These bulletin blogs represent news about Finavon and the South Esk, and my views as a riparian owner. They are not the views of any other organisation, nor are they designed to promote the interests of any individual or organisation other than Finavon Castle Water and factors affecting the fishery. Tony Andrews
If I were asked to identify the human activities that have adversely affected salmon and sea trout stocks in the South Esk I would answer with quite a long list! There is no doubt in my mind that obstructions to migration, mainly dams, and point pollution, mainly paper mills and sewage, have until quite recently been hugely damaging, but are now largely problems of the past. Agricultural pollution, including sheep dip, silage run off and diffuse pollution, and forestry drainage and acidification have all contributed. There is little doubt that, backed by EU habitat directives and SAC status, the work done by SEPA, SNH, the Esk Fishery Trust, and the South Esk Catchment Management Partnership has addressed these issues (and others, such as invasive species). There are obvious signs of habitat improvement throughout the catchment. As far as the South Esk’s wild fish stocks are concerned there is some way to go.
It is essential that the next stages of planning for the river are led by science. We must show sound data to support our arguments for improved management, because only then will decision makers in Scotland and Europe listen to us. The details in these century-old statistics are useful in that they show what the river is capable of producing, even in times of what I can only describe as environmental abuse. I have deliberately avoided mentioning predation and mixed stocks netting, because these are both contentious issues, especially at this very moment in the history of the river. I am also aware of likely criticism of my using 111 years of catches at Finavon, which, after all, only represents about 12% of the whole fishable river. But if I look at the catches for two sample years, 1978 and 1980, I note that Upper Kinnaird, the beat immediately downstream of Kinnaird Dam, killed 915 and 897 salmon respectively, nearly all before the end of May. In those years Finavon’s spring catches were 6 and 8 respectively. Repairs and improvements to the Kinnaird Dam now enable salmon to spread into the upper river from early March onwards, and at Finavon we catch a few more spring salmon.
The tail of Tollmuir Pool at a nice height for a summer sea trout – just as dusk is falling.
With many of those problems resolved you would have thought that the numbers of salmon and sea trout entering the river would have improved, but that has not happened, except marginally. There is now far less netting effort than only a decade ago. Catch and release by anglers has become the norm, but the river’s overall catch has not really increased. What can be said is that fish can migrate into all parts of the catchment much more easily than in the past. But of course the numbers of fish returning from the ocean has decreased by about 50% in the last 30 years, and therein is the root of the problem. The cake is smaller and we are all looking for our slice of that cake to be just as big as it was in the past.
Sea trout. While it is not possible to give an accurate account of fishing effort, especially night fishing for sea trout, there are some groups of years where sea trout catches show marked variations. Sea trout are notoriously fickle. If there is a period of high water during the main run – traditionally at FCW the last two weeks of June and the first two of July – the fish will simply head for the glens, whereas in a dry year the sea trout shoals build up over the main weeks of the season becoming available to the stealthy and skilled night angler.
Salmon & grilse. The early twentieth century saw a shift in catches from autumn to spring, so that by the 1970s most salmon fishing effort was finished by mid June, with just the occasional effort made when conditions were good later in the season. The last 25 years have seen a return to an emphasis on the autumn runs of salmon & grilse, although in the last 5 years (2006 to 2011) there are signs of a recovery of the spring run, which may be connected with more spring fish entering the river as a result of no netting before 30 April each year. There are generally fewer fish returning to the South Esk, including spring fish. The ‘buffer effect’ of the nets not operating has probably augmented the early season rod catch. That suggests that salmon that have returned from their oceanic journey are now getting into the river and are available to the angler, whereas in the past they were not.
