25 April 2016, Starts: 19:30

Archaeology of Salmon Fishing in Easter Ross

Talk by Alistair Stenhouse, University of Aberdeen

Seaboard Memorial Hall, Balintore. Organised by Tain and Easter Ross Civic Trust

Description:

Until recently coastal salmon fishing played an important seasonal role in the seaboard communities of Easter Ross. However, today the reduced salmon stocks in the North Atlantic and political pressures indicate that the industry may now be in terminal decline.
During 2013 and 2014 a field survey was made of coastal salmon stations and associated archaeological features remaining in the landscape of Easter Ross, as part an MSc Course at the University of Aberdeen. This covered some 90Km of coastline from the Sutors of Cromarty to Tarbat Ness then completely around the Dornoch Firth.
The survey had two main objectives:-
1. Formally record the different archaeological footprints of coastal salmon fishing remaining in the landscape before it is lost.
2. Develop the history and social context of coastal salmon fishing in the area.
The survey recorded 31 fishing sites including 7 possible sites of earlier fish traps in the Dornoch Firth. Features unrelated to salmon fishing were also seen at 12 other sites and the survey demonstrated areas of significant coastal growth and areas of coastal erosion.
This presentation will discuss:-
• The origins of coastal salmon fishing in Scotland and the different methods used to catch salmon.
• How salmon fishing developed in the Dornoch Firth and why it moved to the deeper coastal waters of Easter Ross during the 19th century.
• Examples of the archaeological features surveyed during 2013 and 2014.