Fisherman claims poachers are stripping lochs bare

Oct 18 2012 by Patricia Lewis, Galloway News

Poachers are being accused of stripping Stewartry lochs bare.

Angler John Thomson claims they are using the illegal practice of putting nets in the lochs to catch the fish, emptying them in the process.

Mr Thomson, 42, who has fished locally all his life, said: “This is happening at Lochrutton Loch at Lochfoot all the time.

“I’ve heard of someone there who is chasing people from the area nearly every night and day.”

The Lockerbie fisherman also claims there have been poaching gangs operating at Loch Arthur, near Beeswing, and Loch Ken, at New Galloway.

He added: “The first time I saw anything myself was last July. I was at Loch Arthur and two people came in a boat.

“I spoke to another fisherman and I said I thought that boats were banned.

“They pulled up their net and it was covered with all sorts including pike, perch, broach and bream.”

Mr Thomson contacted police over the incident but was told there is little that can be done.

He said similar incidents had been happening at lochs in the Lochmaben and Lockerbie areas.

“This is happening everywhere. It’s going to empty the lochs”, he said.

“I used to know dozens of people from England who used to come to fish up here. They just don’t come now.

“They used to come and use our hotels and our shops. You could sit for a week now and not catch anything and the police can’t do anything about it.

“They have to catch them in the act, which usually means they’re gone by the time they get there.”

A police spokesman said: “We have not had any reports of illegal gangs fishing lochs in the Stewartry but the police take such matters very seriously.

“There were reports of anti-social behaviour at a loch in Lochmaben around a year ago and we do carry out patrols there now but no one has yet been caught.

“Anyone who sees fisherman using nets in lochs should contact us immediately on 0845 600 5701 as it is illegal.”