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Fisheries

The wild freshwater fish of Wester Ross have supported fisheries for far longer than there is written documentation. Salmon and trout have been netted around the shores, and trapped and captured using all sorts of other means in the rivers and lochs of the area over many centuries.

This section presents a history of fisheries in the area and is intended to provide an indication of the potential productivity and quality of the fisheries for salmon, sea trout and brown trout of the WRFT area.

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  • Herring Fisheries & West of Scotland Herring Hunt
    Presentation by Dr Michelle Frost at the Wester Ross MPA Discovery Day in Ullapool on 14th October 2022. .  Posted: 08/11/2022 (4.47MB)
  • Finding Salmon and Sea trout around the Wester Ross MPA
    This presentation by Peter Cunningham introduces the main wild salmon rivers that flow into the Wester Ross MPA and describes some of the issues, including infestation by sea lice from poorly regulated open cage salmon farms, which threaten wild salmon populations and sea trout within the Wester Ross area. Can the wild salmon populations around the Wester Ross MPA be given additional protection?.  Posted: 27/10/2022 (11.01MB)
  • Welcome back to new WRFT_7MB
    This presentation (smartphone resolution) prepared for the relaunch of the 'new' Trust in April 2021 reviews wild salmon and sea trout in Wester Ross, some pressures they face, past work and support, and future objectives for WRFT. .  Posted: 13/04/2021 (6.73MB)
  • Welcome back to new WRFT_18MB
    This presentation (for computer) prepared for the relaunch of the 'new' Trust in April 2021 reviews the wild salmon and sea trout of Wester Ross, pressures they face, some past work and support, and future objectives for WRFT.  Posted: 13/04/2021 (17.66MB)
  • Skye and Wester Ross Fisheries Trust Review September 2020
    This review presents a summary of the work of the Skye and Wester Ross Fisheries Trust during the 15 months up to the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020 and other related information including catch reports, results of fish surveys, an assessment of wild salmon populations and some of the pressures they face, and reports from project activities. .  Posted: 23/09/2020 (8.05MB)
  • Report from wrasse protection areas discussion meeting
    Report from a meeting in Ullapool on 4th May 2017 to discuss a proposed voluntary network of protection areas for wild wrasse (Ballan wrasse, Corkwing wrasse, Goldsinny wrasse, Cuckoo wrasse and Rock cook) within the Wester Ross Marine Protected Area. .  Posted: 25/05/2017 (724KB)
  • Wester Ross Fisheries Trust Poster of Activities 2012
    This poster was prepared in 2012 to summarise the activities of the Trust in freshwater and marine environments. Production was supported by the Scottish Government via RAFTS.  Posted: 17/01/2017 (8.94MB)
  • WRFT Review May 2016
    This review covers the period February 2015 to April 2016, and presents summaries describing the status of wild fish populations, the results of sea trout and sea lice monitoring work including sea trout around the Loch Torridon area, a summary of the activities of the Skye Fisheries Trust, work to monitor and control invasive species, a section on education and student project and much else.  Posted: 19/05/2016 (6.18MB)
  • Response to Draft Marine Conservation Order for Wester Ross MPA
    This document provides some comments regarding the Scottish Government's Draft Marine Conservation Order for the Wester Ross MPA consultation in July 2015.  Posted: 28/07/2015 (379KB)
  • Response to Scottish Government MPA Management consultation
    Here is our response to the Scottish Government's 2014 Consultation on fisheries management measures for new MPAs in Scotland. The response provides answers to questions in the2014 Consultation Response document relating to the Wester Ross Marine Protected Area. It also includes proposals for a permit system for fisheries within the MPA and for stepwise progression towards a system of management of inshore waters that will achieve nature conservation objectives and fisheries which are more productive and valuable than those of the past 20+ years.  Posted: 28/01/2015 (1.07MB)
  • WRFT Review January 2015
    This review covers an 18 month period from July 2013 to December 2014 (with Jan 2015 update from Wester Ross Area Salmon Fishery Board) and presents a summary of the results of fish juvenile fish surveys, sea trout and sea louse monitoring, fish farming related issues, surveys on the Isle of Skye, a Little Gruinard macro-invertebrate study, mink monitoring and other activities carried out by the Trust.  Posted: 21/01/2015 (7.09MB)
  • Wester Ross Marine Wildlife Poster
    This poster shows some of the marine wildlife habitats and marine wildlife to be found around Wester Ross including habitats of nature conservation importance within the possible Wester Ross Marine Protected Area. Copies are available from WRFT.  Posted: 18/07/2014 (1.22MB)
  • WRFT Review of Activities 2009 to 2012
    This review summaries the work of Wester Ross Fisheries Trust during the period 2009 to 2012 in support of the WRFT Fisheries Management Plan 2009+, and sets priorites for future activities.  Posted: 11/12/2012 (2.62MB)
  • WRFT Review July 2012
    This is the latest 'annual review' which covers work carried out during the 2011 field seson, and includes sections on juvenile fish surveys, salmon catches, sea trout sampling (and sea lice), arctic charr, interviews with herring fishermen, and WRFT schools based project.  Posted: 04/07/2012 (1.83MB)
  • Mekong dams threaten freshwater fish with extinction
    Why the WRFT biologist is particularly concerned about the future of spectacular endemic Mekong fishes in 10 pictures. With link to recently published WWF report.  Posted: 29/07/2010 (2.04MB)
  • WRFT Review May 2010
    This annual review present a summary of the work of the Trust over the year 2009 to 2010 including surveys of juvenile fish, sea trout in the sea, invasve non-native species, catch records, and a range of fisheries management and education projects.  Posted: 17/05/2010 (5.52MB)
  • WRFT FMP 2009+ Summary
    WRFT Fisheries Management Plan 2009+ Summary and Contents page.  Posted: 25/02/2009 (4.06MB)