Ness District Salmon Fishery Board

Ness District Salmon Fishery Board The Ness Fishery Board is a statutory body responsible for the protection and enhancement of salmon & sea trout fisheries in the Ness District.

In addition, we take an interest in all aspects of freshwater and inshore marine ecology in the Ness District. Constituted under the 1862 and 1868 Salmon Fisheries Legislation, amended in the Salmon Act 1986 and the Salmon Conservation (Scotland) Act 2001, amalgamated under the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 2003. The cost of the local administration, protection and

improvement of the salmon fisheries is privately financed by fishery proprietors. District Boards levy a rate on fishery owners within their district. Elected representatives of proprietors provide the core membership of the Board. Also includes representatives of salmon anglers, salmon nets-men and others who may have an interest or stake in salmon stocks or fisheries.

We put the Kingie smolt trap out yesterday, although it won't be fishing until Monday. The objective is to catch as many...
26/03/2026

We put the Kingie smolt trap out yesterday, although it won't be fishing until Monday. The objective is to catch as many salmon smolts as possible and truck them downstream to below Garry Dam.
It turned out to be a lovely although cold spring day, although that didn't look likely on the drive up there.

It will be interesting to see what comes of this meeting. The free for all nature of the energy goldrush in the Highland...
21/02/2026

It will be interesting to see what comes of this meeting. The free for all nature of the energy goldrush in the Highlands is one of the most alarming aspects https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1KUHFN8Zc4/

Well, this is a first!

Gillian Martin has said that she will attend the Round Table at Holyrood on 24 February, organised by the redoubtable Councillor Helen Crawford who has done so much to ensure that community voices across Scotland are heard.

This is Councillor Crawford's update:

