Sharing the rivers

Published on 06/08/2012 00:00

Vaughan Ruckley (Letters, 
4 August) seems to think that I am anti-angling. Far from it, I am totally indifferent to salmon fishing. If standing in a river all day waving a rod about is what makes Mr Ruckley happy, then as far as I am concerned he is free to do so.

However, many anglers seem to think that they have the right to fish for salmon at the exclusion of anyone else who wants to use the rivers. They appear unwilling to co-exist with other users – whether it be salmon farms, nets-men, canoeist, rafters, hydro-electric or wind farms. All are blamed for the decline in salmon fishing except, of course, the anglers themselves. This is not about whether salmon farms are responsible for a decline in salmon populations – the evidence indicates otherwise – but whether salmon anglers are ready to live in harmony with other users of the freshwater and marine environment. Mr Ruckley’s comments suggest that they are not.

Dr MR Jaffa

Middleton Road

Manchester