Buyers angle for fishing bargain

The site produced a record 415 salmon last season

Exclusive fishing rights on a sought after part of the River Tay have gone on sale for £1.55m.

Kercock Fishings, which is about 15 miles from Perth, has been described as a "bargain", because it produces so many salmon.

Estate agency Savills said the stretch of river produces just under 300 salmon every year, which worked out at an average of £5,166 per fish.

Fishing rights normally sell for up to £12,000 per fish caught each year.

The rights to 12 rods across two banks of a two mile section of the River Tay are included in the £1.55m price tag, as well as two fishing huts and two fishing boats.

It is the only salmon fishing on the market at the moment so there will be quite a few people looking at it Anna Thomas Savill's in Edinburgh

Anna Thomas, of Savills in Edinburgh, said: "This is not a high price at all for this kind of thing.

"Salmon fisheries can sell for up to £10-12,000 per fish. This one has produced up to 300 a year for the last five years.

"At £1.55m, that works out at just over £5,000 per fish.

"There has been interest in it already. It is the only salmon fishing on the market at the moment so there will be quite a few people looking at it."

William Jackson, from property consultants CKD Galbraith, said: "This is the first major beat on the lower Tay to have been advertised for sale for many years.

"It is unusual for such a prolific beat to be offered, and we would anticipate considerable interest from the fishing fraternity - both individuals and syndicates."

The fishings operate as two beats - Upper and Lower Kercock - which were created in the mid 1970s by the 17th Earl of Perth and the late Hugh Kerr of Tower of Lethendy.

In the 2006 salmon season, a record haul of 415 salmon and 40 sea trout were caught.