Once again, time passes and I've failed to keep up with the blogging. Apologies to everyone and I hope that these erratic posts are interesting enough to keep bringing you back!
That's pretty much the end of another sampling season, with the last site electrofished this year. Not that we're completely finished - hoping to get another sweep net in at the end of October, plankton still to get and the rhododendron survey to complete - but more of that later. The nights are starting to draw in and the electrofishing equipment has been sorted and packed away. So, what have we been up to in the 3 months or so since our last update? It's been busy...
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| Out in the wilds! |
Firstly, it's electrofishing time and we have managed to complete the surveys on 7 catchments, as well as doing some monitoring work for potential hydro-electric developments. This has all meant that we have tramped many miles of hill, moor and bog to cover the inaccessible rivers of Sutherland. We live in a wonderful part of the world, truly rugged and remote, and the electrofishing gives you the chance to really appreciate that fact! We now have 2 fit biologists anyway...!
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| A big salmon... |
While we haven't finished the analysis yet (or started it!) and the final report will be produced at the end of the year, it's safe to say that this year has been a bit of a mixed bag on the fish front. Some systems yielded exceptionally large, plump parr while others had very small fry (4 cm in length) towards the end of September/start of October. It seems unlikely that those fish will survive the winter, but here's hoping. It has certainly been an interesting sampling season and Shona has seen parts of the area that she's never seen before!
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| Tag in situ |
Estuary netting was also a bit mixed. While we had large numbers of fish in the Kinloch, we unfortunately drew a complete blank in the Kyle of Durness. This despite many sweeps at a range of locations. Hopefully the sands will level out over the winter and we have better luck next year. The Laxford and Polla were much as normal, with 8 recaptures giving us good information on the growth rates of the sea trout within the area. While most of the recaptures came from our own sampling, it was good to have an angler submit the information from their catch. Remember, if you're fishing in the Sutherland area please look out for tagged sea trout - the little adipose fin will be missing and the tag inserted behind the left eye - and report the tag number, length, date and location to the Biologists. Remember to put the fish back as well!
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| View from the boat |
Plankton sampling was due to finish last month, but difficulties with timing and the availability of boats, means that we will be collecting the last ever samples during October. This has been an interesting project and hopefully the end model will be useful to the fish farm and help to advise their management practices. The model should be developed by the end of 2014 - a long time to wait - and is currently being worked on by the Scottish Association for Marine Science. Thanks to Loch Duart Ltd, and more importantly their staff, for taking us out in the boats and helping with the handling of the net. Some tows were more interesting than others - in many different ways! - but all were completed with humour and good grace.
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| Rhododendron surveying in the rain |
The rhododendron surveys are almost complete, with only the area along the side of Loch Stack to do. It was decided that this would be safest to be done from outside of the fence and therefore we're waiting on the leaves to fall and the bracken to die back. Given the winds we've been having recently, this shouldn't take too long! Hopefully Kate will manage to get it completed in the next couple of weeks and then the report can be sent off. The sooner it goes, the sooner the eradication plan can be developed and the Estate can start to remove the plants.
Biosecurity continues to play an important part in our lives. We were once again down at Nedd and Clashnessie with our volunteers pulling Himalayan Balsam. There are very few plants left now, and those that are tend to be small and hidden in the reeds and nettles. It will be difficult to make sure that the last have gone, and we'll have to keep monitoring, but it is all looking very positive.
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| Thankfully not from here! |
The Scottish Mink Initiative has now ended, with our project officer heading off to pastures new. The Trust has taken over his duties for this area - communicating with the volunteers, making sure that they have everything that they need and updating the MinkApp - and will hopefully be able to do as good a job. Thanks must go to Gunnar for leaving such a well-oiled operation for us to follow and the volunteers for their help. Without this army of volunteers we wouldn't be able to provide such good coverage or know the status of our mink populations. If you see a mink in the area, or would like to help monitor a tunnel or raft, then please let Kate know. The more eyes on the ground the better. The same really has to be said of any non-native species, and we would welcome any reports that help us to keep the Sutherland area 'native'.
On that front - remember to 'Check, clean and dry' your equipment before coming into the area fishing, canoeing or even just walking. West Sutherland has very few non-native species - please help us to keep it that way.
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| Playing at work! |
Other activities over the past few months include a range of meetings and training programmes - including our attendance at the IBIS/AST Ocean Tracking Workshop in Newry, the SNH River Restoration Training in Strathpeffer and a Crown Estate sponsored wild-farmed meeting. We have also been out with the S3 from KLB High School providing advice on their project to monitor a local burn over the period of a school year. In addition, Shona was out spraying
Phragmites in order to keep passage clear for migratory fish.
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| Competitions in action |
On top of all this, we attended the Highland Field Sports Fair in Moy in August. We were sharing a stall with the Findhorn Nairn and Lossie Fisheries Trust and the Spey Foundation and had a really good time. The weather wasn't great - there was real concern about the tent at times as the wind lifted it - but it was good to talk to so many about the work of the Trust. Congratulations to the winners of 'Find the Fish' - I'm sure that you'll all really enjoy your prizes. Please let us know how you got on.
August also saw the Scourie Detectives run for another year. With lots of activities - not to mention the wonderful soup and cakes - everyone seemed to have a great time. The walks were well attended, while the less adventurous still had fun learning about Scourie, its wildlife and history, in the Hall and taking part in the many games - including feed the fish, hook the duck, throw the wet sponge and find the LDL salmon in Scourie. Thanks to all the volunteers who helped to make this a successful day. See you next year.
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| The Sutherland Trust |
With the coming of the winter months, our focus will be moving indoors again. The mink rafts will continue to be monitored and it is hoped to get some habitat surveying completed, but in the main we need to get the data analysed from this year and the reports produced. We will also be reviewing our 'Fishery Management Plan', which will be out for consultation shortly. Watch this space - and probably more relevant the Website (
www.wsft.co.uk) - for the reports as they become available.
Also with the coming of winter turns our thoughts to Christmas. For that quirky gift for the fisherman in your life - a sea trout sponsor, t-shirt, cap, exclusive flies (not available anywhere else!) or tape measure and length conversion chart - visit our shop at
http://home.btconnect.com/wsft/page11.html. Get something different and solve the Christmas problems!