| Year | Sea Trout | Weight of Sea trout | Salmon & grilse | Comments |
| 1891 | 13 | 30lbs | 113 | |
| 1892 | 57 | A very good year in the context of how lightly fished the beat was at that time. | ||
| 1893 | 14 | |||
| 1894 | 3 | |||
| 1895 | 23 | |||
| 1896 | 17 | |||
| 1897 | 6 | 14lbs | 19 | Freshwater nets at Rossie bought off for 5 years |
| 1898 | 8 | |||
| 1899 | 10 | |||
| 1900 | 5 | 60 | 48 salmon in October | |
| 1901 | 2 | 4 | Only fished to end of May. | |
| 1902 | 25 | 12 | ||
| 1903 | 20 | 91 | On 10 October R.D.G-G caught 7 salmon Total weight 108lb 12oz. 2x18lbs 8oz, 1x17lbs 8 oz, 1x16lbs 4oz, 1x14lbs, 1x 6lbs 8oz all in Tyndals & one 17lbs 8oz in Red Brae. |
|
| 1904 | 23 | 21 | ||
| 1905 | 57 | 121lbs | 15 | No water in autumn |
| 1906 | 47 | 101lbs | 22 | Low water in autumn |
| 1907 | 26 | 61lbs | 26 | |
| 1908 | 15 | 33lbs | 23 | |
| 1909 | 21 | 45lbs | 15 | |
| 1910 | 13 | 29lbs | 20 | |
| 1911 | 3 | 7lbs | 10 | |
| 1912 | 15 | 35lbs | 53 | August to October average salmon weight 15lbs. Floods in May over 10’0”. Flooded Tannadice Lodge (beside the old road at the old bridge) 51 salmon in October. |
| 1913 | 2 | 5lbs | 17 | |
| 1914 | 7 | |||
| 1915 | 7 | 15lbs | 12 | |
| 1916 | 35 | 75lbs | 28 | |
| 1917 | 23 | 50lbs | 13 | Good autumn water. No fish |
| 1918 | 17 | 36lbs | 18 | Netting agreement between S Esk Estates & upper proprietors was “abrogated” this year (CB) |
| 1919 | 1 | 3lbs | 14 | Kintrockat alledgedly caught 119 ST in one day (season catch 131)! Driest year since 1868. Were ST simply held up by Blaikie Mill dyke? |
| 1920 | 2 | 5lbs | 36 | Melgund fishing bought by Finavon Estate. Joseph Johnson records show “large increase in ST netted from this year” (CB) |
| 1921 | 2 | 5lbs | 15 | Flood highest recorded before to 1940. Mark in Tannadice House to record. |
| 1922 | 1 | 2lbs | 24 | |
| 1923 | 55 | Nets at Brechin “taken off” (CB) | ||
| 1924 | 68 | 144lbs | 54 | |
| 1925 | 2 | 5lbs | 83 | FCW leased to Lord Kensington. Only last week in October fished. Best day 7 salmon (17 in October, but 65 fish caught in spring. CB notes “almost certainly included kelts”). “Nearly 400 S caught above Brechin.”CB |
| 1926 | 29 | 65lbs | 39 | Not properly fished. 19lbs salmon caught on 20 February with water at 36 degrees F low and clear. (CB questions authenticity of spring returns) |
| 1927 | 63 | 131lbs | 43 | Not properly fished (Spring return authentic according to CB) S.Esk totals: 250 Salmon, about 210 in autumn, & 377 ST. |
| 1928 | 90 | 200lbs | 25 | “seatrout good (at FCW) this year” (CB) “1928 catches show large falling off from 1927” (CB). “Some waters did well with ST” |
| 1929 | 63 | 134lbs | 19 | S Esk totals about 121 salmon & 346 ST. Only 21 S in Spring. “Inshewan returned 110 ST (a record) Salmon 30lbs & 35Lbs killed on Shielhill. Nearly all FCW bag on upper water”. |
| 1930 | 34 | 75lbs | 40 | Sir Kirkman Finlay’s lease began. “autumn run now comes about mid November, and later every year” (Sir Kirkman F). “69 springers. 170 S&A fish 35 G & 843 ST. 111 finnock on lower water (sic). These returns do not include Kinnaird”. CB. |
| 1931 | 24 | 53lbs | 58 | Bag for S Esk 398 Springers includes Kinnaird. |
| 1932 | 16 | 40lbs | 72 | 805 dead fish removed from river, mainly from ‘natural causes’ CB. Total S Esk: Total salmon= 596. Springers 349 G 10 S&A Salmon 237. ST 648. |
| 1933 | 4 | 11lbs | 14 | S Esk catches: 128 Springers 6 G & 78 S&A fish & 411 ST. “Plenty of ST in river but salmon got disease badly” CB. |
| 1934 | 28 | 65lbs | 27 | 344 spring fish. 234 below Brechin & 90 above. 611 sea trout. |
| 1935 | 22 | 48lbs | 52 | Sir Kirkman Finlay’s lease ended. October’s catch was 37 salmon weight 504.5lbs. Average weight 13.6lbs. 399 spring fish. 256 below & 143 above Brechin. 461 sea trout. |
