Salmon season delayed on Scotland river

PERTH, Scotland, Jan. 16 (UPI) -- The official opening of salmon fishing season in sections of Scotland's river Tay has been delayed due to warm temperatures.

The delay, the first since the start of the salmon season was set for the middle of January 150 years ago, is a result of a warm winter that threw the fish's breeding into confusion, The Independent reported Tuesday.

"We've got a lot of fish in the river due to mild water temperatures but they have not had the big nudge from Mother Nature yet to get about their business," John Monteith, head ghillie for the Newtyle section of the river, said of the salmon, which typically start breeding with the first hard frost of winter.

"For the past four or five years, about 60 percent of the fish caught on the opening day and subsequent weeks are fish that haven't spawned. It is clearly related to climate change and warmer water temperatures."

Monteith said he wants the Tay District Salmon Fishing Board to designate February as the beginning of the season from now on.