# Haaf net fishing

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Ancient British fishing technique

This article is about the ancient fishing technique. For the small Shetland island, see [Haaf Gruney](/source/Haaf_Gruney).

Haaf net fishermen walking out across the [mudflats](/source/Mudflats) to fish in the [Solway Firth](/source/Solway_Firth)

**Haaf net fishing** is an ancient type of [salmon](/source/Salmon) and [sea trout](/source/Sea_trout) net fishing practised in [Britain](/source/Great_Britain), and is particularly associated with the [Solway Firth](/source/Solway_Firth), the [estuary](/source/Estuary) forming part of the border between [England](/source/England) and [Scotland](/source/Scotland). The technique involves fishermen standing chest-deep in the sea and using large submerged framed nets to scoop up fish that swim towards them. It is a form of fishing that is believed to have been brought to Britain by the [Vikings](/source/Vikings) more than a thousand years ago and to have been practised in the Solway Firth since then.

The number of haaf net fishermen has dwindled over the last 50 years and the activity has been restricted by [salmon conservation](/source/Salmon_conservation) measures. The haaf net fishing community has campaigned for exemptions from these restrictions and for protection as an ancient cultural activity.

## Etymology and history

Haaf net fishing is a type of [salmon](/source/Salmon) and [sea trout](/source/Sea_trout) fishing[1] which is practised in [South West Scotland](/source/South_West_Scotland) and [North West England](/source/North_West_England).[2] The word *haaf* is derived from the [Old Norse](/source/Old_Norse) for “open sea”.[3] The technique has its origins in the [Viking Age](/source/Viking_Age).[4] It is believed to have been brought to Scotland by the [Vikings](/source/Vikings) around 900 A.D.[5] In the 1870s, one of the government's Inspectors of Salmon Fisheries, [Spencer Walpole](/source/Spencer_Walpole), reported that haaf net fishing was taking place in the [estuaries](/source/Estuaries) of the [Lune](/source/River_Lune) and [Ribble](/source/River_Ribble) in [Lancashire](/source/Lancashire), and in the [Severn Estuary](/source/Severn_Estuary) in [South West England](/source/South_West_England).[6]

Haaf fishing nets

Haaf net fishing is now unique to the [Solway Firth](/source/Solway_Firth), where it has been practised for over a thousand years.[1][7][8] There are similarities with [lave net](/source/Lave_net) fishing, practised in the [Severn estuary](/source/Severn_estuary), where the fishermen stand waist deep in the water with large Y-shaped nets. However, unlike lave netters, haaf net fishermen remain stationary in the water.[9]

In the 1970s, there were over 100 haaf net fishermen based in towns such as [Annan](/source/Annan%2C_Dumfries_and_Galloway) or [Gretna](/source/Gretna%2C_Dumfries_and_Galloway) making a good living. From the 1980s, the economics of fishing with haaf nets meant that numbers have significantly reduced with only 30 individuals currently practising the technique.[5]

On the Scottish side of the Firth, since 2016, the [Scottish Government](/source/Scottish_Government) has introduced salmon conservation measures resulting in haaf net fishermen being required to [release alive any salmon they catch](/source/Catch_and_release).[5] The English side of the Firth is regulated by the [Environment Agency](/source/Environment_Agency) which, after a consultation process, introduced similar restrictions in 2018.[10][11]

As a consequence, the Solway’s haaf net community believes the survival of their traditions is threatened and is seeking exemptions from these requirements and official recognition that haaf netting should be protected as a culturally important and historic activity.[5][12] In response, [Marine Scotland](/source/Marine_Scotland), the Scottish Government agency responsible for fish conservation, has said that the issue is that the salmon stocks of the Firth of Solway feed into rivers with differing levels of salmon sustainability and some of the rivers have low levels. Because the Firth is therefore classified as a “mixed stock fishery”, they cannot permit retention of any salmon caught.[12]

## Equipment and technique

The net used has the appearance of a giant [butterfly net](/source/Butterfly_net).[13] It is set in a rectangular wooden frame usually about 4–5 metres (13–16 ft) long and 2 metres (6.6 ft) wide supported by three legs. A central pole extends from one of the longer edges at a right angle.[4][5]

Haaf net fishing is practised by the fishermen wading out into the sea. In the Solway Firth, this can mean walking out over [mudflats](/source/Mudflats) for up to one mile. Once in the sea, they position themselves and wait for the tide to [ebb or flood](/source/Tide#Characteristics). The depth of the water can be up to chest height.[5][14]

