Post by Speyducer on Oct 6, 2008 13:23:18 GMT
The 2007 data from the FRS (Scotland) details the status of seatrout in Scotland.
Summary:
www.marlab.ac.uk/Delivery/Information_Resources/information_resources_view_document.aspx?contentid=3150
Detailed report (as downloadable .pdf document which can be printed out for detailed study):
www.marlab.ac.uk/FRS.Web/Uploads/Documents/SCSB07.pdf
In essence:
of the 27115 seatrout landed by ALL methods in Scotland during 2007, 5574 (or 20.6% of the total) were retained by the commercial net fishermen, and of the rod-caught remainder of 21541 seatrout, 11,158 (52%) were released, and 10,383 retained by anglers for the table. Catch & release data is only available since 1994.
Looking at the broader picture between 1952 and 2007, the commercial catches of seatrout are diminishing rapidly, mainly due to a massive decline in commercial fishing effort, from around 1000 crew-months in the 1950's, to less than 50 crew-months now, and this has been associated with a decline in commercial catches from over 70,000 per year in 1952, peaking at almost 190,000 seatrout taken commercially in 1967, but now down the figure of around 5 to 6000 since 2000.
In respect of the rod-caught seatrout, there is no recording method for rod angling effort at all. However, although there has been a relatively steady but gentle decline in rod-caught numbers of seatrout for Scotland since 1952, around 46,000 being rod-caught in 1952, peaking at 76,000 seatrout to rod & line in 1967, and relatively good numbers (around 35,000) per year between 1992 & 2002, the current ~22,000 per year is only a small fall compared to the years 2003 to 2006.
There is a significant difference in the East coast rod catches compared to the West coast rod catches in Scotland since 1952, however. The much 'healthier' rod catches of the West coast systems in the early years (28,500 versus 17,500 in 1952) endured through to around 1978, both coasts experiencing the large numbers in 1967. Between 1978 and 1987, the East & West coast rod fisheries had about equal numbers of rod-caught seatrout, but after this there has been a relatively large differential with the East coast rod fisheries landing almost twice the numbers as those on the West. The sudden decline (collapse) in the West coast seatrout rod catches was between 1988 & 1991, a small recovery seen between 1996 and 2000, but now the West coast rod catches are half of that on the Eastern systems.
Overall, the East coast rod fishery catches have been steady (with peaks & troughs, of course) between 1952 and 2007, but the West coast seatrout rod catches are a mere shadow of their former glory.
Any recent reporting of the 'significant decline' in seatrout numbers for East coast rod fisheries are likely to be another blip or trough in an otherwise steady system over the last 55 years. I wish the same could be said of the West coast of Scotland seatrout stocks.
It has been mooted that such a decline in stocks in the West coast seatrout fisheries is linked to the salmon farming industry.
Food for thought.
Mike
Summary:
www.marlab.ac.uk/Delivery/Information_Resources/information_resources_view_document.aspx?contentid=3150
Detailed report (as downloadable .pdf document which can be printed out for detailed study):
www.marlab.ac.uk/FRS.Web/Uploads/Documents/SCSB07.pdf
In essence:
of the 27115 seatrout landed by ALL methods in Scotland during 2007, 5574 (or 20.6% of the total) were retained by the commercial net fishermen, and of the rod-caught remainder of 21541 seatrout, 11,158 (52%) were released, and 10,383 retained by anglers for the table. Catch & release data is only available since 1994.
Looking at the broader picture between 1952 and 2007, the commercial catches of seatrout are diminishing rapidly, mainly due to a massive decline in commercial fishing effort, from around 1000 crew-months in the 1950's, to less than 50 crew-months now, and this has been associated with a decline in commercial catches from over 70,000 per year in 1952, peaking at almost 190,000 seatrout taken commercially in 1967, but now down the figure of around 5 to 6000 since 2000.
In respect of the rod-caught seatrout, there is no recording method for rod angling effort at all. However, although there has been a relatively steady but gentle decline in rod-caught numbers of seatrout for Scotland since 1952, around 46,000 being rod-caught in 1952, peaking at 76,000 seatrout to rod & line in 1967, and relatively good numbers (around 35,000) per year between 1992 & 2002, the current ~22,000 per year is only a small fall compared to the years 2003 to 2006.
There is a significant difference in the East coast rod catches compared to the West coast rod catches in Scotland since 1952, however. The much 'healthier' rod catches of the West coast systems in the early years (28,500 versus 17,500 in 1952) endured through to around 1978, both coasts experiencing the large numbers in 1967. Between 1978 and 1987, the East & West coast rod fisheries had about equal numbers of rod-caught seatrout, but after this there has been a relatively large differential with the East coast rod fisheries landing almost twice the numbers as those on the West. The sudden decline (collapse) in the West coast seatrout rod catches was between 1988 & 1991, a small recovery seen between 1996 and 2000, but now the West coast rod catches are half of that on the Eastern systems.
Overall, the East coast rod fishery catches have been steady (with peaks & troughs, of course) between 1952 and 2007, but the West coast seatrout rod catches are a mere shadow of their former glory.
Any recent reporting of the 'significant decline' in seatrout numbers for East coast rod fisheries are likely to be another blip or trough in an otherwise steady system over the last 55 years. I wish the same could be said of the West coast of Scotland seatrout stocks.
It has been mooted that such a decline in stocks in the West coast seatrout fisheries is linked to the salmon farming industry.
Food for thought.
Mike