Bladnoch District Salmon Fishery Board

Salmon fishing rights in Scotland are private heritable titles that are registered separately from land. As such these titles can be bought and sold like any other property.

Role of DSFB

Salmon fishing rights in Scotland are private heritable titles that are registered separately from land. As such these titles can be bought and sold like any other property. In Scotland, the cost of the local administration, protection and improvement of the fisheries is privately financed by the proprietors. The district boards finance their work by levying a rate on the salmon fishery owners in the district. Elected representatives of those owners provide the core of the membership of the Board. However, since 1986, the boards are required also to include representatives of salmon anglers and salmon netsmen in the district. A further revision to the constitution of the Boards was made in 1999 to allow for even wider representation on the boards by other parties who may have an interest or stake in salmon stocks or fisheries.

Powers and Duties

The powers and duties of a DSFB are summarised below.

Powers

• to act, undertake works and incur expenses for the protection and improvement of the fisheries within their districts, for the increase of salmon and sea trout and the stocking of the district with these fish.
• to impose financial assessments on each salmon fishery in the district, and to charge interest on arrears.
• to borrow funds, and to incur a wide range of expenditure in furtherance of their powers and duties.
• to appoint bailiffs to enforce the salmon fisheries legislation.
• exempt persons from certain provisions of the law for scientific or other purposes.
• to sue in the name of the clerk.

Duties

• to appoint a clerk.
• to maintain a list of proprietors within the DSFBs district.
• to produce an annual report and audited accounts and to consider these at an AGM.
• to call a triennial electoral meeting.

Clerk (Contact details)

Peter Matthews
AB&A Matthews
Bank of Scotland Buildings
Newton Stewart
DG8 6EG

DSFB Membership

Chairman: Colin Richardson

Upper Proprietors: Sir Michael Wigan, Jonathan Haley, Richard Scott, Andrew Gladstone and Mark Godfrey, Mark Davies (Co-optee), Chris Hockley (Co-optee), David Pagan (Co-optee) and Charlie McNeill 

Angling Representatives: Chris Hockley and David Pagan

Invitees: SEPA, SNH and the Galloway Fisheries Trust

Date and location of next meeting: 09 May 2022, 05 September 2022 and AGM date as 21 November 2022, all to start at 5pm. Contact DSFB clerk for location.

DSFB Conservation Policy

                                                                       Salmon season: 11th February – 31st October (no salmon fishing on a Sunday).

The river has been placed in category 2 by Marine Scotland which means the Board can allow managed exploitation of salmon. Because the river has just moved up to Cat.2 the Board recommends very limited exploitation during season 2021.

• The default position should be that all fish are carefully returned on capture.
• If a proprietor wishes to allow a regular angler to take a fish this should be just one fresh cock grilse per season per angler, and fish should be below 7lb or 26 in and be taken after 1st June and before 30th September.
• All hen salmon/grilse MUST be returned throughout the season
• Day ticket anglers must return all salmon/grilse to the water immediately after capture.
• All gravid salmon/grilse must be returned
• Fish should be returned to water as soon after capture as possible, unhooking them in the water wherever possible
• All salmon/grilse caught, returned or retained, must be reported to the beat or fishery administrator on the day of capture.
• All anglers are encouraged to have pliers with them when fishing

The Bladnoch DSFB requests all anglers to adhere to their recommended rules:

Bladnoch and District Salmon Fishery Board Rules 2022

Seasons    Salmon/Sea Trout:                11th February to 31st October

Brown Trout:                                            15th March to 6th October

• No Sunday Fishing for game fish.
• All salmon/grilse caught must be reported to the beat or fishery administrator on the day of capture.
• During salmon close season no fishing except using dead bait.
• No prawning, shrimping or use of live bait except worm, which must be on a single hook. No worm fishing before 1st May and after 1st October.
• A single brown trout over 10 in long may be retained each day.
• Eels are a protected species and must be carefully returned to the water.
• No ledgering or gaffing. No use of net except to aid landing of a fish caught on rod and line.
• Fishing is to be by use of a single rod which must be hand held.
• Spinning baits or lures should have no more than two treble hooks.
• A fisherman arriving at a pool already occupied should start fishing upstream of the person there and each should move downstream one step per cast. Always fish in a courteous manner.
• Wading is generally unnecessary and is discouraged.
• All anglers must undertake Bio security measures before fishing.
• All anglers are encouraged to have pliers with them when fishing.
• You must show your permit when asked to by watchers and other authorised persons and allow inspection of your tackle.
• You must do everything you can to help prevent poaching and illegal fishing.
• Dogs are not allowed except by expressed permission of the land owner and the fishing proprietor.
• Do no harm to the environment, take away all litter, leave trees, plants, birds and other wildlife alone. Leave no trace of your visit.

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