| 1936 | 61 | 132lbs | 20 | October’s catch was 14 salmon weight 156lbs. Average 11.1lbs. 239 spring fish. 212 below & 27 above + 9 grilse & 120 S&A salmon. |
| 1937 | 107 | 220lbs | 35 | “July was an excellent ST month. Small spates kept the fish moving. The evening rise was best. August was very dry with few fish seen, the main run having passed through” J.Hay (keeper). Between 16/7 & 3/8 the catch was 4 grilse & 62 sea trout. 486 springers.349 below & 137 above. Totals for S Esk 700 S & 537 ST. |
| 1938 | 302 | 620lbs | 40 | Timber and stone dyke built at Haughs to close channel cut on left bank during the winter. 209 springers. Below 121 & above Brechin 88. 22 grilse & 158 S&A fish 1089 ST. |
| 1939 | 202 | 425lbs | 52 | Duke of Wellington tenant. J Hay (ghillie) caught 36lbs salmon in Boat Pool. In October 19 salmon were recorded at Finavon: weight 298lbs. Average weight 15.8lbs. |
| 1940 | 164 | 355lbs | 63 | Flood 11’ 3” on 10 October Springers 201 Below Brechin 81 (v poor) & above 115 G 13. S&A fish 174. Totals S Esk 388 ST 1065. |
| 1941 | 53 | 123lbs | 75 | A few autumn salmon. One of 32lbs from Flat Pool. One 7lbs 8oz fresh run grilse in Upper Goyte. Terence Horsley was a tenant. |
| 1942 | 87 | 198lbs | 40 | |
| 1943 | 94 | 218lbs | 44 | Not properly fished. 37lbs cock salmon caught in Breadalbane by Marcus rod on 21 October on a 3” Devon. |
| 1944 | 110 | 230lbs | 33 | |
| 1945 | 141 | 299lbs | 61 | 29/10 flood 8’9”. Tannadice dam breached during summer |
| 1946 | 112 | 245lbs | 27 | Wet year. Little night fishing. Mainly daytime catches of ST. One Oct S 18lbs & full of spawn. |
| 1947 | 108 | 230lbs | 94 | Oct fish all red. Lowish effort. Very dry summer. One cock fish of 30lbs in Haughs Pool on 27 October.2 big spates. 18/10 9’0” : 26/10 8’0” |
| 1948 | 139 | 286lbs | 63 | October fish all red. Few autumn fish. Breach in RB wall following 9’3” spate on 12/12 |
| 1949 | 42 | 90lbs | 27 | Flood of 9’ 10” Very short & sharp rise. Kinnaird fish pass altered to Malloch & Macfarlane plan. |
| 1950 | 118 | 252lbs | 42 | One or two autumn fish only. Big flood. Height not recorded |
| 1951 | 93 | 198lbs | 52 | No autumn fish. I think CB means no fresh fish, but exceptionally he does not mention red fish rtd. |
| 1952 | 43 | 88lbs | 35+1 | Flood 8’9” on 8/3. One red fish. |
| 1953 | 78 | 166lbs | 22+1 = 23 | AD G-G died leaving Finavon Estate to Susan Mazur. One autumn (F) salmon of 14lbs. Only one rod fished properly. |
| 1954 | 102 | 214lbs | 43+3 = 46 | Upper proprietors’ lease of Kinnaird netting terminated” 3 red fish rtd. |
| 1955 | 9 | 22lbs | 13+9 = 22 | Exceptionally dry summer. August 8th “off the gauge” 9 red October fish returned. |
| 1956 | 178 | 366lbs | 17+8 = 25 | “Extensive repairs to Kinnaird dyke impeded entrance to fish pass. 8 red Oct fish returned” |
| 1957 | 254 | 530lbs | 48+35 = 83 | Big flood in Dec height not recorded. 35 red fish returned in Sept-Oct. No autumn fish |
| 1958 | 144 | 312lbs | 80+61 = 141 | Most August fish in “fair condition” & 61 red fish returned in Spt-Oct |
| 1959 | 88 | 198lbs | 45 | 24/10 sea-liced grilse (m) of 7.5lbs |
| 1960 | 262 | 563lbs 12oz | 60+22 =82 | 25/10 spate 9’0” Sept& Oct 22 red fish returned |
| 1961 | 111 | 233lbs 12oz | 57+34 =91 | Sept & Oct 34 red fish returned. 2 fresh autumn fish in Oct of 15.5lbs (f) & 21.5lbs (m). |
| 1962 | 204 | 445lbs 8oz | 38+13 = 51 | 29/9 Spate of 10’0” at Braedownie. Bridge destroyed. 7’1” at Brechin. Sept & Oct 13 red fish returned. 2 ST over 4lbs. |
| 1963 | 266 | 690lbs 8oz | 40+21 = 61 | A Walker killed ST of 6lbs 2oz. Sept & Oct 21 red fish returned. Joseph Johnsons caught a 20lbs 14oz ST in nets 33” length 27” girth. Best ST at FCW = 6lbs 6oz. |
| 1964 | 165 | 328lbs 12oz | 50+21 = 71 | D.Reid killed ST of 6lbs 6oz. Sept & Oct 21 red fish returned. |
