Spring Stock Enhancement
We are a developing fishery and slowly appear to be building a precious spring stock, we would like to encourage and develop this precious rescore so would like to trial this voluntary project and hopefully the membership will support us in this. Mid Clyde Angling Association along with one of our partners Glasgow Angling Centre are trialling a unique spring stock enhancement for the months of April and May this year.
The scheme is voluntary and is totally up to the individual member. It will run alongside the existing carcass tagging scheme.
As a member if you are lucky enough to catch a spring fish in April or May you can, as we have been doing and will continue to do so over the season, return the fish or take it and use one of your five tags.
ALTERNATIVLEY TRY THE SPRING STOCK ENHANCMENT PROJECT
If you wish you can return the fish then submit a photograph of the fish signed by yourself and a witness if possible, along with one of your annual current tags, and will receive a £20 voucher for Glasgow Angling Centre.
Please bear in mind by submitting a tag you are reducing the amount offish you can take as your season's quota.
The vouchers will be issued around the middle of the following month. All submissions will be entered into a final prize. The final decision to supply a voucher will remain at the discretion of MCAA and Glasgow Angling Centre and their decision shall be final.
Please forward the following if you wish to enter your fish for the voucher reward
- Name address and membership no.'s
- A photograph of the fish with your signature and a witness if possible.
- The location where the fish was caught and method that was used.
- One of your current issue of tags.
Entries must be received no later than one week from end of each month Forward all entries to John Taylor, 25 Liddle Drive, Bo'ness EH51 OPA
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
At Mid Clyde Angling Association, we realise the privilege we have, in angling on an up and coming local Salmon fishery on our doorstep that allows reasonable salmon fishing to all at a fair cost.
The committee are dedicated to improving and maintaining to the best of our abilities and means this fishery, for all and we hope our members are as well.
This is a section on things we see as important, and will add to as we get more articles or projects.
CATCH AND RELEASE
We have a carcass tagging scheme which allows each member 5 fish per season, it is a hard thing to tell anglers what they do as some believe in C&R and some don’t, but we feel in order to try and help, even consider if you really have to take the fish, do you eat fish. A camera/phone picture or short video great trophy, (email to us and it can go in gallery) and to boot trying to improve your fishing’s in years to come.
Stocks improvement, this is a great thing. The more fish in the system the healthier the future.
We know the complaints about tagging and C&R, but we are hoping to be fair and it would be great if other anglers on the system done something similar. It would be even better if other clubs were to introduce this, but unfortunately this has to be left to their members and committees to come to their own judgements on stock maintenance and improvement. Their members and committees have to come to there own judgements on stock maintenance and improvement, to put in control measures of their own to safeguard their fisheries, the Clyde and their futures.
GYRODACTYLUS SALARIS
This is a parasite that can wipe out stocks of salmon. The adult salmon can be a host, it kills juvenile’s and starts to live in the system and eventually gets to more juveniles, wiping out salmon stocks. In some cases to stop the spread, full river systems are poisoned and everything is killed in order to eradicate this parasite.
The parasite originates from Baltic salmon, which are immune to the parasite. By accident Baltic Salmon which had the parasite were stocked into a Norwegian fish farm and Atlantic Salmon are not immune to this.
In Norway it has wreaked havoc destroying over twenty rivers, and can be found in rivers in Russia, Sweden, Finland, Germany and France. Atlantic salmon can’t survive this parasite.
It has also been proved the parasite can survive away from its host or water. There is serious risk that an angler who has fished abroad can bring this parasite into the up and introduce it to a system. It can survive in fishing tackle, equipment, clothing, waders, boots, and infact anything that comes into contact with the water you have fished.
It is imperative that if you have fished abroad you get your equipment sterilized and have a valid certificate from the Veterinary/fish health authority from country of origin before fishing in any UK waters.
MID CLYDE ANGLING ASSOCIATION, REQUIRE YOU PRODUCE THIS CERTIFICATE BEFORE APPLYING FOR A PERMIT TO FISH OUR WATERS EVEN AT DAY TICKET OUTLETS.
If you come back from a fishing holiday abroad during the season, please provide your certificate of sterilization before angling in Mid Clyde Waters to the committee.
POACHING
Another major threat to our stocks. Baillifs are voluntary but key in trying to police the River, in threats to the stocks from illegal fishing, members not angling to club rules an onerous task, but it has to be done to preserve and improve Salmon stocks of the system.
Do not approach them and endanger your safety, please report immediately.
We are always looking for help and assistance and please rather than criticize where the baliff’s are, put your name forward even for association baliff, or even just to help in background.
POLLUTION
This is an ongoing fight but we are constantly working at this. It can range from drain outflow to a sewage plant failure, fly tipping, even our own waste from fishing. We need to take this away and not leave it behind.
We are currently trying to work on an initiatives to address these issues.
If you can record date/time area and include a photo this would be a great help.
Maintenance
We have a new River Manager, and a list of names of people who wish to do river maintenance. More volunteers are required and any help would be greatly appreciated.
The work will be very varied from bank maintenance to stock improvement work. Basically anything that will improve our fishings, and the habitats to help the stock improve and prosper.
There will also be food and refreshments supplied to all who participate.
HABITAT
We are currently looking at various tributaries within our fishing’s and the main river, and have commissioned surveys of these to identify problems and works to improve access to fish and allow them more available areas to regenerate. We can hopefully use our working parties to work on these long term tasks but we feel very beneficial.
One dedicated member Kemp Meikle (a retired civil engineer), keeps an eye on a lot of this. From checking planning permission applications ,if third parties complying with the law and not polluting our environment.
Hydrology studies i.e. are water users misusing water abstracted from Clyde and tributaries using this efficiently and not over abstracting critical for juveniles in tributaries for survival, even studying the tidal weir to make sure it is not obstructing the passage of Salmon, and allowing seals to decimate stocks.
RESTRICTED FISHING AREAS
These are imposed as fish can be held up at these points in certain river flow conditions, and need sanctuary from anglers etc, it is strictly forbidden to fish at these points. Members fishing here as day ticket anglers can lose their right to fish the river and fishing in these areas is ilegal, which can lead to prosecution.
EDUCATION
We fully support projects to introduce young anglers and anyone interested in being introduced into the sport, we have a small club funded project just now, teaching youngsters and non members fly tying and relevant disciplines within angling.
Please have a look at our section the kids for more information.
