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.
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.
The powers and duties of a DSFB are summarised below.
Peter Matthews
AB&A Matthews
Bank of Scotland Buildings
Newton Stewart
DG8 6EG
Chairman: Charlie McNeill
Upper Proprietors: Sir Michael Wigan, Jonathan Haley, Richard Scott, Andrew Gladstone and Mark Godfrey, Mark Davies (Co-optee), David Pagan (Co-optee) and Charlie McNeill
Angling Representatives: David Pagan (Co-optee)
Invitees: NatureScot and the Galloway Fisheries Trust
The Bladnoch Salmon Fishery Management Plan (2023 - 2028) is available to view here
Date and location of next meeting: The following dates and times have been agreed for the next Board meeting in 2023:
- Tuesday 21st November at 5:30pm at Kirkcowan Village Hall
- AGM is on Tuesday 21st November at 6pm at Kirkcowan Village Hall
Salmon season: 11th February – 31st October (no salmon fishing on a Sunday).
The river has been classified as Category 3 by Marine Scotland for season 2023 which means that exploitation of salmon is not allowed. All salmon caught must be returned to the river immediately after being caught.
The Bladnoch DSFB requests all anglers to adhere to their recommended rules:
Bladnoch and District Salmon Fishery Board Rules 2023
Seasons Salmon/Sea Trout: 11th February to 31st October
Brown Trout: 15th March to 6th October
GFT record first juvenile salmon within the Polmaddy Burn in over 25 years of juvenile fish data collection on the Kirkcudbrightshire Dee
Hello, Dan here again. Since my last blog I have been getting involved with a number of new things such as crayfish surveys, leading volunteers on habitat restoration works and helping to supervise works on the Black Water of Dee.
My name is Daniel Pollard and I am delighted to say that I am the new intern at Galloway Fisheries Trust.