River District Salmon Fishery Board Clerk: Will Cowie Administrator: Valerie Wardlaw Fisheries Office, Logie Steading, Dunphail, , IV36 2QN 01309 611220 [email protected] www.fnlft.org.uk/river-findhorn

Minute of the Meeting of the Findhorn District Salmon Fishery Board Held on Monday 26th November 2018 in the Long Room at Logie Steading at 10.30am

Present: Alasdair Laing – Chairman, Robert Hoskin, Mark Laing, Tony Watts, Andrew Howard, Anthony Laing, Julie Balgonie, Colin Cawdor. In attendance: Sean Mclean- Head Bailiff, Robert Laughton – Director, FNLFT, Valerie Wardlaw – Administrator, FDSFB Item Action 1. Apologies: Graham Bell

2. Minutes of Meeting held on 20th August 2018 Minutes were approved.

3. Matters arising Assessments- all assessments are now paid apart from £265 owed for the Clune beat. AlaL will contact Simon Woolton to obtain payment. AlaL

4. Budgets and Finance  VW presented an update on income & expenditure against budget for the year. The income from assessments was reduced by £5842 due to successful valuation appeals. There is one appeal still uncompleted.  Seasonal bailiff review- the FDSFB thanked SMcL for the excellent work of the bailiff team this season. The Board agreed that a 9 month contract for a RL/ seasonal bailiff would be offered for the 2019 season. SMcL  Investment Management- AlaL circulated an analysis by CC of the VW Investment Portfolio managed by Rathbones. Rathbones are managing the funds conservatively and effectively and CC recommends keeping the investment portfolio with them, rather than moving the funds to a tracker fund. Rathbones are currently manging the funds on a two year investment horizon. It might be beneficial to ask them to manage a proportion of the funds over a longer term. The Board agreed to transfer £70K from the bank VW account to the investment portfolio and to agree a proportion of the fund that should be managed over a longer investment horizon. AlaL will ensure AlaL Rathbones have two members of the Board as signatories and ensure the Findhorn DSFB account is not confused with the Findhorn Salmon Fishings account. VW to check the Rathbones Portfolio line in the accounts with the VW accountants as it differs from the investment portfolio statement.  Budget for 2019/20- VW circulated a draft budget for 2019/20 which included a 9 month seasonal bailiff position and cost of living increase for the Head Bailiff. The board agreed to remove the depreciation and contingency lines and budget on a cash basis. There are items of expenditure which may not be required- e.g. £4.2K for smolt trap supervision. The Board agreed a levy of 44p in the £ which would result in an estimated surplus of £300 at year end.  Future of Investments- AlaL reiterated that the Findhorn DSFB has circa £200K in reserves and one of the lowest levy rates in . He feels that the Findhorn DSFB should consider funding worthwhile projects that would benefit the and the wider fisheries world, especially in

the light of the pressures on salmonid species. RL has circulated information on the Atlantic Salmon Trust’s Missing Salmon Project which aims to identify where smolt mortality is occurring, and possible causes. This is a three year project funded partly by offshore wind developments which aims to tag smolts over 13cm caught by smolt traps on rivers from the Deveron round to the Shin. Acoustic receivers will be installed in river and in the Inner to track smolt movements. There is further information on the project on the AST website https://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/themissingsalmonproject/ The Findhorn is not actively participating in this Inner based project as an established smolt trapping programme is required. However the Findhorn DSFB could offer to buy 50 tags at a cost of £10K to be used on the or rivers west of the Nairn if the Nairn DSFB decides not to participate. The Board agreed to offer £10K funding towards tags for the Nairn, but would like to discuss how the Findhorn can participate more actively by installing a RL smolt trap. RL to investigate alternative sites for a smolt trap on the Findhorn system. A site lower down the system would be best as this would RL reduce the number of variables required to be taken into account- such as in-river predation. The situation of the Nairn smolt trap is important for the Missing Salmon Project for that reason.  Fish Counter- RL has been investigating the new acoustic fish counting technology which could be used to give a more accurate count of fish in the Findhorn system. These instruments do not need a weir to operate, but do require infrastructure and dedicated staff to interpret results. There are two systems available ranging in price from £20k to £80k, with an additional £40k for staff and infrastructure. RL did not recommend investing in the technology at present, but did recommend offering to get involved in trialling and developing the technology. The Board asked RL to contact the two manufacturers to offer to trial equipment and to keep up to date with RL developments. If in a year’s time the technology proves affordable and robust the Board will consider investing in an acoustic counter.  The Board agreed to keep a reserve of £50k in the bank, transfer £70k to the investment portfolio and ask Rathbones to manage £100k of the investment portfolio over a five year period rather than a two year period. AlaL/ VW 5. River Matters  2019 Conservation Code- the board discussed introducing restrictions on angling when water temperatures are high. The board agreed that educating anglers on reducing harm to fish while they are on the line and returning fish into well oxygenated water would be more productive than SMcL any restrictions. The 2019 code was agreed without modification. VW  Biosecurity Forms- the Board approved the continuing use of the new forms and reminded proprietors to destroy forms at the end of each season for data protection compliance. ALL  Board Merger- AlaL reiterated that the Findhorn and Lossie DSFBs were given a grant of £12.5K to investigate a merger. A consultant, Bob McAlpine, was appointed and he will present his draft findings at a meeting of the merger subcommittee on the 30th November. The finalised report will be circulated to all Findhorn and Lossie DSF board members in the near future, and a meeting may be required to make the formal decision. ALL The two boards will need to decide how to proceed by January 2019.  Health & Safety- The Insurers are asking for more detail re any shooting undertaken by the bailiffs. RL will respond and is working on risk assessments etc. Any estate staff who are asked to help with predator RL

control must be insured by their employers and their employers must agree SMcL to them participating in predator control so they are covered by the estate’s insurance.

6. Head Bailiff Report  SMcL circulated draft catch returns for the season which are better than 2017- salmon and grilse 1676 (2017 = 1561). There are 7 beats still to respond with their catch figures. RH asked that the catch figures be available on the website as soon as possible. VW to forward the Crown SMcL/ Estate contact to SMcL for the Balnespick catch returns. VW  Predation was minimal due to the low water this year. SMcL has recruited two new volunteers for sawbill counts and predator control above , and so the regular counts should be more accurate.  The Bailiff team undertook 17 patrols on the Lossie totally 48 hours this season. The Board thanked Sean for all his hard and dedicated work over the season.

7. FNLFT Director Report RL presented his report link here RL thanked all those wo have given him scale samples and he will circulate a RL report about them a.s.a.p. RL is organising school sessions over the winter and will contact Forres AA RL for support.

8. Catchment Developments  Tom nan Clach WF construction nearly complete. RL has been asked to RL undertake some further monitoring of resident trout populations for them.  - Fred Olsen Renewables are investigating a possible WF site.  Berryburn WF extension for 10 turbines being scoped.  Clash Gour WF- for 50 turbines across Dallas/Altyre and Dunphail are applying for planning before the end of the year.  Glenferness WF consented, but investigating taller turbines.  A96 Hardmuir to Fochabers section- preferred route announced on the 4th December.  A9 Moy to Tomatin section provisional plans include crossings of the Funtack Burn and others.

 Remore- new quarry in planning at Redburn near Loch Belivat. RH will RH forward info to RL.

9. AOCB  SMcL reported there are trees fallen across the Kyllachy Burn on the Farr RL/ Estate. RL will forward the correct contact for the electricity substation to SMcL SMcL so the trees can be removed.

10 Dates of 2018 meetings:  VW to circulate possible dates in May, August and November. VW