SFCC Management Committee Meeting

SFCC Management Committee Meeting Wednesday 3rd April 2013, 10:30 Marine Scotland Freshwater Laboratory, Pitlochry

Draft minutes

1. Welcome

The chairman welcomed all attendees and introduced the new SFCC manager, Sean Dugan. Sean then provided a brief summary of his career and interests to date.

Present:

James Hunt (JH) * Tweed Foundation (Chair) Simon McKelvey (SMK) * Cromarty Firth Fisheries Trust Julian MacLean (JCM) * Marine Scotland Science(Minutes) Manson Wright (MW) * Marine Scotland Salmon & Recreational Fisheries Jackie Graham (JaG)* Galloway Fisheries Trust Alan Kettle-White * Argyll Fisheries Trust Callum Sinclair RAFTS Alistair Duguid SEPA Andrew Wallace RAFTS Sean Duggan SFCC manager

* Denotes people present in a voting capacity, i.e. core members of the Management Committee or people who core members have arranged to deputize for them.

2. Apologies for absence

Apologies were received from: Jamie Urquhart, Bob Laughton, Jo Girvan, pete Minting and Debbie Park.

3. Minutes of previous meeting, review of action points and matters arising

Minutes: Approved.

Matters arising: Nathan Critchlow-Watton (SEPA) had offered to attend the next SFCC meeting on the SEWeb but to move things along JH to meet before. Action: JH to explore further. COMPLETED

Review of action points: Action points carried forward from last meeting:  Electro-fishing refresher course - Action: BL and JG to prepare the material for a refresher course with a view to the course beginning in 2013. NOT COMPLETED  SFCC electro-fishing database – Action: JH to raise with Interrelate the issue of slow response time to queries, the existing contract and future improvements. DATE ARRANGED  SEPA membership - Action: JH to write formally to SEPA (Robin Guthrie) pointing out the benefits of membership and the options available. CARRIED TO NEXT MEETING  Handheld computers - Action: MB to keep the committee update on progress. CARRIED TO NEXT MEETING. THIS LINKS INTO SIGMA 7 DEMO  Concept of a web portal - Action: All to consider further and feedback thoughts. 1 4. Chairman's report

The Chair presented a brief review of the past 3 months covering:  The RAFTS/SFCC biologist’s meeting, highlighting the success of the 2 day event  Development of training courses  Employment process for SFCC Manager – the committee are grateful to the Tweed Foundation for the use of the chairman’s time to complete this task.  Employment arrangements for the SFCC manager – a document has been created to clarify the manager’s role and time accountability.

5. SFCC Manager position

The SFCC Manager’s job description and line management arrangements were discussed and agreed.  The main aims for the Manager over the next 3 months were to familiarise himself with the SFCC, its members, protocols, datasets and finances.  Within the current year, a number of training courses are to be undertaken (i.e. a GIS course, 2 electrofishing courses and possibly a database course).  Longer term, the manager should work towards obtaining a Chartership of the IFM through a CPD programme. Action: SD to work towards the above aims. IN PROGRESS or COMPLETED

A discussion followed on the employment process that was required to appoint the SFCC manager. It was noted that RAFTS are the employer and the committee records it’s thanks to Callum Sinclair and Andrew Wallace for making this possible. In light of RAFTS being the employer, Callum Sinclair will be involved in the appraisal process.

6. SFCC Finance

The draft balance sheets for the year ending March 2013 and the projected balance sheet for 2013/2014 were discussed. A number of issues were raised, the outcome of which was the following action points. Action: JH to recast the 2013/2014 balance sheet to show SFCC costs alone (the current version contains costs associated with beaver salmonid interaction post). COMPLETED Action: JH to monitor the T&S spend associated with the SNH post against initial SNH T&S allocation. COMPLETED Action: JH to attach explanatory notes to the accounts and to distribute to all SFCC members. COMPLETED Action: JH to introduce a transparent method by which members could bid to run the SFCC training courses. EXPLAINED TO MEMBERS BUT COULD DO WITH A BIT MORE WORK

7. Electro-fishing training

Discussions centred on the plans for the new Team Leader refresher course. The course would consist of two components; a distance learning element and a one day field assessment. Action: JG and BL to update the current Team Leader training manual and create material for the refresher course. NOT COMPLETED

8. SFCC training events

A review of the progress made in arranging training courses took place.  A new fish health course has been arranged at Stirling University.

2  Arrangements for the GIS and database courses are underway.  Arrangements for the habitat surveying course are underway and a workshop is planned for the following year.

Action: SD to video record the Fish health course. COMPLETED Action: AKW to organise the habitat surveying course over the next two weeks. COMPLETED Action: JH to circulate list of courses available to the SFCC membership and invite them to tender for the running of the courses, if appropriate. COMPLETED

9. Protocols

The focus of the discussion was on electro-fishing protocols. Action: BL to work on updating electofishing protocols or, let SFCC committee know if this would not be possible. NOT COMPLETED

10. SFCC Electro-fishing database

. JH reported on the volume of support calls, improvements to the database and the working relationship with Intrelate. The committee concluded that improvements were required. Action: JH to email committee on his proposed course of action. UPDATE PROVIDED AT JUNE COMMITTEE MEETING

The plan is to offer the following courses, in addition to the Team Leader refresher course note above, in 2013:

GIS level 1 GIS level 2 Database design Habitat surveying Scale reading

A request to all members to consider the number of places required for each course has already been circulated. Details of dates of courses has yet to be decided. Action: JH to progress/finalise with relevant colleagues/contacts.

11. Working relationship with the Rivers Trust

Continuing on an informal basis between the chairman and Michelle Walker

12. AOB

 Sigma 7 demonstration of hand held field recording devices will be held immediately after this meeting.  Catch database development is progressing. Individual members are encouraged to develop it in their local areas.  Annual Report – almost finalised.

13 . Next meeting

Date: Wednesday 19th June Time: 1030 hrs – 1300 hrs Venue: Freshwater Laboratory