it both ways stocks are either improving or not after a ten year netting cessation.If they're notwhy the hell are EA GIA and European Structural Funds being spent to improve angling access and riparian assets and why are netsmen being curtailed for another TEN years.Netsmen are and always have been the scapegoats for poor conservation decisions taken to appease riparian owners rather than address salmon stocks.Are these regulations proportional? Certainly not.Why didn't all you conservation minded anglers agree to a ten year cessation as suggested by the nets in the 1975 FFA Review? Nets and Rods treated equally and suffering the same hardship but no the lucrative tax free,rate free,vat free existence of the gentry was threatened so EA had to find a way of avoiding court action.Catch and release with an added bonus of keeping 34% of fish caught was born.So lets get this right 54 you would keep three fish per season not a bad return on your £80but you multiply three fish by the extra new rod licence uptake and you far exceed the proposed quota for the Tamar Nets.Fair and proportional? Imagine if all rod licence holders took three fish(perhaps they are) would EA ban fishing not on your nelly.

55 Do you know how many salmon there are ? How are these figures calculated? Catch statistics?
If theres a decline in netting effort there is therefore a decline in catch statistics but in reality there is an actual increase in stock numbers? So a 90% reduction in netting effort actual realises an unaccounted 90% increase in salmon stocks.Smoke and mirrors just like the case being used to get rid of the Tamar nets.As for Gunnislake I can't accept the argument that the false data is not relevant? 15 netsmen lost their livelihood.

As a regular visitor to Celtic Cornwall I was appalled to read that the powers to be intend closing the Tamar salmon netsmen down what a shame.We in Wales embrace our unique net heritage with coracle centres and museums plus we supply the superb 'west wales caught salmon and sewin(sea trout)'around the world and with our welsh lamb we have set up a thriving niche market.

You could have done the same with 'Tamar salmon and sea trout' it only takes a little effort and will.Summer will not be the same without that visit to see the salmon netsmen.I feel for those fishermen losing their jobs. Pob lwc cariads.

Well only the EA knows the formulae how they collate and calculate the CL as they have certainly never divulges this before always ducking the question when asked. They keep it to themselves so that everyone believes the integrity of their formulae Now if we look beyond the Tamar and look at the bigger picture of UK stocks if the netting effort is reduced by 90% and the catch statistics are used to calculate the overall size of the uk salmon stock the 90% saved by the reduction in net effort is not counted.This was acknowledged in a conversation with an Ices scientist in Edinburgh.

There seems to be a lot of threats going on in Cornwall so we must be touching a nerve I know and understand what your saying 64 and I'm saying the methology is rigged to suit the argument if all the resistivity counters are inaccurate most of Nasco's calculations, future predictionsand rationale are incorrect.Because if the main component is faulty how are Nasco going to provide an overview of salmon catches, the status of the stocks, evaluate the management measures, provide age specific stock conservation limits.All the figures past and present will be compromised.

#60: Welsh Jane. - What are the Salmon and seatrout stocks like Jane? are they nearly extinct?

#37: Orri - Interesting point Orri, have any of the netsman talked about on this comments forum ever been prosecuted for illegally poaching salmon?

Theres plenty of fish in Wales thats why all you anglers come here to catch our sea trout isn't it I don't see them stopping you though.So perhaps Tourism is as important to Wales as it is to Cornwall.

#69: Orri - I would sincerely hope not as that would be illegal poaching Orri.You seem to know a lot about this, as my per earlier question which you have not answered, do you know if any of the netsman applying for a license have been caught or convicted of illegal salmon poaching in the past? If so, it would make a complete mockery of this petition and insult the intelligence, and trust, of supporters for legal netting. Perhaps interested parties should investigate further as you have not clarified this very important question.

#71: welsh Jane - So you have completely contradicted yourself then Jane. There are lots of fish in Welsh rivers, so sustainable fishing by nets and plentiful supply of fish for visiting anglers to catch (and return in 90% case of seatrout as they are a valuable resource to Wales) which contributes a large economical boost for local tourist services. Take the fish away Jane, what do you have? Rivers devoid of precious fish stocks which should have been protected (OOPPSS too late!!!) thus, no visiting anglers, no revenue for this Welsh tourist sector. The EXACT point for conservation of Tamar salmon Jane.