Award-winning author, environmental campaigner and reel-life salmon champion Bruce Sandison sadly died over the weekend. His son posted the news on Facebook on Sunday.
His funeral takes place in his beloved Tongue on Saturday (5 November).
Read more via:
"Angling has lost a giant in Bruce Sandison" (The Sun)
"Obituary – Bruce Sandison, renowned angler and writer" (The Herald)
Bruce was a true salmon hero – a wild salmon warrior and fisherman's friend. Like an Atlantic salmon he was born to swim against the tide. His outspoken bravery will always remain an inspiration to many.
Listen to Bruce's dulcet Scottish brogue and enjoy his commentary via the video 'Shame Below the Waves':
"Whatever hurts Scotland's environment hurts us all," says Bruce. "In our brief stewardship of this irreplaceable treasure let us strive to protect its integrity. When we are gone let there be no sign of our passing other than the kindly imprint of our care. This is our duty to future generations. There is no room for compromise."
Writing in The Mail On Sunday in January 2016, Bruce issued an SOS:
"Nothing has been done, and nothing is proposed, to halt the catastrophic collapse of wild salmon and sea trout in the West Highlands and Islands of Scotland, where many informed observers believe that disease and pollution from primarily Norwegian-owned factory fish farms has brought distinct populations of wild salmon and sea trout in many rivers, such as the Balgy, to the verge of extinction," he wrote in the Mail On Sunday.
Writing in the Scottish Daily Mail in 2011, Bruce commented:
"Fifty years down the line the doubters seem to have been right: conflict and acrimony currently surrounds the industry. Many communities in the West Highlands and Islands are mounting furious battles to try to keep the fish farmers out of their back yards; thousands of people sign petitions opposing the expansion of salmon farming into new areas; conservation groups are considering legal action, accusing fish farms of driving distinct populations of wild salmon and sea-trout to the verge of extinction. They allege that the sea lice that breed in their billions in the farmers fish-packed cages attack not only farm salmon, but also wild fish that pass by farm cages."
Public comments posted on Facebook included "one of the greats", "true gent", "powerful crusader" and "legend of his time":
Other public posts included on the Fly Fishing Forum:
Posts on the Salmon Fishing Forum included:
"Scottish fishing and the Scottish environment have lost one of their great champions."
"A very sad day. Bruce was a kind hearted principled and passionate man. The kind we badly need and too rarely have."
"Total legend of the trout fishing world. He was the Keith Floyd of the trout fishing world."
"There are not that many who have contributed so much. Salmon farms will rest easier now. R.I.P."
"RIP Bruce, Gone fishin' to the great loch in the sky."
"Very sad news. A true giant of scottish game fishing and an avid campaigner against the fish farming industry."
"His book Trout Lochs of Scotland was my bible when I got into fishing the hills for brownies in the early 90's. Sad news, rest in peace."
Salmon farmers around Scotland can certainly sleep a little easier after his passing. For the salmon farming industry, Bruce was Friday 13th, Poltergeist and Halloween all rolled into one.
He was as dogged and tenacious as a sea louse and the scourge of the salmon farming industry for over two decades. In 2006, Bruce won a landmark ruling from the Scottish Freedom of Information Commissioner forcing the disclosure of the names of salmon farms guilty of allowing escapes. "Now, for the first time, fish farmers who allow their salmon to escape will have no place to hide," said Bruce in a press release. "They will be named and shamed"
This landmark ruling opened the floodgates to other significant Freedom of Information rulings and the naming and shaming of salmon farming companies continues thanks to Bruce's heroic efforts a decade ago.
"When something untoward happens, in many cases the authorities only find out when he calls for an explanation," wrote Keith Elliot in The Independent in 2006. "Ranged against him are multinationals, millions at their disposal, and skilled in manipulating the authorities. He has no money, no financial backing; just a website, www.salmonfarmmonitor.org, which attracts 3,000 hits a year, a lot of people who support him and a driving ambition to force fish farms on to land and away from the sea and river mouths, where they can do such harm."
Like the wild fish he fought tirelessly to protect he was a powerhouse and a Scottish icon. Bruce was generous to the end – a gift which kept on giving. Here he is dressed as Santa Claus giving the First Minister of Scotland a present of wild salmon in 2003!
Bruce spearheaded numerous campaigns against the consumption of farmed salmon – including demonstrations outside supermarkets in the UK & Ireland in 2002-3.
“Consumers should avoid farmed salmon this Christmas," said Bruce in a 2003 press release. "Before buying these products in supermarkets, consumers would be well-advised to ask staff if it is wild or farmed salmon, and what chemicals it contains. Better safe than sorry. Have a happy, healthy Christmas.”
A week before his death, Bruce gave the following quote to the Mail On Sunday:
"Salmon farming is an abomination. It's quite simple – for the sake of producing fake food we are sacrificing the treasure of the sea. I wouldn't feed it to my cat."
Photo: Bruce Sandison with his wife Ann and dog in a profile article in The Daily Record in 2012
"We met and married in 1961 and shortly thereafter founded the Sandison Family Fishing Association with the birth of our son Blair," Bruce told The Daily Record. "Over the years, the SFFA grew ever larger, with daughter Lewis-Ann in 1963, son Charles in 1969 and, finally, in 1974, daughter Jean. They admirably increased the association’s membership which now stands at 20; including daughter-in-laws and son-in-laws and 10 grandchildren. Collectively, I call the grandchildren “the enemy” but not when any of their doting parents are listening. I taught my children and most of “the enemy” to fish."
Here's a poignant obituary in 2006 for Bruce's nom de plume Rod McGill:
Here's a profile of Bruce from 2008:
Bruce wrote for many years for Fly Fishing & Fly Tying magazine:
Bruce was a prolific author – with over a dozen books to his name including 'Sandison's Scotland':
As well as numerous fishing bibles:
Here's some memorable quotes from Bruce:
Writing in 2002, Bruce said:
"I owe it to my grandchildren to make sure that the food they eat is safe. Because of all the contaminants, artificial colourings and chemicals contained in fake salmon, I wouldn't serve it to my cat let alone to my family".
Quoted in 2006 in The Independent, Bruce said:
"I want to stop these big businesses using our waters as their private toilet, polluting our environment and destroying our heritage"
Finally, here's a profile of Bruce's work as a photographer:
Thankfully Bruce's photos, campaign work with the Salmon Farm Protest Group, impressive catalogue of books and radio interviews live on. Old Trout is dead, long live Old Trout!
Listen to Bruce on BBC Radio online here
And listen to Bruce on Nevis Radio online here
RIP Bruce Sandison (aka Rod McGill & Old Trout)
