Provisional results indicate a 14 per cent fall in salmon catches on the River Ness system during 2014, but they offer encouragement after Scotland's worst season for more than 60 years.

 

The local salmon board believes the scheme of catching and releasing salmon is now paying dividends, despite the decrease.

Official figures will not be published until the spring, but it is thought that the 2014 season in Scotland will yield fewer salmon catches than at any time since 1952.

The Ness's 14 per cent fall is lower than experienced on many other salmon rivers, with some seeing declines of up to 50 per cent. The Ness system's catchment area covers some 700 square miles and drains through the Great Glen and Loch Ness into the sea at Inverness

It includes the River Garry, which flows into Loch Oich and which saw a 1400% decline in the stock of Atlantic salmon over a generation.

However Chris Conroy, Director of the Ness District Salmon Fishery Board, said: "The Ness District fared better than expected during what was a particularly difficult year for rivers across the north Atlantic, though an underlying trend for falling numbers of adult salmon returning from the sea is of major concern."

He said an increasing proportion of Atlantic salmon are dying during their oceanic feeding migration, with climate change believed to be playing a major role. Salmon rivers across the UK, North America, Iceland, Norway and Ireland were all affected by below average catches during the 2014 season.

Mr Conroy continued:"With our influence on the marine environment limited, the Ness Board and its partners are working to maximise spawning success and the numbers of healthy wild salmon going to sea from our rivers. Key to this are the voluntary conservation measures introduced across the District.

"The 86% overall release rate recorded in 2014 is the highest on record, as is the 99% 'spring' release rate."

In addition a conservation agreement with two salmon netting operators was extended for a further year, resulting in no fish being recorded by the nets for two years in a row.

But he said "We're particularly encouraged that the catch and release rate on the River Ness rose from 73 per cent to 84 per cent this year, with help from Inverness Angling Club. "