Sir,
Personally I have never had the urge to take up the hobby of drowning worms and insects at the end of a rod and line however I am fully aware it is a massive hobby and a huge source of employment and income in the Highlands and Islands.
In addition I have always been convinced that the SNP is basically an urban party and its loyalty is to the masses of the central belt rather than the sparse and scattered people of the Highlands and Islands.
CalMac is a government operation and is currently under the SNP watch, the farce
over number of ferries, updates and builds, RET, et al is their making and looks
to get worse. So what else can the Nats screw-
Fishing enthusiasts spend an inordinate amount of money on their hobby, money that is critical to local employment, investment and tourist trade. I believe that these anglers traditionally return their catch in the main to the water under a voluntary scheme of catch and release, but having paid hard for the privilege equally usually take a fish home as both an ego boost and fine dining.
If the SNP Government has its way that will cease/restricted to serious licensing controls and anglers will not permitted to take a fish. So they will simply go elsewhere in pursuit of their hobby abandoning their current beats.
All will be promised up to May by the SNP and then it will be back to the usual leftovers for the Western Isles and its awkward incompliant population and its covert Labour council.
This SNP fishing policy could lead to economic and employment disaster in the islands.
Paul Blake
16A Lemreway
Pairc
Lewis
Letter: Fish, Jobs and Tourists
8 February 2015