Concerns have been raised about the future of wild salmon and trout populations in an Aberdeenshire river as a major netting company prepares for “commercial scale” fishing.
The Montrose-based Scottish Wild Salmon Company is expected to begin operations at the Ythan Estuary, Newburgh, this year.
The Ythan Fishery Board and local campaigners fear the move could devastate dwindling populations in the River Ythan and other neighbouring burns.
The Ythan Estuary spot is favoured by local anglers – who work on a “catch and release” code of conduct to protect plummeting salmon numbers.
Ythan Fishery Board clerk Mark Andrew said: “They acquired the nets last year and they didn’t exercise their right to net last year but it does look likely that they will start to do so this year.
“We do have great concerns because the stats for catch of salmon has been going down year by year, and last year it was the lowest for a very, very long time. In fact, I don’t know when it was lower.
“It is a population that is on a bit of a knife-edge.”
David Pullar, director of the Scottish Wild Salmon Company, also known as Usan, said his company owned the rights to fish in the estuary and the angling rights for the River Ythan itself.
He added: “We’ll just be going about our business.
“We own the rights in several places around Scotland, it is nothing new.”
He added he has not decided “when we’re going to start or where we’re going to start”.
Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire Greens co-convener Debra Storr said: “The Scottish Government is now consulting on licensing, but that is not likely to shoe-in until 2016, which leaves the problem of 2015.
“Most people along the east coast have realised that there is a problem and that actually everyone needs to work together for fishing stocks.
“Commercial scale salmon netting is just very worrying.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “The Scottish Government is committed to meeting our obligations on wild salmon conservation by ensuring that killing by any method is sustainable.”