Viking fishing technique at risk

Fishermen fight for Viking methods - 27th January 2020

Haaf netting, a traditional style of fishing in Scotland, is in danger of disappearing. There are only 30 haaf netters left working on the borders of Scotland and numbers are dwindling fast.

This unique method of catching fish is said to have been brought over to Scotland by the Vikings. Since Viking warriors invaded in 900AD, haaf netting has been a way of life for the small community in the Solway Firth estuary.

In 2016, the Scottish government introduced measures to protect wild salmon. Any fish now caught in the Solway must be put back in the water, which means it’s no longer possible for fishermen to make a living or even enjoy a day’s catch themselves. This has also impacted haaf netters.

These new rules mean that there is no attraction for the next generation of potential fishermen, particularly haaf netters. Were they allowed to keep some of the salmon, it would help enthuse more people to learn this long-established technique.

Haaf net fishing is done using a net attached to a large rectangular frame supported by three legs. The structure is carried over the Solway sands into the estuary, where the fishermen then hold the net in the water as the tide ebbs or floods. They wait there and hope that a fish will swim into it.

Standing in a good position means increased chances of a catch,so these positions are decided by an intricate game called “cast the mells”, played when everyone arrives. Since the outcome is of such importance, it’s often open to cheating, or “pockling the draw,” as it’s also known.

In an attempt to keep the tradition of haaf netting alive, the community is trying to gain official recognition of the technique as a cultural and historic activity. Haaf netters want a record in case this style of fishing does, eventually, die out.