Fishing compensation claim worked up

Haaf netting is popular in waters of the Solway estuary

A compensation claim has been drawn up for the impact of new wild salmon protection rules on the Solway Firth.

A three-year ban is in place on killing fish outside estuary limits with strict controls on numbers in inland waters.

The Annan Common Good Fund holds the rights to traditional fishing methods such as haaf, poke and stake netting in much of the area.

It has estimated the annual cost of the regulations is nearly £17,000 and hopes to reclaim it from Marine Scotland.

The new regulations have sparked concerns for the future of some of the historic fishing methods used in the waters off Dumfries and Galloway.

When they were introduced the Scottish government said it was aware of the "cultural importance" of haaf netting.

Now the Annan Common Good Fund is being asked to submit a compensation claim for the losses it believes it will incur.

It is also being asked to agree take part in scientific research which will allow some salmon to be caught.