Four fishery boards have come together to lease the rights around an Aberdeenshire river to make sure there is no netting activity this year in the interests of conservation.
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Following negotiations between local fishery boards and the Usan Salmon Company, commercial salmon and sea trout netting in the Ythan Estuary and on the coast just to the south will not take place during 2015. The netting rights had been purchased by Usan in 2014, but have not been exercised since 1997.
There was concern amongst local anglers that renewed netting would do significant damage to already depleted salmon and sea trout stocks.The Ythan Estuary is the tidal part of the Ythan River, emptying into the North Sea 12 miles north of Aberdeen.
Mark Andrew, Clerk to the Ythan District Fishery Board, said: "Usan, appreciating the sensitivities regarding netting in the Ythan, offered to refrain for the whole of the 2015 season if a compensation payment could be agreed. Following a successful negotiation we have now paid the company a considerable sum. In recognition of the mixed stocks nature of the fishery, four fishery boards have contributed - the Ythan, the Dee, the Don and the Spey".
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