I spent this afternoon out with some of the Haaf fishermen of the Solway Firth, as they fished the incoming tide for salmon. Haaf is a technique that dates back more than a thousand years and came to northern England with the Nordic settlers. Today it’s not practised in a commercial sense but is an important part of the heritage of this stretch of coast.
Despite only netting a few salmon between them in the average week – and therefore being about as sustainable a fishing technique as there can be – the fishermen are facing pressure from the Environment Agency, which has placed strict limits on the hours they can wade out into the estuary and the length of their season. The Scottish Haaf netters – who stand on the opposite side of the Solway, and often within sight – face few such restrictions.
Today wasn’t a hugely successful day from the netters’ point of view, as weeds coming in from the sea and river began clogging up their nets. There is less than a month left of this year’s season and it’s not far off a three-hour drive from where I live. I hope to fit in at least one more – and depending on work commitments – possibly two more sessions with the men before the season is out.