A Spokesman for the Group, which represents ghillies and river workers, said:
“The SGA Fishing Group was delighted to attend the peaceful protest and show solidarity for wild salmon.
“Fish farming is one of the known pressures on wild populations and, as a group we would like to see accelerated moves towards closed containment systems and for salmon farms ultimately to move onshore, so both interests can survive and sustain rural employment.
'Litany of pressures'
“However, fish farming is only one of a litany of pressures our iconic salmon are facing at sea and in our rivers.
“Those pressures are now impacting not only the species itself but the jobs which depend on its survival. Ghillie numbers are decreasing alarmingly. On the Dee, ghillie jobs have dropped from 45 to 22 in recent years.
“That is hurting families and it’s hurting conservation because of the unfunded habitat work ghillies undertake daily. We need the Scottish Government and the Parliament to act with urgency and bravery to do the things the species and our rural economy requires and that is why we are gathering today.”