π‘ˆπ‘ƒπ·π΄π‘‡πΈ: π‘…π‘ˆπ‘…π΄πΏ 𝑆𝐢𝑂𝑇𝐿𝐴𝑁𝐷 𝐢𝑂𝑁𝑉𝐸𝑁𝑇𝐼𝑂𝑁 𝑂𝑁 𝑀𝐴𝐽𝑂𝑅 πΈπ‘πΈπ‘…πΊπ‘Œ πΌπ‘πΉπ‘…π΄π‘†π‘‡π‘…π‘ˆπΆπ‘‡π‘ˆπ‘…πΈ
π»π‘‚πΏπ‘Œπ‘…π‘‚π‘‚π· π‘…π‘‚π‘ˆπ‘π· 𝑇𝐴𝐡𝐿𝐸 | 24 πΉπΈπ΅π‘…π‘ˆπ΄π‘…π‘Œ πŸ›οΈ
𝑀𝑦 π‘”π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘‘π‘’π‘“π‘’π‘™ π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘›π‘˜π‘  π‘‘π‘œ π‘†π‘π‘œπ‘‘π‘‘ π‘€π‘Žπ‘π‘™π‘’π‘›π‘›π‘Žπ‘› π‘‡β„Žπ‘’ πΌπ‘›π‘£π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘›π‘’π‘ π‘  πΆπ‘œπ‘’π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘’π‘Ÿ π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ 𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ 𝐹𝐼𝑅𝑆𝑇 π‘‘π‘œ π‘π‘œπ‘£π‘’π‘Ÿ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘’π‘π‘π‘œπ‘šπ‘–π‘›π‘” π‘…π‘œπ‘’π‘›π‘‘ π‘‡π‘Žπ‘π‘™π‘’ π‘œπ‘“ π‘‡β„Žπ‘’ π‘…π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘™ π‘†π‘π‘œπ‘‘π‘™π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ πΆπ‘œπ‘›π‘£π‘’π‘›π‘‘π‘–π‘œπ‘› π‘Žπ‘‘ π»π‘œπ‘™π‘¦π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘œπ‘‘ π‘œπ‘› 24π‘‘β„Ž πΉπ‘’π‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘¦.
𝐼 𝑀𝑖𝑙𝑙 π‘‘π‘œ π‘šπ‘¦ 𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑑 π‘‘π‘œ π‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘–π‘Ÿ π‘‘β„Žπ‘–π‘  π‘–π‘šπ‘π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘‘π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑑, π‘ π‘œπ‘šπ‘’π‘‘β„Žπ‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ 𝐼 β„Žπ‘œπ‘π‘’ 𝑀𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑒 π‘Ž π‘π‘œπ‘›π‘ π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘π‘‘π‘–π‘£π‘’, π‘€πΈπ΄π‘πΌπ‘πΊπΉπ‘ˆπΏ π‘π‘œπ‘›π‘£π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘ π‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘œπ‘› π‘€π‘–π‘‘β„Ž π‘œπ‘’π‘Ÿ 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑑𝑒𝑑 π‘™π‘’π‘Žπ‘‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘ . 𝐼 π‘Žπ‘š π‘”π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘‘π‘’π‘“π‘’π‘™ π‘‘π‘œ πΊπ‘–π‘™π‘™π‘–π‘Žπ‘› π‘€π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘‘π‘–π‘› 𝑀𝑆𝑃, πΆπ‘Žπ‘π‘–π‘›π‘’π‘‘ π‘†π‘’π‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘¦ π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ πΈπ‘›π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘”π‘¦, π‘€β„Žπ‘œ β„Žπ‘Žπ‘  π‘›π‘œπ‘€ 𝐴𝐺𝑅𝐸𝐸𝐷 π‘‘π‘œ π‘Žπ‘‘π‘‘π‘’π‘›π‘‘ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘‘π‘Žπ‘˜π‘’ π‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘‘.
π‘‡β„Žπ‘’ π‘Žπ‘ π‘˜π‘  π‘œπ‘“ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ πΆπ‘œπ‘›π‘£π‘’π‘›π‘‘π‘–π‘œπ‘› π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘π‘™π‘’π‘Žπ‘Ÿ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘Žπ‘ π‘œπ‘›π‘Žπ‘π‘™π‘’:
βš–οΈ 𝐴 π‘π‘™π‘’π‘Žπ‘Ÿ π‘›π‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘œπ‘›π‘Žπ‘™ π‘’π‘›π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘”π‘¦ π‘π‘œπ‘™π‘–π‘π‘¦
⏸️ 𝐴 π‘π‘Žπ‘’π‘ π‘’ π‘œπ‘› π‘šπ‘Žπ‘—π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘Žπ‘π‘π‘™π‘–π‘π‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘œπ‘›π‘  𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑙 π‘‘β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ π‘π‘™π‘Žπ‘› 𝑒π‘₯𝑖𝑠𝑑𝑠
🌍 𝐴 π‘π‘Žπ‘›-π‘†π‘π‘œπ‘‘π‘™π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘ƒπ‘™π‘Žπ‘›π‘›π‘–π‘›π‘” πΌπ‘›π‘žπ‘’π‘–π‘Ÿπ‘¦ πΆπ‘œπ‘šπ‘šπ‘–π‘ π‘ π‘–π‘œπ‘› π‘‘π‘œ π‘Žπ‘ π‘ π‘’π‘ π‘  π‘π‘’π‘šπ‘’π‘™π‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘£π‘’ π‘–π‘šπ‘π‘Žπ‘π‘‘π‘ 
🧭 𝐴𝑛 πΈπ‘π‘œπ‘›π‘œπ‘šπ‘–π‘ πΌπ‘šπ‘π‘Žπ‘π‘‘ π΄π‘ π‘ π‘’π‘ π‘ π‘šπ‘’π‘›π‘‘, π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘π‘œπ‘”π‘›π‘–π‘ π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘π‘œπ‘’π‘Ÿπ‘–π‘ π‘š π‘Žπ‘  π‘Žπ‘› π‘–π‘›π‘‘π‘’π‘”π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘™ π‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘‘ π‘œπ‘“ π‘œπ‘’π‘Ÿ π‘’π‘π‘œπ‘›π‘œπ‘šπ‘¦
πŸ—³οΈ π·π‘’π‘šπ‘œπ‘π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘ π‘π‘œπ‘›π‘ π‘’π‘›π‘‘ π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘ π‘π‘’π‘π‘‘ π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘™π‘œπ‘π‘Žπ‘™ π‘£π‘œπ‘–π‘π‘’π‘ 
π‘Šπ‘’ π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘’ β„Žπ‘’π‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘›π‘” π‘‘π‘œ π»π‘œπ‘™π‘¦π‘Ÿπ‘œπ‘œπ‘‘ π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘€β„Žπ‘Žπ‘‘ 𝐼 β„Žπ‘œπ‘π‘’ 𝑀𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑒 π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘ π‘‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘‘ π‘œπ‘“ π‘Ž π‘€π‘ˆπΆπ» 𝑁𝐸𝐸𝐷𝐸𝐷 π‘›π‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘œπ‘›π‘Žπ‘™ π‘π‘œπ‘›π‘£π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘ π‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘œπ‘›.
π‘‡β„Žπ‘Žπ‘›π‘˜ π‘¦π‘œπ‘’,
πΆπ‘™π‘™π‘Ÿ 𝐻𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑛 πΆπ‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘€π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘‘

And this is what the Inverness Courier said in its article yesterday:

Highland representatives opposed to the wave of renewables across the country will head to Holyrood to meet climate action and energy secretary Gillian Martin on Tuesday.

They will call for a moratorium on new large-scale energy infrastructure approvals, warning that Scotland’s headlong rush towards the β€œnet zero rollout risks losing democratic consent.”

They object to such developments not because they doubt climate change but because of the nature, size, and speed of developments and question the necessity of all of the developments.

They are not alone, despite the best efforts of officials, Highland councillors recently rejected two huge substations – one in Sutherland and the second more controversial one near Beauly.

The summit marks the first time a cabinet secretary from either the Scottish or UK governments has met with the loose alliance of community councils that started in the Highlands.

The community groups will be armed with three demands but top of their list is an immediate moratorium to stop the β€œchaotic energy rollout” so many feel is scarring the landscape of the country.

But they also want to see a Planning Inquiry Commission and a democratically ratified national energy plan passed before any further developments take place.

