Objectives

In November 1998 a report was commissioned by the TLC on the status and management of the River Tay Protection Order. The report was complied by Mark A. James PhD., on information collated by the committee, which was reconvened on the 26th of May 1998.
The document provided the then Minister for Agriculture, the Environment and Fisheries at The Scottish Office, with details on the then status of the management of the River Tay Protection Order, and proposals to restructure the administration of the Order.
The report was accepted and the objectives for the future of the Order were immediately implemented, and are subject to continuous updating and scrutiny.

A Protection Order is granted if it is demonstrated that there is a demand for access to fish the beats on a river system, and that access is being provided. At present any such order covers every beat and all who own fishing enjoy the terms granted under the Act, which basically requires written remission, i.e. a permit, to fish for any freshwater species, and that it is an offence under Criminal Law, not to be in possession of that permission.

In 1998 the submission document set out a list of management and reporting procedures which would be implemented by the TLC. There were also details of how such plans would be put into action, and how reviews would be undertaken.

The following is a summary of the management structure under the jurisdiction of the TLC, and sets out the objectives on how the Order is to be managed.

All Riparian Owners are required to provide details of how access to fish is to be given, the number of daily rods, the methods allowed, where permits are available, the times of access and the cost. It is also a requirement to state if the fishing is under lease to a third party, for example an Angling Club.
The terms and conditions contained in the agreement will be adhered to and printed in brief on permits.
The agreements are transferrable on sale of property, as confirmed by the Scottish Office.
At present around 86% of river and loch bank is accessible, and approximately 80% of this figure is under the jurisdiction of the nine angling clubs on the Tay System. The remaining 14% is a mixture of exclusion zones for a variety of reasons.
If a Riparian Owner or Angling Club wish to alter any part of the signed agreement, the new proposals must come before the TLC before being implemented. In general any alterations should be an improvement on the existing and should not pose any form of restriction which may tend to reduce access.

The TLC will provide a monitoring system by which the entire system of around 160 individual beats, will be visited over a three year cycle, to check if the terms of access are being adhered to by both anglers and riparian owners. These visits are recorded and published in the annual report.

Freshwater Fishery Wardens are nominated by the Riparian Owners and Angling Clubs, and their names submitted to the TLC. A training programme requires to be attended by all applicants after which an attendance certificate is issued. This certificate together with the other required information, and a passport photograph is submitted to The Scottish Government, Rural Affairs and Environment Department, from where the Instrument of Appointment is issued. This is the authorization under the Act to enquire of anglers if they have a permit to fish. The TLC is the only committee which has a set of procedures for training wardens and has been widely used as an example of how such committees should act and prepare to assist in managing an order.

There is a complaints procedure which is simple and effective. Every permit displays the contact details for the TLC, and should any angler experience any difficulty, they have the means of addressing the matter to the TLC. Each complaint will be acknowledged immediately, thoroughly investigated and reported to in detail within twenty eight days.

The committee will meet on a regular basis, which meetings are open to the public, and deal with any business which may come before it. There shall be an AGM held each year by the end of February. The detail of committee membership and procedures are contained in the constitution.

There is an annual report which is published by the middle of January each year, copies of which are available via the secretary.

The TLC will continue to work with other groups to maintain the objectives set out. From the annual permit returns and the monitoring reports the following information has been compiled, which facts show how the Tay Order is being managed.

1. Of the beats returning information there is access to 87% of available fishing.
2. Of the available daily rods, around 26% are being taken up.
3. Sunday permits are available on 83% of the system.
4. The preference for Fly Fishing for Brown Trout has increased to around 62%.
5. Grayling Fishing access where this specie is found is around 85%.
6. Coarse Angling access has shown the largest increase in demand around 90%.
7. Access for Night Fishing has dropped to 21%.
8. Permit cost per day is from £3 to £10. Weekly permits and seasonal are available as is affiliate membership to clubs.
9. Limit of size of Brown Trout which can be retained is between 25cm and 35cm.
10. Catch and release is widely encouraged and many anglers are practicing this voluntary.

Above all the TLC will strive to achieve the best possible access, with conditions, and having a concern for the quality of water and the habitat, as well as conserving the fish species. This will be achieved with the objectives set out and the co-operation of all anglers and riparian owners.

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