The Skye DSFB was legally constituted by the Skye Salmon Fishery District Designation Order 1991, which came into force on 21st October1991 and repealed the former Snizort and Sligachan designation orders.
The Jurisdiction of the Skye DSFB is defined in the Order as:- the area comprising the catchment area of each river which flows directly or indirectly into the sea from the Islands of Skye, Rona, Raasay, Scalpay, Soay, Canna, Rhum, Eigg, Muck and all adjacent islets to these islands and the adjacent area of sea extending seawards for 3 miles from the low mean water springs on each island or islet.
There are no net fisheries in operation in the Skye district at present and for rod fisheries the opening day for salmon is the 11th. of February and closing day is the 15th of October.
Role of DSFBs
Salmon fishing rights in Scotland are private heritable titles that are registered separately from land. As such these titles can be bought and sold like any other property. In Scotland, the cost of the local administration, protection and improvement of the fisheries is privately financed by the proprietors.
The district boards finance their work by levying a rate on the salmon fishery owners in the district. Elected representatives of those owners provide the core of the membership of the Board. However, since 1986, the boards are required also to include representatives of salmon anglers and salmon netsmen in the district.
A further revision to the constitution of the Boards was made in 1999 to allow for even wider representation on the boards by other parties who may have an interest or stake in salmon stocks or fisheries.
Powers and duties
The powers and duties of a DSFB are summarised below:
Powers
- to act, undertake works and incur expenses for the protection and improvement of the fisheries within their districts, for the increase of salmon and seatrout and the stocking of the district with these fish.
- to impose financial assessments on each salmon fishery in the district, and to charge interest on arrears.
- to borrow funds, and to incur a wide range of expenditure in furtherance of their powers and duties.
- to appoint bailiffs to enforce the salmon fisheries legislation.
- exempt persons from certain provisions of the law for scientific or other purposes.
- to sue in the name of the clerk.
Duties
- to appoint a clerk
- to maintain a list of proprietors within the DSFBs district
- to produce an annual report and audited accounts and to consider these at an AGM
- to call a triennial electoral meeting