‘Bigger and better’ salmon fest vow

Marine Harvest has pledged to help make this year’s Scottish Salmon Festival “bigger and better” than the successful inaugural event in 2015.

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This year’s festival takes place from August 29 to 2 September in the capital of the Highlands and coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Inverness Angling Club, which is welcoming fishing folk from across the globe to compete in its Centenary Speycasting Tournament.

Steve Bracken, Marine Harvest business support manager, told fishfarmingexpert.com: “The first Salmon Festival was the brainchild of Professor Eric Verspoor of the University of the Highlands and Islands. He had noticed festivals took place in all part of the world but observed that Scotland had never had one, so he thought ‘why not? ’We thought it would be pretty far ranging and that proved to be the case. There was an angling competition on the River Ness, lectures at UHI, a kitchen theatre, various exhibitions and films and a fundraising barbecue.

“We all learned a lot from that first Salmon Festival and we are back at the same venues, with a bigger kitchen theatre, three chefs, and a food blogger. We want to make it bigger and better and more popular. We are very pleased to be part of the whole festival and delighted to support it.”

Dr Melanie Smith, chair of Scotland’s Salmon Festival steering group and head of research and post-graduate development at UHI, said: “The programme has been designed for all the family, not just academics. Whether you’re already an experienced fly-fisher, simply like the taste of the fish or just want to enjoy the atmosphere, there is an event for everyone to enjoy.

“We’re look forward to welcoming a steady stream people from across the UK and further afield to Inverness for the festival’s second outing.”

Inverness Angling Club president Graham Mackenzie added: “The club was formed at a meeting on 31 August 1917, so the tournament is an ideal way to mark a significant anniversary. It will also recognise the role that the club and the River Ness has played in the development of Speycasting around the world.”

The festival’s programme will kick off at Eden Court Theatre with a mini salmon film festival, featuring short features about the fish’s influence on Scotland.

Inverness College UHI will host a public lecture evening and two-day conference titled “Atlantic Salmon Marine Ecology – Knowns and Unknowns”, organised by Professor Verspoor.

The festival has been organised by Inverness College UHI in partnership with the UHI Rivers and Lochs Institute, Inverness Angling Club, the Ness District Salmon Fishery Board, Marine Harvest and cbec eco-engineering.