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FRA Conservation Guidelines 2018

At the FRA AGM in April 2018 The Guidelines for Salmon and Sea Trout Conservation that were drawn up in association with the Environment Agency have been approved by the FRA committee.

They will be reviewed annually with the EA.

The Guidelines are shown below and can also be downloaded here.

Fowey Rivers Association Guidance for Salmon and Seatrout conservation on the river Fowey 2018

Salmon

  • All Salmon caught before June 16th to be returned in accordance with national bylaw.
  • Voluntary catch and release of salmon to achieve a minimum of 90% annually 
  • First salmon caught by an angler to be returned. One subsequent salmon may be retained in the catchment.
  • All coloured fish should be returned 
  • Barbless, single hooks for bait fishing to be used all year
  • Barbless single hooks to be used on all lures / spinners from 31 August (to enable sea trout fishing)
  • No circle hooks to be used 
  • No treble hooks to be used in conjunction with any fly, bait, lure or spinner 
  • Worm fishing permitted to the end of August only (to enable sea trout bait fishing) 
  • Voluntary end to the salmon fishing season on the 30 November 
  • These recommendations will be reviewed annually with the EA
In addition, always carry an appropriate knotless net, never beach a fish.
Keep the fish in the net in the water while unhooking and photographing.
Never pick the fish up by the wrist (tail).
When releasing, gently hold the fish with its head upstream and be patient, it will swim off when it is ready.

Failure to adopt these recommendations could result in enforcement by the EA with a compulsory bylaw. Should the river be deemed to be “at risk” in any year, there will be a need to adopt additional protection, either moving to 100% catch and release with a presumption of implementing mandatory protection. 

Sea trout 

  • Voluntary bag limits of 10 sea trout per season, maximum of 4 sea trout per week, with a maximum bag limit of 2 sea trout per day.
  • All sea trout smaller than 35cms (1lb) and larger than 55 cm (4lbs) to be returned. 
This effectively ensures that small sea trout are protected so that they can survive to spawn at least once and those mature, repeat spawning sea trout, which are poor to eat, can continue to contribute to spawning.


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