The Salmon and Trout   Association (Scotland) (S&TA(S)) has welcomed the announcement by Usan   Salmon Fisheries Ltd, Scotland’s largest salmon netting company, not to   exercise its recently acquired rights to net in the estuary of the River   Ythan and on the adjacent coastline.

Usan had issued a   statement on 6 April: “After extensive deliberation, we have decided not to   exercise our Ythan netting rights. We will, however, continue with our plans   to exercise our angling rights, thereby retaining the associated local   employment. We intend to fully consider the future options for our Ythan   fishings in due course. For the avoidance of doubt contrary to considerable   speculation from the angling community, we have no plans to acquire further   netting rights in Scotland”.

Hughie Campbell Adamson,   Chairman of the Salmon and Trout Association (Scotland) (S&TA(S)),   commented: “We warmly welcome Usan’s change of heart and fully appreciate   that this must have been a very difficult decision for them. If in due course   Usan decides to resell their rights on the Ythan, we would be more than happy   to discuss a purchase from them. Furthermore our door is open with regard to   any possible negotiations if Usan decides to explore the sale of any of its   other netting rights”.

Mr Campbell Adamson   continued: “We also welcome Usan’s announcement that it does not plan to   purchase any more netting rights elsewhere in Scotland. This bodes well for   management and conservation as coastal netting stations are completely   indiscriminate in the fish they kill. They have no way of discriminating   between weaker or stronger stocks. Scotland has international obligations   under the NASCO treaty to protect all stocks of Atlantic salmon – an iconic   species already under considerable pressure”.

Bob Dey, President of The   Aberdeen and District Angling Association (which has extensive angling rights   on the River Ythan), added: “This is excellent news for the Ythan and its   local anglers. Let us hope that the Ythan’s stocks of salmon and sea trout   can now be restored through conservation measures, in particular habitat   improvements”.