| 1965 | 317 | 690lbs 8oz | 26+10 = 36 | Joseph Johnsons caught a 20lbs 14oz ST in nets 33” length 27” girth. Best ST at FCW by by R Smith at 7lbs 4oz. 10 red fish returned. 1xfresh salmon in Sept of 18lbs 12oz |
| 1966 | 225 | 462lbs | 47+11 = 58 | Spates 10/4 8’6” : 6/10 8’3”. 11 red fish returned. Same summer Alan Ramsay caught 11bs ST at Inshewan. Best ST = 7lbs 4oz. 2xST of 5lbs+ & 13xST of 4lbs+ |
| 1967 | 158 | 346lbs 12oz | 24+2 = 26 |
2 red fish returned. UDN killed “virtually all fish”. Best ST = 6lbs 12oz & another of 6lbs 8oz. 1xST of 5lbs+ & 3xST of 4lbs+. |
| 1968 | 54 | 114lbs 12oz | 8 | Kinnaird ST at 11lbs 8oz. 1xST of 5lbs+ & 5xST of 4lbs+ |
| 1969 | 32 | 70lbs | 13 | Post UDN recovery. New fish pass Kinnaird dyke. |
| 1970 | 39 | 85lbs | 8 | Post UDN recovery. April spring fish of 24lbs (Tyndals). G Parker had 7lbs 4oz ST from Little Goyte. |
| 1971 | 14 | 30lbs | 5+1 | Sept one red fish. |
| 1972 | 41 | 86lbs | 11 | No red fish |
| 1973 | 14 | 30lbs | 7 | Flood on 12/1 7’7”. No red fish |
| 1974 | 21 | 45lbs | 4 | Floods 29 & 30 Jan 8’9” and on 23/11 8’4”. No red fish |
| 1975 | 12 | 28lbs | 3+7 = 10 | 7 red fish returned in Sept & Oct |
| 1976 | 17 | 37lbs | 15 | Lightly fished. Plenty of sea trout in the pools at FCW. |
| 1977 | 23 | 48lbs | 31 | Lightly fished. Tenants ill. |
| 1978 | 39 | 91lbs 8oz | 14 | Lightly fished. Ditto |
| 1979 | 41 | 75lbs 8oz | 15+3 = 18 | Lightly fished. Ditto 3 red fish returned. |
| 1980 | 105 | 226lbs 12oz | 18 | 4 sea trout of 4lbs to 4.5lbs. One ST of 6lbs. No red fish in October |
| 1981 | 141 | 300lbs | 6 | S.Paisley KAC caught a 9.5lbs ST. Age 7/8 & S3 at Inshewan. |
| 1982 | 37 | 71lbs | 63+3 = 66 | This year is an aberration in a rapidly improving ST catches period after recovering from UDN. Spates. 1/10 8’3”: 4/10 9’1”: 14/10 10’8” (huge). 3 red Oct fish & 2 fresh Oct grilse of 10.5lbs (M) & 8.75lbs (F) |
| 1983 | 111 | 242lbs 12oz | 111+6 = 117 | ST of 6lbs 5oz, 6lbs and 4lbs 8oz. Beginning of ST abundance & for next 15 years. Cyril Butler lease ends. |
| 1984 | Nil | Nil | Nil | NO RECORDS (in the ownership of Forfar Potato Company – Ken Smith). One big spate 10/11 8’1” |
| 1985 | 320* | 650lbs | 117 | First year of Andrews & Stansfeld ownership. Underfished. Excellent sea trout fishing at night, especially Tyndals & Willows. |
| 1986 | 111 | 240lbs | 47 | Wet year. Little night fishing. Mainly daytime catches of ST. |
| 1987 | 227 | 524lbs | 63 | V poor grilse. Low effort. Very dry summer. 2 big spates. 18/10 9’0” : 26/10 8’0” |
| 1988 | 308* | 630lbs | 159 | Low effort. Very dry summer. 2 big spates. 18/10 9’0” : 26/10 8’0” |
| 1990 | 350* | 710lbs | 72 | |
| 1991 | 368* | 740lbs | 184 | |
| 1992 | 344* | 700lbs | 186 | |
| 1993 | 312 | 750lbs | 108 | |
| 1994 | 242 | 290lbs | 79 | Another dry summer. Montrose Basin net & coble S=280, grilse=650 & ST 2,200 (approximate figures given verbally to APHA by Noel Smart) |
| 1995 | 475* | 965lbs | 99 | Montrose basin net & coble ceased operating. Record ST year. Nets killed 95,12% of salmon, 67.93% of grilse & 15.13% of sea trout. |
| 1996 | 144 | 294 lbs | 75 | Nets killed 93.13% of salmon, 51.47% of grilse & 35.5% of sea trout. |
| 1997 | 214 | 270lbs | 48 | Good ST. Good salmon & grilse. Nets killed 94.80% of salmon, 62.49% of grilse & 18.50% of sea trout. |
| 1998 | 358 | 457lbs | 77 | Excellent ST year. Salmon & grilse good. SEAIA concluded buy-out of Montrose Basin net & coble. Nets killed 90.38% of salmon, 57.92% of grilse & 43.07% of sea trout. |
| 1999 | 147 | 326lbs | 46 | Good ST year. Salmon slightly above average. Nets killed 80.06% of salmon, 47.62% of grilse & 24.60% of sea trout. |
| 2000 | 259 | 553lbs | 100 | Very poor Sept & Oct. Nets killed 69.15% of salmon, 77.66% of grilse & 57.71% of sea trout. |
