Richard Millar, Scottish Canals’ Director of Infrastructure, has issued the following statement on magnet fishing;
“Scotland’s canal network is a 200-year-old working heritage structure. Scottish Canals must ensure that we preserve these historic structures and mitigate any possibilities of damaging them.
In addition to legal aspects we need to ensure the safety of those taking part in magnet fishing and that activity doesn’t not cause any damage to the canal itself. Magnet fishing and the removal of objects from the canals requires Scottish Canals permission and Scheduled Monument Consent from Historic Environment Scotland.
Scottish Canals have now formed an internal working group on magnet fishing. The working group will consist of expert staff from across Scottish Canals who will explore what possibilities there are for safe and legal magnet fishing on Scotland’s canal network. The group will work closely with magnet fishing groups who are promoting responsible action along Scotland’s canals.”
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