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Skye and Wester Ross Fisheries Trust Open Day

Posted: Thursday 25 August, 2016 @ 02:42:00

This meeting took place on Monday 24th October at the Loch Torridon Centre,

To mark their amalgamation, The Skye and Wester Ross Fisheries Trust invited those interested in wild fisheries in Skye and Wester Ross to an Open Day to review on–going fisheries research and management activities and to consider how far reaching changes proposed by the Scottish Government’s wild fisheries review can be best delivered to provide the broadest benefit to the river systems in Skye and Wester Ross.

The meeting took place at at the Loch Torridon Centre, a wonderful venue at the head of Loch Torridon surrounded by some of Scotland’s most spectacular mountains.

In 2015, with help from local NTS and estate staff, Wester Ross Fisheries Trust carried out a series of activities to monitor sea trout in the nearby estuary and Torridon River; following high levels of sea lice on nearby salmon farms [see Torridon Sea trout report 2015].  The on-going salmon farm sea lice issue remains of concern for wild fisheries interests on both the Isle of Skye and Wester Ross.

The day included illustrated talks covering fisheries monitoring techniques in both freshwater and coastal waters, the ecology of the river habitat and the factors limiting the productivity of salmon and brown trout (& sea trout) fisheries by Peter Cunningham (WRFT Biologist) and Isabel Moore (Skye FT Biologist & PhD student).

Peter's talk (only part of which was presented on the day) can be found on the 'Downloads' page of this website under 'Presentations'. 

The meeting also included a review and discussion of fisheries management within the area, as new legislation towards the formation of Fisheries Management Organisations progresses with presentations by Prof Dave Barclay (WRFT Chair), Peter Jarosz (WRFT Administrator) and Ian Lindsay (Skye FT Chair), and an open discussion.

Thank you very much to all the anglers, fisheries managers, representatives of conservation organisations, local government and others concerned with the management of productive rivers and coastal waters in Skye and Wester Ross for attending the meeting and contributing to a lively discussion.