| 2001 | 213 | 426lbs | 82 | Nets killed 84.46% of salmon, 93.11% of grilse & 70.01% of sea trout (dry year: it shows! APHA) |
| 2002 | 256 | 536lbs | 103 | Sea trout abundant & drought followed by wet October 28/10 D Strachan caught 10 salmon 1x14lbs, 5x10lbs, 1x6lbs, 2x5lbs & 1x4lbs. Nets killed 66.97% of salmon, 86.50% of grilse & 71.90% of sea trout. |
| 2003 | 122 | 254lbs | 38 | Severe drought. Nets killed 79.78% of salmon, 95,07% of grilse & 84.49% of sea trout. |
| 2004 | 128 | 175lbs | 177 | Nets killed 78.54% of salmon, 86.84% (3,335) of grilse & 88.49% of sea trout. Total salmon killed in District by all methods = 4,246. |
| 2005 | 108 | 192lbs | 119 | |
| 2006 | 101 | 211lbs | 153 | |
| 2007 | 98 | 206lbs | 118 | Below average year for both salmon & sea trout |
| 2008 | 100 | 246lbs | 220 | Exceptional August (93 S & G). ST numbers slightly up on recent years. |
| 2009 | 118 | 244lbs | 103 | A generally poor year for both S & ST. First year of combined FCW & Fortesk beats. |
| 2010 | 121 | 255lbs | 136 | Disappointing salmon but ST slightly up on recent years. |
| 2011 | 101 | 216lbs | 139 | No big sea trout. June spate took ST shoals up to glen. 33 spring fish caught & returned. VG spring run. At least same number lost. October fishing disappointing. |
Notes on Marine Scotland’s plans for the South Esk 2012 to 2014.
The Government’s agreement with Usan Fisheries is based on the premise that no netting will take place in the South Esk District between the start of the season on 16 February and the 30th of April each year for the next three years (2012, 2013 & 2014). Cessation of netting during this period means that nets will operate for 75 days less than the normal period during the early spring months. This period (16/2 to 30/4) is 11 weeks. By subtracting the statutory slap time of 60 hours per week (totalling 660 hours over the period) the fishing time remaining during this period is 1180 hours which equals 49.5 days. To protect the South Esk’s spring salmon we therefore have three years of zero exploitation by nets for 49.5 days in February, March and April.
The proposal that a licence is granted by the Minister to allow the Usan nets to fish during the first two weeks of September has yet to be confirmed. If this extension to the netting season is approved for three years, during the period of Marine Scotland’s South Esk national model project, this 14 day period less statutory slap time (120 hours in the 2 week period) equals 216 hours or 9 days. Much depends on the slap time being observed, which was not the case in 2010.
If we take the two together, the spring period of no netting and the September possible licence period of 9 days extension to the netting season (for three years) we have a 40.5 day benefit of no netting operations in the South Esk District, which is a significant reduction on the previous net operating period, and focuses conservation effort on the ‘fragile’ spring salmon stocks.
While the purpose of ceasing commercial netting in the spring continues over the next three years Marine Scotland Scientists will undertake a radio tracking project of net caught and released salmon, initially to track spring salmon, but also to monitor the migrations of salmon from the Usan nets throughout the season. There are two obvious outcomes from this research:
1. We should learn which parts of the South Esk system are being used by spring salmon for spawning and juvenile habitat.
2. From genetic sampling of fish caught in Usan nets we should start to build a detailed picture of which salmon are bound for the South Esk and which for other rivers.
The implications of both outcomes could be hugely significant for better management of the South Esk; however, I will not explore these further at this point on the grounds that my comments might appear provocative!
TA