Haaf fishermen halt legal threat

Haaf fishermen use a method inherited from the Vikings

Fishermen who use a method inherited from the Vikings, have decided not to appeal against "unfair by-laws" to limit working hours.

Haaf fisherman practise a 1,000-year-old art in which they wade out into the sea with nets to catch salmon and sea trout in the Solway Estuary.

But they threatened legal action after the Environment Agency imposed limits on catches to preserve stocks.

The Solway Haaf Netters Association said it would enter into fresh talks.

The Environment Agency introduced the measures last year to halve the number of fish caught by haaf netters to increase the number of salmon and sea trout spawning in the Rivers Eden and Esk.

Mark Graham, secretary of the Solway Haaf Netters Association, said he hoped the fishermen could reach an agreement with the Environment Agency without legal action.

He said: "We have decided to suspend legal action in a bid to negotiate a resolution to the unfair by-laws.

"We are now in the close season, with fishing not due to recommence until June.

"We believe that this gives us a window of opportunity to sit down with the agency and find a solution to the problem which will preserve both fish stocks and an ancient way of life."

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