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WRFT Stillwater Sampling Workshop & RAFTS Challenge, June 12th - 13th 2009

Posted: Friday 6 March, 2009 @ 10:40:29

Does this lochan in the Gairloch hills support a fish population?

In May 2008, the Tweed Foundation hosted the inaugural RAFTS challenge trophy following a workshop in Melrose. As recipients of the trophy, Wester Ross Fisheries Trust is pleased to invite river and fisheries trusts from Scotland and beyond to Gairloch in June 2009 to fish for wild trout and sample aquatic invertebrates in the hills of Wester Ross.

 

There are over 400 stillwaters within the WRFT area. These lochs and lochans are wonderfully diverse. Many support trout populations, some support charr, eel and stickleback. However, others do not support self-sustaining fish populations and instead have a much higher diversity and abundance of other animal life, often with the palmate newt as ‘top predator’. WRFT still does not have a complete inventory of which waters support wild trout populations and which waters do not. Our challenge is to find out more about them.

 

The Stillwater Sampling workshop will take place from 10am – 3pm at Poolewe Village hall on 12th June.  Following registration (by 15th May 2009), each Fishery Trust will be allocated an area with 5 or more lochs and lochans. This area will be their sampling area where the trust team will be based over the night of 12th June. A registration fee of £25 will cover the cost of a registration pack which will include appropriate fishing permits and permissions, a map of the sampling area, and guidance and workshop details. Participants will normally require a good level of fitness. To reach sampling areas, a 1/2 hour drive and a one hour walk will normally be required. A roadside sampling area has been set aside for any team which has a member with limited mobility. The minimum team size is 2 participants; the maximum size is 4 participants. Up to two teams per trust in the competition, other participants are welcome.

 

For further details please follow this link http://www.wrft.org.uk/files/WRFT%20Stillwater%20Sampling%20Workshop%20-%201st%20notice.pdf to the notice under ‘Newsletters’ on the ‘downloads’ page. Please note that anyone can become a member of their local river or fishery trust/foundation, visit the RAFTS website for further details.