Concern over presence of fisheries boss on consultation group

Animal Concern has said George Pullar, director of The Scottish Wild Salmon Company, should no longer sit on the government’s nine-person Stakeholder Reference Group to advise ministers on proposals for new legislation to manage and protect wild fisheries in Scotland.

Mr Pullar’s company was recently fined £7,000 by Forfar Sheriff Court for two instances of illegal fishing off the coast of Aberdeenshire, which Mr Pullar blamed on “archaic fisheries legislation dating from the 1800s”.

The company also admitted seven similar breaches in Angus.

John Robins of Animal Concern said: “It is ludicrous that the Government is taking advice on wildlife conservation from convicted wildlife criminals. There’s not one person or organisation dedicated to conservation or animal welfare on this advisory group.

“Does the Scottish Government prefer taking advice from wildlife criminals rather than wildlife conservationists? George Pullar must be removed from this Stakeholder Group immediately and replaced by someone whose remit is wildlife protection.”

Mr Robins has written to environment minister Dr Aileen McLeod in protest of Mr Pullar’s involvement in the group.

In the letter, Mr Robins wrote: “I ask you to immediately remove Mr. George Pullar from the Stakeholder Reference Group and replace him with someone whose main concern is fish conservation, fish welfare and wildlife protection.

“Failure to do this would indicate that the Scottish Government prefers to take advice from wildlife criminals rather than conservationists and animal welfarists.”