Cromarty Firth Fishery Board

Marybank Weir removal Press release_Final

After two weeks of inclement weather and a rapidly disappearing window for installation, Fishery board staff, Whooshh Engineers (Seattle USA) and SSE managed a successful deployment of a 120m long smolt guidance curtain on Loch Meig.
This floating boom is connected to 90 vertical electrodes suspended 4m down in the water column and has been designed especially to guide smolts into the fish pass at Meig Dam using a very low voltage electronic system.
The study aims to test whether the guidance system increases number of smolts exiting from Loch Meig by comparing passage rates of PIT tagged smolts when system is switched on vs. switched off. As part of the study 1250 fish will be PIT tagged at the Meig rotary screw trap site.
Data to follow!

As we are in an odd-numbered year, Pink Salmon may once again make an appearance across Scottish rivers.

In addition, last year saw widespread outbreaks of Red Skin Disease (RSD) across Scotland with high fish mortality in some rivers during June. RSD typically appears as red spots or rash on the belly of the fish in its early stages, developing severe ulceration and fungal infection as it spreads, resulting in the death of the fish.

Please report any sighting of Pink Salmon or Red skin disease to the Board immediately.

Please see the below link for up to date guidance on both Pink Salmon and Red Skin Disease

AST Blue Book

Fishery Management Scotland Briefing on 2017 grilse run

Fishery Management Scotland has produced a briefing on the 2017 grilse run. (see link below)

We have seen a similar pattern in the Cromarty Firth region developing for a number of years. This has been most clearly seen at Loch na Croic where the whole run of the Upper Blackwater is trapped and examined. The larger late running grilse which used to produce the majority of eggs for the Conon hatchery operation has declined significantly and has to some extent been replaced by an increase in the number of multi-sea winter salmon.

170925 – FMS – briefing on grilse

Pink salmon update

There have now been two pink salmon captures reported in the Cromarty Firth region, one from the Conon and one from the Alness.
Fishery Management Scotland have produced an update regarding pink salmon in Scotland 170814 – INNS – FMS Statement – Pink salmon 3
Please retain any pink salmon captured and report the capture to Fishery Board staff

The first Pink salmon was reported from Lower Fairburn this week. A male fish coming into spawning condition was caught on Lower Fairburn.

Anglers are asked to retain any Pink salmon caught and report the capture to Board staff.

Catch and release guidance

Catch and release is a very effective tool to protect wild fish stocks to be effective it has to be done carefully and the leaflet below gives some very useful guidance. Hard copies of the leaflet are also available and will be distributed to ghillies and angling clubs

170601 – Catch and Release leaflet 2017 (1)

IFM Award

For the last two years Edward Rush has been studying for the Institute of Fisheries Management Diploma. This has been a significant commitment on top of a very busy workload managing the bailiffing team. Not only has Edward passed the examinations but has been awarded the Phil Hickley Award for the best research project. Edward was given the award at the recent IFM conference by Sarah Chare Director of Fisheries the Environment Agency.

New Hatchery Progress

The construction of the new hatchery at Contin is going well, is due for completion ahead of schedule and well in time for this seasons broodstock collection.

Construction of frame of new building

Shell of building completed

Interior ready for the installation of new troughs

Orrin Fish Pass Upgrade

After the works last year to restore the fish Pass at Orrin Falls, Fairburn House have carried out further works to improve the pass, with the replacement of a temporary step in the pass with a permanent cross wall.

Within hours of its construction fish were observed clearing the step and moving upstream