Charles Inniss
New member
The recommendation of our association that to help restore the sea trout stock of our river to their former level of abundance large sea trout should be released has certainly brought about a healthy response. Well done. Keep the comments coming!! One or two points need clarifying. The Public Inquiry in 1997 was instigated by the netsmen when the EA proposed reducing the netting season to 6 weeks (mid-July to the end of August) and the Association felt it necessary together with the Taw to support the EA. In the end the inspector came down on a netting season of 1st June- 30th August, which at least was two months less than the netsmen wanted. It had nothing whatsoever to do with catch and release!!
As you all know the compulsory catch and release of salmon prior to 16th June is a national bye-law for England and Wales, which started in 1998.
In 2002 this Association together with the Taw bought out, at great expense, 11 of the remaining 14 estuary nets and this must in the medium to long-term help the recovery of our migratory stocks, but to achieve this a good percentage of the extra escapement of fish must be allowed to spawn. Based on the available scientific evidence, our Association recommends large sea trout be returned.
I cannot agree with the comments that the sea trout stock in our river is healthy. In fact I believe it is of far more concern than the stock of salmon.
Let's not get too worked up about all this. All of us are totally against compulsory catch and release and as anglers we have differing opinions about releasing fish. I personally do not have any problems about releasing, but I also like to keep the odd fish for the pot. Our Association is not laying the law down we are only making a recommendation and individual anglers can make their own decisions providing they abide by the bye-laws of the river.
I regard the opportunity to release fish as one of the many tools to try and help restore salmon and sea trout stocks in our river.
I can only add that if there were no restrictions on the rods, there is no way we could have bought out the netsmen and in this very dry summer they would be making a killing.
My final comment for what it is worth: almost without exception anglers on the Torridge have the good of the river at heart and that counts for everything. Charles.
As you all know the compulsory catch and release of salmon prior to 16th June is a national bye-law for England and Wales, which started in 1998.
In 2002 this Association together with the Taw bought out, at great expense, 11 of the remaining 14 estuary nets and this must in the medium to long-term help the recovery of our migratory stocks, but to achieve this a good percentage of the extra escapement of fish must be allowed to spawn. Based on the available scientific evidence, our Association recommends large sea trout be returned.
I cannot agree with the comments that the sea trout stock in our river is healthy. In fact I believe it is of far more concern than the stock of salmon.
Let's not get too worked up about all this. All of us are totally against compulsory catch and release and as anglers we have differing opinions about releasing fish. I personally do not have any problems about releasing, but I also like to keep the odd fish for the pot. Our Association is not laying the law down we are only making a recommendation and individual anglers can make their own decisions providing they abide by the bye-laws of the river.
I regard the opportunity to release fish as one of the many tools to try and help restore salmon and sea trout stocks in our river.
I can only add that if there were no restrictions on the rods, there is no way we could have bought out the netsmen and in this very dry summer they would be making a killing.
My final comment for what it is worth: almost without exception anglers on the Torridge have the good of the river at heart and that counts for everything. Charles.