Menu:
OTFA Environment Subcommittee Report for 2008
It has been an interesting and often busy year for those on the Environment Sub Committeewith a number of consultations and lots of ongoing monitoring and project work.
Sourin Burn
OTFA have been in long and protracted negotiations now with SEPA and the local fish farm operators over a fish impass on Rousay’s Sourin Burn, originally identified over two spawning seasons ago. The lack of action on this has been extremely disappointing and we remain determined to see it’s removal.
St Mary's burn project
We are hopeful that OTFA through working with the Scapa Flow Landscape Partnership (SFLP), can secure HLF funding for a habitat improvement project on this once famous sea trout system. Dr Andy Walker, on an advisory visit sponsored by the Wild Trout Trust reported on the current state of the burn and the practical steps required to improve habitat for trout. He concluded that some carefully targeted work could improve the burn habitat considerably. An additional aim of this project is to demonstrate specific methods of habitat improvement which could be used to improve trout burns across Orkney.
So far, landowners have been supportive in principal, but the next stage, likely to run over 2009, will involve agreeing the details of the project with both the farmers and the wider Holm community. If funding is won, practical work is scheduled to start in 2010.
Aquaculture Strategic Framework Consultation
We reminded the authors that there were still many gaps in the planning process where wild fish interests were not properly addressed. We also provided a written background to the history and role of OTFA in protecting local wild trout stocks in the absence of any official fisheries trust. We underlined our current efforts to monitor sea trout stocks and the marked improvement in numbers that had “coincided” with a drastic downturn in local salmon farm production. This again reminded us of the importance of our burn monitoring programme.
Tripartite Working Group process
Central government remains as reluctant as ever to introduce the area management system to Orkney. The option of initiating our own contact with the local salmon farming industry has been discussed, following the same principals as the TWG, with a view to protecting wild sea trout in Orkney. This could only be achieved by a large amount of voluntary work, such as lice monitoring on farms, smolt sampling, etc. Therefore, the possibility of setting up a fisheries trust in Orkney has again been on the agenda.
Fisheries Trust
Committee members met with Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland (RAFTS), earlier this year. They administer government funding for fisheries trusts in Scotland and it was suggested that Orkney could qualify for a share. Various options have been discussed. It may be difficult to secure enough funding to pay for a full time biologist. There are other options, such as commissioning work when funding is available, as well as the idea suggested in the recent economic survey of the Orkney trout fishery, of an OIC fisheries development officer. SNH seem keen on developing the trust idea and have also made suggestions about taking the process forward. This needs further discussion within OTFA.
Electrofishing 2008
Most sites were similar or down on last year. Another pollution incident on the Burness Burn was reported to SEPA in June 08 (nothing was found on inspection), but thankfully a high density of trout was recorded during electrofishing a month later.
Juvenile salmon were present at site TM1 (Tormiston) with 24 fish aged 0+ caught during the survey (around 0.3/m2). Salmon have been found here on two previous occasions (2005, 2006), but this is the highest density recorded so far. A sample is to be sent south to see if the origin of these fish (farmed or wild) can be ascertained.
Water Framework Directive and small water body subgroup
The Water Framework Directive replaces the legislation used to control activities which may affect our burns, lochs and inland seas. The OTFA, along with other local and national groups, sit on the Orkney Area Advisory Group (AAG), which aims to guide the local process, led by SEPA. We have been an active member of the local group, contributing data from our electrofishing program and arguing for the inclusion of a number of important trout spawning burns. Amazingly, aquaculture remains absent from the list of “significant issues” and OTFA along with other groups continue to argue that the high standards set by the WFD should apply to this industry also.
Chalmers Hope and Rousay Mainstream Appeals
After recording excessive seabed impact and exceeding the consented biomass on several occasions, SEPA have moved to reduce the permitted tonnage by 250 tonnes at each of these two salmon farm sites. The company has appealed against this decision and the final decision will now go to an inquiry by Scottish Government reporter. The OTFA were asked to comment on the case as an “interested party”. We reminded interested parties that we welcome any move to reduce the tonnage of salmon farmed in Orkney, especially after the recent marked improvement in local sea trout stocks following localised tonnage reductions.
New Cava Mainstream Salmon site Aurora scoping
This is a repeat exercise as the initial site on the east side of Cava was judged unsuitable by the Harbours Dept, so a new site has been chosen on the south side of Cava, for this 1500 tonne site. The sub-committee responded as previously, stating that if anything our concern has increased as the new site is even closer to sea trout spawning burns.
Mill Burn bridge replacement, Hoy
Malcolm Thomson was involved in discussions regarding the road bridge replacement on the Mill Burn in Hoy. There was concern that building work was to run right through the spawning period. Provision for passage through the works by spawning sea trout had been agreed but was only properly addressed after MT inspected the site at the back end and pushed for more fish friendly amenity in the pipes taking the water flow.
Meanwhile there was considerable evidence that there is a continuing recovery in the local Sea Trout population, which is an important reminder of how a lot of luck combined with some dogged effort, both on paper and in the field, can have tremendous results. It also reminds us of how transient and fragile a lot of our trout populations and habitat can be and that constant vigilance is essential.
It saddens me that certain local individuals still see the sea trout’s return as nothing more than a commercial opportunity. They and their vendors need to be reminded that it is illegal to sell sea trout, so we would appreciate any efforts to combat this unfortunate practise.
OTFA members can practise what they preach by exercising a modicum of restraint in the salt this coming season. Anglers who return some of these long lost fish are helping Orkney achieve what could once again be a world class sea trout fishery.
Finally I’d like to thank the hard working members of this committee, whose efforts are at last seeing some reward and also wish Malcolm Thomson best wishes with his sabbatical and deep gratitude for the tremendous effort he has put into the work of this committee and OTFA in general over the years.
Colin Kirkpatrick
Convenor, Environment Sub-committee