DSFB Conservation Measures for Grade 1 & 2 Galloway Rivers

08 March 2017

Under DSFB rules, all salmon must be returned to the river up until 1st June.

We have had some nice water lately and some big tides which have helped draw fresh fish into the river Cree and Bladnoch.  On Friday (3rd March), a fresh salmon was caught by Chris Hockley above Spittal Bridge on the Bladnoch and on Monday (6th March), this season’s first salmon came off the Cree!  Peter Woodfield landed the lovely 13 lb sea-liced springer at Learies on the Galloway Estates water.

If you are an angler salmon fishing on a Galloway River this season, please familiarise yourself with the new salmon conservation measures now in place on Category 1 and 2 rivers – graded by Marine Scotland Science annually under the ‘Conservation of Salmon (Scotland) Regulations 2016’.   

On the spring running rivers of the Bladnoch and Cree (both now open), the District Salmon Fishery Board have amended their river rules to fit the category change from category 3 (100% catch and release) to category 2 on the Bladnoch and 1 on the Cree.  The Luce and Urr have also stepped up to category 2 for this season, whilst the Dee and Fleet remain category 3’s for 2017.  A full set of conservation measures can be viewed at http://www.fishpal.com/Scotland/Galloway/Regulations.asp?dom=Galloway

In brief, on all Galloway Rivers, all salmon/grilse MUST be returned unharmed up until 1st June.  Thereafter, on the River Bladnoch - all hen salmon and cock salmon over 8lbs in weight must be returned throughout the season.  On the Urr, all salmon over 8lbs must be returned for the entire season.  

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