A SEVERN Estuary fishing tradition and way life, whose roots are ‘lost in the mists of time’ may be consigned to the dustbin of history by a London court ruling.

Nigel Mott, who has made his living from ‘putcher’ fishing for salmon for more than 40 years says he is being put out of business by an Environment Agency cap on the numbers of fish he can extract.

The Environment Agency says he must limit his catch to 30 fish a year, which he claims makes his business unviable.

Mr Mott, from Stroat, has been fighting the EA through the courts over the last three years.

Mr Mott argued that the restriction was unreasonable and threatened his livelihood at the High Court last year and the judges agreed with him and threw out the case.

However the agency has since appealed against this High Court decision.

And last week the Court of Appeal ruled that the agency was right to cap quotas, but stated that Mr Mott should be compensated for the loss of his livelihood.

Bloodied but unbowed, Mr Mott has now vowed to counter appeal against the latest judgment.

“It is quite clear that the various forms of fishing for salmon have not caused a decline in stocks,” he said.