Initially spearheaded by Highland Councillor Helen Crawford – who is now the Conservative candidate for Skye, Badenoch and Lochaber – it has since grown arms and legs.

At the Tuesday summit there will also be representatives from the South of Scotland, the North East of Scotland and communities from Shetland, Ayrshire and Perthshire as well.

The community councils stress they support the UK’s climate targets and renewable energy but argue the current pace and concentration of wind farms, substations and transmission infrastructure is proceeding without a clear, nationally debated plan.

Cllr Crawford, who will chair the meeting said: β€œGiven that net zero infrastructure is profoundly altering our landscapes and our communities, it is only right that residents should be represented and have a say in how that is done.

β€œThis is not about stopping net zero. It is about delivering it fairly and strategically. A short pause and an inquiry, followed by an actual, democratic plan would strengthen Scotland’s transition by restoring public confidence and ensuring infrastructure is planned coherently at a national level.”

The community councils argue there has been no comprehensive scrutiny of cumulative landscape and community impacts. They also reject claims that a pause would undermine investment.

β€œPublic and investor confidence depends on clarity,” Crawford said. "A transparent, nationally endorsed plan would provide long-term clarity and stability, not chaos, which is what we have now.”

Chris has posted new blog on interesting insights into the Ness salmon population from genetic analysis https://ndsfb.or...
16/02/2026

Chris has posted new blog on interesting insights into the Ness salmon population from genetic analysis https://ndsfb.org/family-trees/ . The blog is based on the story of an individual fish caught on Dochfour in May 2023, and more. The hen salmon in question had been in the stocked in the Upper River Garry in 2019. We even know which of the smolts captured in the Garry smolts trap in 2016 were its parent.

Genetics might seem a dry subject but this informative and entertaining blog shows it in a different light. The photo below shows the star of the blog. Clearly it was a salmon with an eventful life.

11/02/2026

Here is a nice release video of a 9lb Ness springer. Caught by Dochfour ghillie Grant Sutherland today on his home water. Well done Grant, hopefully the first of many. By my reckoning this was the third fly caught salmon in Scotland this year πŸ˜‰

09/02/2026

Chris had the drone up over some of the Inverness Angling Club water on the River Ness last week. Despite the grey and breezy conditions the salmon redds showed up well.
We had a look in the Macintyre, Weir and Braes pools seeing redds in each.
What was noticeable was how close to the bank the redds very, especially along the left bank of the MacIntyre Pool.
This was the first time we have done a redd survey in the Braes Pool where we were pleased to see quite a few redds close to the right bank, a short distance up from the weir.
If fishing these pools this spring please take care to avoid walking over the redds, which are quite visible due to the lighter colour of the gravel.

09/02/2026

The first 2026 fish from the Ness system was landed today on Loch Ness today by Malcolm Riddell. He caught a beautiful ten pounds salmon on the troll near Invermoriston. Well done Malcolm, hopefully the first of many this season.

I am sure many will remember it well.
07/02/2026

I am sure many will remember it well.

The relatively low fines often issued for salmon poaching offences has long been a source of frustration. It is good to ...
03/02/2026

The relatively low fines often issued for salmon poaching offences has long been a source of frustration. It is good to see that Fishery Management Scotland were instrumental in securing an increase in the scale of fines for salmon poaching offences through an amendment to the recent Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill.

Fisheries Management Scotland has long called for tougher penalties for the most serious offences against Scotland’s Atlantic salmon and sea trout. Following several years of planning, culminating in constructive and supportive engagement with Emma Harper MSP, we are pleased to see the Scottish Pa...

SEPA released the 2026 freshet schedules today. The schedules for the Moriston and Garry are shown in the tables below. ...
03/02/2026

SEPA released the 2026 freshet schedules today. The schedules for the Moriston and Garry are shown in the tables below.

SEPA normally put a link up on their website. We will share that here once available.

A quick reminder that Ness DSFB are holding the 2026 Annual Public Meeting in the Highland Rugby clubhouse at 7pm this e...
27/01/2026

A quick reminder that Ness DSFB are holding the 2026 Annual Public Meeting in the Highland Rugby clubhouse at 7pm this evening.

Please do come along for a round up of Board activities over the last year, and a presentation on Salmon and Climate Change from Professor Eric McVicar.

There will be time for questions, and a discussion on any matters relating to salmon, or the work of the Board.

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/protect-the-wildlife-of-loch-ness/ Please do consider donating to this crowd funder to...
21/01/2026

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/protect-the-wildlife-of-loch-ness/ Please do consider donating to this crowd funder to help the organisations involved cover the costs associated with participating in the Loch Kemp Pump storage hydro Public Local Inquiry (PLI). The PLI will be held in Inverness in April.

Just look at the lovely photos of Loch Kemp below. If the scheme gets consent the outlet pictured will be under 100ft of water when the upper reservoir is full.

Note that Ness DSFB is not benefitting from this crowdfunder but the participation of these other organisations can only strenghten our case against this harmful scheme.

A coalition of Boleskine Biodiversity Group, British Lichen Society, Buglife and Plantlife Scotland working to protect the ecology of Loch Ness and nearby Loch Kemp.

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