Issue 9 – Autumn 2008
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A partnership to care for the Clyde: its environment, its people and its visitors Autumn 2008 Issue 9 Inside • Scotland’s first Community Marine Reserve given the go- ahead! • Giving Clyde Fisheries a Future • Ailsa Craig: Seabird City • Dolphin Strandings: what would you do? Contents Firth of Clyde Forum 2 Update 3 Firth of Clyde Forum Events and News • Enjoy Wildlife on the Clyde Estuary Welcome to the Autumn 2008 edition of Clyde Breakers! It has • The Forum Celebrates Scotland’s Seas been a busy time for the marine • Scotland’s First Community Marine Reserve given the and coastal environment since our go-ahead! last edition of Clyde Breakers. We have seen the launch of the consultation on Scotland’s first 6 Education Focus Marine Bill; the publication of a • Clyde in the Classroom number of new leaflets focussing on the Clyde including the Forum’s • The Clyde as a Classroom own ‘Enjoy Wildlife on the Clyde • BBC box leaves Greenock Estuary’ leaflet produced in partnership with the RSPB; our Kintyre Marine Awareness weekend 10 Recreation Focus in Campbeltown, and; our Ayr • Glasgow River Festival 2008 Scottish Marine Bill Event which brought Scottish Government • Sail Clyde Launches in Largs officials to the Clyde to tell us • A call on Owners to Teach Dogs New Tricks about the forthcoming Marine Bill • Ailsa Craig: Seabird City and to hear our local views. • The Crown Estate Purchases Rhu Marina We are particularly delighted that Scotland’s first community marine • Are You a Responsible Camper? reserve in part of Lamlash Bay on the Isle of Arran has been given the go-ahead 17 Fishing Focus by Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment Richard Lochhead. • Giving Clyde fisheries a future: quality & sustainability The Forum’s involvement with the are the key Lamlash Bay Working Group does not stop here and we look forward to further work with our partners on this 18 National Marine and Coastal Updates unique project. • Scotland’s Seas:Towards Understanding their State Organisation for our 2008 Annual • A New Future for Scotland’s Seas Conference on climate change is well underway and we hope to see many of • Further Protection for Ailsa Craig’s Internationally you there. Thanks to Glasgow City Important Seabirds Council the conference will again be held in the spectacular Banqueting Hall of the 22 Community Focus Glasgow City Chambers, and due to its popularity last year we will again be • What would you do if you found a stranded whale or running an accompanying exhibition for dolphin? businesses, community groups and organisations to showcase their work. Do get in touch if you would like to 23 Firth Photography exhibit at this year’s event. • Your photos... Finally, don’t forget to keep an eye on our website where we will continue to keep you informed of discussions, 24 A Day in the Life... consultations and local news from • Gone Sailing around the Firth. Best wishes, Isabel Glasgow Firth of Clyde Forum Chair, and Claire Pescod Firth of Clyde Forum Project Manager Front cover photo: Gannet © SNH Printed on recycled paper Firth of Clyde Forum Events and News 3 Red Admiral © C Gomersall (rspb-images.com) Enjoy Wildlife on the Clyde Estuary Grey seal © SNH Goldeneye © M Langman (rspb-images.com) The Clyde Estuary is wonderfully rich in natural history and is home to many different species of wildlife. For a long time the Clyde was associated with shipbuilding and for more than 200 years was a busy Greenshank © M Langman (rspb-images.com) shipping lane that carried grain, cattle, timber, coal, salt and tobacco The Clyde Estuary to and from industrial Glasgow. An estuary is defined as the stretch of However, with the decline of heavy water where sea water mixes with, and is industry and increased diluted by, freshwater supplied by land environmental measures, water run-off. Within the Firth of Clyde there quality has improved and wildlife is are five defined estuaries including the now thriving. Garnock/Irvine Estuary, the Ayr Estuary, To promote the wildlife of the Clyde the Girvan Estuary and the Stinchar Estuary, illustrate what you might see and Estuary as well as the Clyde Estuary.The when you might see it, as well as to Clyde Estuary extends 42 km westward highlight the threats facing the Clyde and from the Tidal Weir in the centre of its wildlife, the Forum in partnership with Glasgow to an administrative boundary RSPB produced the ‘Enjoy Wildlife on the between Barons Point and Cloch Point. 