Flounder tramping is a traditional method of catching
flounder
Flounders are a group of flatfish species. They are demersal fish, found at the bottom of oceans around the world; some species will also enter estuaries.
Taxonomy
The name "flounder" is used for several only distantly related species, thou ...
or other
flat fish
A flatfish is a member of the ray-finned demersal fish order Pleuronectiformes, also called the Heterosomata, sometimes classified as a suborder of Perciformes. In many species, both eyes lie on one side of the head, one or the other migratin ...
by wading in shallow water and standing on them.
This method of fishing was used in the coastal waters and river
estuaries
An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environme ...
of South West
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...
, particularly at
Palnackie
Palnackie is a village in the parish of Buittle in the historical county of Kirkcudbrightshire in Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway ( sco, Dumfries an Gallowa; gd, Dùn Phrìs is Gall-Ghaidhealaibh) is one of 32 unitary council ...
on the Solway, for centuries. Once trapped the fish were often secured by impaling them on a
leister
A leister is a type of spear used for spearfishing.
Leisters are three-pronged with backward-facing barbs, historically often built using materials such as bone and ivory, with tools such as the saw-knife. In many cases it could be disassembled ...
before being bagged. A leister is the local name for a
trident
A trident is a three- pronged spear. It is used for spear fishing and historically as a polearm.
The trident is the weapon of Poseidon, or Neptune, the God of the Sea in classical mythology. The trident may occasionally be held by other mar ...
or three pronged long handled spear. Although traditional, the use of leisters to aid capture is no longer permitted (presumably for safety reasons).
A similar technique is still used in Cumbria, particularly in the Duddon Estuary and Morecambe Bay, where it is called treading. Treaders wade along channels at low water until they tread on a flounder; the fisher will then lift the fish by inserting a finger into the gill opening of the fish.
Flounder tramping championships
On the first Saturday each August, at Palnackie, on the
Urr Water
Urr Water or River Urr ('' arc. River Orr'') is a river in which flows through the counties of Dumfriesshire and Kirkcudbrightshire in southwest Scotland.
Course
Entirely within Dumfries and Galloway, the Urr Water originates at Loch Urr and flo ...
, hosts the World Flounder Tramping Championships. Several hundred competitors walk out onto the mud flats of the Urr Water estuary, south of the village, at low tide. They feel for flounder hiding beneath the mud with their toes, and trap the fish beneath their feet. The competition is held to raise funds for the
Royal National Lifeboat Institution
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is the largest charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, as well as on some inland waterways. It i ...
.
In July 2010 Dumfries and Galloway Council announced its intention to ban the flounder tramping championships on "Health and Safety" grounds.
See also
*
Flounder gigging
References
* BBC
Coast: Arran to Gretna(scroll down)
{{fisheries and fishing
Fishing techniques and methods