The Earl of Haddingtonasked Her Majesty's Government:
In the light of their proposals to give open access to freshwater and rivers by removing the protection 169WA order on trout and coarse fish angling on the rivers Tweed and Tay in Scotland, what consideration they have given to the protection of other species of migratory fish and their conservation and management. [HL1814]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Scottish Office (Lord Sewel)The removal of a protection order does not give open access to freshwater170WA and rivers. A protection order, in return for increased angling opportunities being made available, makes it a criminal offence to fish for freshwater fish without the permission of the owner of the fishing rights. Where there is no protection order, a riparian owner can initiate civil proceedings should unlawful fishing for freshwater fish occur.
Salmon and sea trout, which are the main migratory species, are protected by separate legislation and do not come under the scope of protection orders.