The biggest predators of Tamar salmon either through the 20% mortality rate due to Catch and release ( according to John Webb of the Atlantic Trust) or the a 34% catch keep rate are the rods. No matter how EA and their masters the Riparians spin it that is a fact so why aren't there measures taken to stop the exploitation of gravid multi wintered fish in September and October. This is the logical conclusion but the argument made is that the commercial netsmen (a label put on the traditional netsmen by the pro-angling weighted Fishery Groups) business is not as importantin socio economic terms to the business of the well off,well connected gentry.
The EA a supposedly impartial agency who act as 'honest brokers' and negotiate and assess any net buy out by angling interests also decide as the regulatory body on how many nets must go.
If that is not a conflict of interest nothing is. If the netsmen don't agree to those findings they are told to appeal to Defra so how do you do it if your dyslexic or can hardly read and write? So you ask for a meeting with EA officials the guys who your complaining about to arrange a meeting with the Minister? The meeting is agreed and a miserly twenty minute is allocated. Bravo.Then the Minister doesn't turn up and surprise surprise the consultation period has expired.

What a shabby disgraceful way to treat stakeholders.

#97: Orri - Nothing will stop poachers netting Salmon, country wide epidemic, families and their associates, tradition eh!! License or not, its all BS!! Poachers with gill nets being caught all over great britain. Salmon usually end up abroad via dodgy fishmongers. Court appearance, £500-2000 fine if successfully prosecuted. Usually maintain that they found the net with salmon in it and get off. Nets confiscated by authorities involved. Then what happens, the poacher who make a killing financially (as well as wild endangered creatures) sources another net and carries on until they get caught again. This whole petition is a joke, poaching / netting is a commercial business. Until the salmon are wiped out this will happen again and again and again. HARSH BUT TRUE