-veteran lands Salmon and Ronnie Rose prizes-
A River Dee ghillie so dedicated to his beat that he often patrolled it at night has secured a national award double just weeks before his retirement.
Robert Harper, who has devoted his working life to salmon conservation, left school in 1976 to become a ghillie apprentice with Dunecht Estates at the age of 16 but is set to hang up the net after 49 years.
Yesterday, at Moy Country Fair in Inverness-shire he won the SGA Wild Salmon Conservation Award, also collecting the Ronnie Rose trophy for Conservation and Education.
Both prizes are presented by the Scottish Gamekeepers Association’s fishing and gamekeeping groups and are amongst the premier awards in the land and river management sectors in Scotland.
Respected
So respected are his contributions to salmon, the Dee, and his beats of Lower Crathes and West Durris, that one of his endorsers was local MSP, Alexander Burnett, MSP.
The Parliamentarian touched on the winner’s willingness to ‘begin difficult conversations’ for salmon conservation, referencing how he had taken his concerns to Holyrood.
In recent years, Mr Harper has travelled miles, personally compiling an evidential dossier of seal activity on the Dee, arguing how predation is impacting salmon, now classed as endangered.
In his near 50 year career, he has also been instrumental in compiling the Dee Conservation Code, co-founding the Dee Ghillies Group and representing practitioners on the Dee Fishery Board.
However, it is his passion for salmon and the lengths he will go to see them remain in Scotland’s rivers which persuaded the judges.
“Robert’s contributions to salmon conservation deserve to be honoured in this way,” said Duncan Ferguson of the SGA Fishing Group.
“It has been a lifelong endeavour. If you want to see change for salmon, you’ve got to gather the evidence, first. Robert has done that, in respect of seal impacts, and he has not been afraid to engage decision makers and encourage others to act. Salmon need advocates like Robert and we are sure he will continue to speak up for the species, well beyond his retirement.”
Tireless campaigner
Mr and Mrs Christopher Tunmore, who have fished on Mr Harper’s beats for many years, and backed his award nomination, said, “accepting the possible demise of the wild salmon is not an option for Robert.’
As well as campaigning – an effort MSP Mr Burnett described as ‘relentless and entirely selfless’ – Mr Harper has taken an active role in hands-on conservation work to aid river habitats.
He has undertaken live willow weaving to prevent erosion and invasive species control as well as acting as look-out for poaching.
He was instrumental in introducing a schools programme called ‘IntroDee’ into local education establishments; a programme which has now been developed further.
Edwin Third, Operations Manager of the Dee District Salmon Fishery Board, said: “If you pick up the dictionary and look up the word ghillie, you should really see a picture of Robert Harper.”
Honouring loyal service
As well as receiving the duo of awards, Mr Harper also collected his Long Service Medal for over 40 years of unbroken service to the ghillie-ing profession.
Other long service medals went to John Buskie from Reay Forest Esate in Lairg, Sutherland, who is still serving after starting there in June 1975.
John couldn't be there in person but the award was collected on his behalf.
John
Buskie's award was received on his behalf
Ronnie Ross of Achnasheen in Ross-Shire (pictured below) collected his prize after an amazing 60 years and 9 months at Lochrosque and Kinlochewe estates, potentially the longest serving of all winners honoured by the SGA.
Members of his family were in attendance to see him receive his frame and medal.
Ronnie Ross with his long
service prize
