Works are ongoing to restore the River Peffery and its sea trout stocks. This project is on a catchment wide scale and involves many partners including; SEPA, Forestry Commission, Highland Council, Moray Firth Sea Trout Project, Cromartie Estate, The Conservation Volunteers and Dingwall Environment Group. Project works range from modifying upland drainage to the removal of invasive non native species in the lower reaches. The project also involves the removal of man made obstacles to migration and replanting of native trees along the banks.
In the middle reaches with advice from The Wild Trout Trust and support from the SEPA restoration fund, river channels degraded by agricultural drainage are being restored. Whilst the river is still constrained by flood banks on either side, local timber and field stone is being used to create meanders in the channel and a more varied sequence of pool and riffle habitats. This increase in the variety of flow and depth of will help restore sea trout habitat.
Compacted areas of gravel are being cleaned with a powerful leafblower and the new structures installed are designed to maintain areas of clean gravel for spawning.