The technique involves the haaf net being submerged in the water, while the fisherman holds it upright with the central pole. When a salmon swims into the net the fisherman tilts the pole backwards to scoop the net upwards, thereby trapping the fish.[4] The fisherman then kills the fish by clubbing it.[14]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Cramb_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Cramb_1-1) Cramb, Auslan (12 August 2008). ["'Viking' salmon fishery under threat from new laws"](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2547445/Viking-salmon-fishery-under-threat-from-new-laws.html). *The Telegraph*. Retrieved 24 January 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Crisp2008_2-0)** Crisp, Trevor (2008). [*Trout and Salmon: Ecology, Conservation and Rehabilitation*](https://books.google.com/books?id=zkAk-9-BzVwC&pg=PA8). John Wiley & Sons. pp. 8–9. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-470-99976-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-470-99976-9).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Lloyd, Karen (18 September 2017). ["Haaf netting on the Lune: 'Fighting a big fish really gets the adrenaline going'"](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/18/haaf-netting-lune-fighting-big-fish-country-diary). *The Guardian*. Retrieved 23 January 2020.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Scott2014_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Scott2014_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Scott2014_4-2) Scott, Allen J. (2014). [*Solway Country: Land, Life and Livelihood in the Western Border Region of England and Scotland*](https://books.google.com/books?id=5eymBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA76). Cambridge Scholars Publishing. pp. 76–77. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-4438-7140-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4438-7140-2).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-bbc_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-bbc_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-bbc_5-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-bbc_5-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-bbc_5-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-bbc_5-5) Peters, Jonathan (21 January 2020). ["Fight to save 1,000-year-old fishing technique"](https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-51124288). BBC News. Retrieved 22 January 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Trade1873_6-0)** [Walpole, Spencer](/source/Spencer_Walpole) (1873). ["Mr Walpole's Seventh Report"](https://books.google.com/books?id=JSEtAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA88). *12th Annual Report of the Inspectors of Salmon Fisheries (England and Wales)*. Board of Trade, Great Britain. p. 88.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-bbcarchive_7-0)** ["Haaf Netting"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/haaf-netting/zrtvhbk). BBC Archive. Retrieved 22 January 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Haaf Net History"](https://www.dgculture.co.uk/event/haaf-net-history/). *DG Culture*. [Dumfries and Galloway Council](/source/Dumfries_and_Galloway_Council). Retrieved 22 January 2020. Unique to the inner Solway, haaf netting has been practised in Annan for over a thousand years.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Smylie, Mike (2023). [*A Short History of Britain's Fisheries*](https://books.google.com/books?id=iXfaEAAAQBAJ). Pen & Sword. pp. 44–45. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-39906-954-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-39906-954-0).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-star_10-0)** McClounie, Pam (28 January 2018). ["Haaf netters say new salmon fishing proposals could put an end to ancient art"](https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/16698223.video-haaf-netters-say-new-salmon-fishing-proposals-could-put-an-end-to-ancient-art/). *[News and Star](/source/News_and_Star)*. Retrieved 25 January 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["New salmon and sea trout protection byelaws for the Solway, Border Esk and River Eden rod fishery"](https://www.cumbriacrack.com/2018/05/25/new-salmon-and-sea-trout-protection-byelaws-for-the-solway-border-esk-and-river-eden-rod-fishery/). Cumbria Crack. 25 May 2018. Retrieved 27 January 2020.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-herald_12-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-herald_12-1) ["Scottish Government pours cold water on Solway Firth's ancient haaf netters"](https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18193233.scottish-government-pours-cold-water-solway-firths-ancient-haaf-netters/). *The Herald*. 29 January 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Buchanan, Raymond (12 August 2008). ["Haaf netters fear for fishing's future"](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7549947.stm). BBC News. Retrieved 24 January 2020.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Roy_14-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Roy_14-1) Lytollis, Roy (1 November 2008). ["Fearless fishermen won't let Viking birthright slip the net"](https://www.scotsman.com/news-2-15012/roy-lytollis-at-large-fearless-fishermen-won-t-let-viking-birthright-slip-the-net-1-1300841). *The Scotsman*. Retrieved 23 January 2020.

## External links

- [Visit Cumbria - Haaf Netting in Cumbria](https://www.visitcumbria.com/haaf-netting-in-cumbria/)

- [Solway Haaf Netters Association](http://haafnettersfishing.co.uk/)

- [Haaf Netting Information](https://www.annan.org.uk/haaf-netting/downloads/Haaf-Net-Information-Booklet-01-Haaf-Netting-Information.pdf) from The Royal Burgh of Annan Community Council

- [The Environment Agency (Limitation of Solway Firth Heave or Haaf Net Fishing Licences) Order 2018](https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/fisheries/border-esk-river-eden-and-solway-firth-2018/supporting_documents/Environment%20Agency%20Limitation%20of%20Solway%20Firth%20Heave%20or%20Haaf%20Net%20Fishing%20Licences%20Order%202018%20as%20sealed%20151217.pdf)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Haaf net fishing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haaf_net_fishing) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haaf_net_fishing?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.