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BBC Countryfile fact sheet salmon
Sunday 11th May, 2003
11:00 - 12:00
Fact sheet - Salmon
John reports from Northern Ireland on the latest twist in the remarkable story of Orri Vigfusson, the Icelandic millionaire regarded by many as the saviour of the North Atlantic salmon.
Over the past fifteen years Mr Vigfusson's North Atlantic Salmon Fund has raised more than £15m to buy up netsmen around Greenland and Iceland, the salmon's winter feeding ground, as well as netsmen in Canada, South West England, Scotland and Wales.
This week an announcement is expected for the buy-out of drift netsmen operating from north-east England, ending a centuries-old salmon fishery. Negotiations are well underway for a buy-out of netsmen in Northern Ireland.
Mr Vigfusson, a passionate salmon angler, is being supported by the Government which is contributing some of the money to buy-outs in England and Northern Ireland.
Stocks of North Atlantic salmon have fallen to precariously low levels over the past fifteen years due to pollution and destruction of upstream spawning grounds, as well as over-fishing.
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Email
countryfile@bbc.co.uk
or write to
Countryfile, BBC Birmingham, B5 7QQ.
Please keep your comments concise and don’t forget to include details of your name and where you live. We’re sorry but we won’t be able to provide individual replies.
North Atlantic Salmon Fund UK
Tel: 01577 850376
Email: andrew.whitehead@tiscali.co.uk
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