The fight for Viking fishing legacy - 27th January 2020

Haaf netting, a traditional style of fishing in Scotland, is in danger of being wiped out. There are only 30 haaf netters left working on the borders of Scotland and they’re slipping away 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 many fishermen living in towns and villages on the Solway Firth estuary.

In 2016, the Scottish government finally bent to pressure to conserve fish species and introduced measures to protect wild salmon. Any fish now caught in the Solway must simply be thrown back in the water, meaning it’s no longer possible for fishermen, including haaf netters, to make a living, or indeed enjoy a day’s catch themselves.

These new rules mean there’s no attraction for the next generation of potential fishermen which, coupled with economic disruption since the 1980s, has resulted in dwindling numbers of haaf netters. Were they allowed to keep some of the salmon, it would help enthuse more people to learn this long-established technique and keep it alive.

Haaf net fishing is done using a net attached to a large rectangular frame supported by three legs. The 16ft (4.9m) 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, and hope that a fish will swim into it.

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

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