Written By: Robin Harper MSP
On Date: 10/6/2004
The Section AR412 from the English Green Party manifesto for a sustainable society policy document does not appear in the same form in the Scottish policy reference document (PRD). We are conscious that rod and line fishing is of enormous importance to the Scottish Economy and that essentially it causes no more or less pain to fish than netting them at sea, and we support the fishing industry. However, we are concerned about the environmental effects of some practices. We would ban the use of lead shot weights as they are generally poisonous to the environment and especially poisonous to birds who may swallow them by accident. We would also ban the use of live fish bait
for two reasons - that it does cause unnecessary suffering to
the fish used as bait and secondly the practice encourages the use of non indigenous species imported from England as live bait that are threatening the survival of species that are
peculiarly native to Scottish lochs such as Vendace and Arctic Char. I am pleased to learn that use of lead shot and live bait is already banned in many places.
Our attitude to fish farming is inspired largely by our fears
for the survival of wild salmon and sea trout and the rod and
line angling associated with the preservation of many hundreds if not thousands of jobs on Scottish salmon rivers.
Yours sincerely
Robin Harper MSP
Scottish Green Party
George IV Bridge
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
Scottish Green Party Backs Angling