Background
At the Ghillies’ Social in October 2022, one of our guests, Clare Cooper, co–founder of the Cateran Eco Museum, got talking to George McInnes a TGA Life Member and “Father of the Tay Ghillies”. Afterwards she said how enthralled she was with the meeting and said that we must capture the memories of George and other long served ghillies before those memories were gone forever. Through discussion, we decided to expand the extent of the project to also cover what it is like now, what the reasons are for the decline and what we must do.
The film was professionally filmed and edited by a leading media company and was ready in early 2024.
Ian Gordon, from the Spey, led the first set of interviews at the Taymount Hut, interviewing Tony Black from Murthly, Sandy McIntosh from Kinkell and Grant Kellie from the Ericht Later, Cohn O’Dea hosted George McInnes to explore his remarkable career and his thoughts on how it was and what it is like now.
We also produced information videos which are used to educate the general public on why saving salmon is also a call to save our environment.
The videos cover all aspects to ensure that the extinction message is real and stressing the need for action. The videos are available on social media and other outlets to ensure as wide an audience as possible, including Members of the Scottish Parliament, and Scottish Government Ministers. It is important that decision makers in Government and in Government organisations understand the issues and the depth of feeling there is amongst those close to the river system and this iconic fish. It is also be suitable for educational activities such as Salmon in the Classroom.
We can also make the video available to other groups in Scotland who can add their own “front end” to ensure the story is topical in their location.
Information, education and “Action Now” is the goal. The TGA is now on a mission to meet that goal and to challenge all stakeholders in the Tay and in the general environment to act now.
The links are here:
Expert Series 1: Ghillies & Anglers On The River Tay.
Tay Ghillies & Anglers, Expert Series 2: Cornelius O’Dea & George McInnes – 70 years on The Tay.
Tay Ghillies Association, Save Our Salmon, 7th Feb 2024
Tay Ghillies Association. We must act now to save our wild Atlantic Salmon.