November 2012 update

The weather changed for the worst and no more electrofishing or netting was completed in 2012. However it can still be said that the 2012 field season was a great success and the report writing will keep both Biologists busy for a few months anyway! It also doesn’t mean that the field work stopped completely.

Plankton net coming in

 Kate is still out monitoring mink rafts on behalf of the Scottish Mink Initiative, although thankfully has yet to find any mink prints. She is only one of the many volunteers around the area involved in checking traps and their sterling work has to be recognised. Without these unsung volunteers the area would be a lot more vulnerable to the impact of this, and other, non-native species.

Sampling for the sea lice dispersal project (in conjunction with SAMS and Loch Duart Ltd) continues, with the latest samples collected in October. Thankfully we’re getting faster at the analysis (that and there’s less plankton around!) and have also seen a few lice so feel happier that we’re on the right track. While it’s not good to see that there are sea lice out there, it is good to know that we didn’t just miss them in the blank samples and that, yes, we can identify them!

Plankton sample - the louse in to the left of
 centre with a pronounced 'eye spot'

 Big thanks have to be extended to the boat crews for their help in collecting the samples and to Sonja for her organisational skills and help with the ID. Her little tubes of home grown lice are well used for reference and the peering at poor quality photos to confirm or otherwise our ID was very gratefully received. We have many more samples to collect and analyse over the next year or so, and that will be made much easier with the LDL input.

Report writing is progressing well, with Kate getting to grips with the electrofishing reports while Shona deals with the rest. We’re also trying to develop other projects within the area – both alone and in combination with colleagues from other Fisheries Trusts. The latter is slow work, but will hopefully show results soon. Watch this space (and the website) for updates!

There was great excitement in the WSFT office in October when our first internet sale was recorded. The Shop hadn’t been long online, and this was some evidence that we have an internet presence and that there are others out there! Remember Christmas, and get your friendly fishermen some unusual and useful presents - polo shirts, t-shirts, baseball caps and Sutherland Trust flies - from www.wsft.co.uk/merchandise.html.

Kate has done a phenomenal job over the past few months getting the Website sorted and Facebook running. We haven’t forgotten our Twitter followers either with Facebook posts also tweeting. Thankfully a new computer also means that Shona can now update Twitter on its own. Yes, the old computer was finally consigned to the retirement home for obsolete hardware and Shona now has to get used to ‘normal’ speeds – both desktop and Internet! – which may improve productivity.

We can be ‘liked’ at www.facebook.com/westsutherlandfisheriestrust or followed at @WSFTrust. We are, however, always looking for comments and suggestions for improvement so please have a look and get in touch. We can be contacted at wsft@btconnect.com or via the website (www.wsft.co.uk).