2 Clyde Estuary’ leaflet. This large area of almost 90 km ? includes the Gare Loch. Look out for our new leaflets in tourist information centres and at display stands The Clyde Estuary is a complex around the Estuary. Alternatively contact hydrodynamic area where freshwater us at the Forum on from the River Clyde and its tributaries [email protected] or 0141 951 0820 mixes with seawater from the Firth of for a copy to be posted out to you. Clyde. Firth of Clyde Forum Events and News 4 The Forum Celebrates Scotland’s Seas Beach cleaning © Claire Pescod Beach cleaning © Claire Pescod In a year described as ‘a Celebration of Scotland’s Seas’ excellent turn out and with a high level of political focus on the marine of around 40 keen environment, the Forum has continued to promote the volunteers and the Firth of Clyde and Scotland’s marine and coastal Coastguard for environment through its ever popular Information transporting Events. collected rubbish, a large amount of In March the Forum joined up with the Argyll and Bute Beach black bags were Forum, with support from Highlands and Islands Enterprise, to filled ready to be hold a Marine Awareness Weekend in Kintyre. The weekend disposed of included a full programme of events with some very interesting properly by the presentations on aquaculture, life under the sea and the largest Council. After a sand dune complex in mainland Argyll at Machrihanish, given at break for lunch the A closer look at the Research Lab © Claire Pescod the Campbeltown Heritage Machrihanish Centre. Running alongside Research laboratory opened its doors with a tour of the the presentations were facilities and a chance to feed the many fish kept at the lab. ‘make your own sea creature’ workshops and an Later in the year the Forum held another Information Event, exhibition of materials from this time in Ayr on the Ayrshire coast. The event gave an marine and natural heritage opportunity to discuss and hear about the upcoming Scottish organisations. Marine Bill and input ideas and views to the consultation. More Campbeltown Lifeboat information on the Marine Bill consultation can be found Station opened its doors further on in this edition of Clyde Breakers. and tours of the Further information on the Argyll and Bute Beach Forum can Campbeltown Lifeboat be found at www.grab.org.uk/beachforum.htm or by contacting were available. Aisa Nebrada on [email protected]. Day two of the event kicked For more information on the RNLI or any Lifeboat Station off with a beach clean at around the Firth go to www.rnli.org.uk or visit your local Westport Beach. With an Sea creature © Claire Pescod Lifeboat Station. 5 Scotland’s First Community Marine Reserve given the go-ahead! The Holy Isle in Lamlash Bay © Claire Pescod Star fish and anemones © SNH Scotland’s First Community Marine Reserve has been given the go-ahead by Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment Richard Lochhead.The Order for the reserve was laid before the Scottish John Dory © COAST Parliament on the 19th September and came into force on Saturday 20th September. The Forum is delighted that the Community Marine to continue towards a better understanding of the importance Reserve, which has the backing of both of our marine environment.” environmentalists and the fishing industry, has been established and looks forward to seeing the benefits it Isabel Glasgow, Chair of the Firth of Clyde Forum, said:“I am will bring to the local community, the fishing industry very pleased that the efforts made by the Lamlash Bay Working and the marine environment. Group have resulted in success. I am convinced that the marine reserve will bring benefits both to fishing and to the marine The reserve in part of Lamlash Bay on the Isle of Arran will see environment. I look forward to those benefits being realised the waters become a protected area, helping to conserve an with the ongoing support of the Firth of Clyde Forum.” important marine habitat. It is also anticipated that as a result scallop beds in adjacent areas will become more productive, Ian Jardine, Chief Executive of Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), benefiting local fishermen. said:“We very much welcome this news and applaud the effort put in by COAST and the Clyde Fishermen’s Association. This unique project shows what can be achieved when different Working together we have found a way to balance conservation interests put their heads together and find common, mutually of the bay’s marine life with fishing. From now on our role will beneficial ground. The project, the first of its kind in Scotland, be to monitor sea life in the bay, along with the Fisheries will be watched closely by the Scottish Government to see Research Services. In the long term we hope this project will what lessons can be learned for the future. raise awareness of Scotland’s magnificent marine wildlife and Howard Wood, Chairman of the Community of Arran Seabed make a valuable contribution to the development of a Trust (COAST), said:“COAST and our many supporters on sustainable scallop fishing industry in the Clyde.” Arran and beyond are very excited by what we see as a new All 675 responses to the Lamlash Bay consultation were beginning for conservation in Lamlash Bay.After many years we analysed and examined by Government.