Skye Fisheries Management Plan 2010 Table of Contents Page CHAIRMAN’S FOREWORD.............................................................................................................................1 1 INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................2 2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ........................................................................................................................3 3 THE ISLAND OF SKYE............................................................................................................................4 3.1 The catchments....................................................................................................................................4 3.2 Topography and geology.....................................................................................................................4 3.3 Land use ..............................................................................................................................................4 3.4 Climate ................................................................................................................................................5 3.5 Water Quality and Flow ......................................................................................................................5 4 FISH POPULATIONS................................................................................................................................5 4.1 Status of salmonid stocks ....................................................................................................................6 4.1.1 Salmon .......................................................................................................................................6 4.1.2 Trout...........................................................................................................................................7 5 FISHERIES .................................................................................................................................................7 5.1 Exploitation .........................................................................................................................................7 5.2 Fish propagation and stocking.............................................................................................................8 6 FACTORS AFFECTING FISH POPULATIONS ...................................................................................8 6.1 Marine .................................................................................................................................................9 6.2 Freshwater ...........................................................................................................................................9 6.2.1 Fisheries exploitation and management .....................................................................................9 6.2.2 Water quality and water flow...................................................................................................10 6.2.3 Obstructions to migration.........................................................................................................10 6.2.4 Riparian management ..............................................................................................................10 6.2.5 Instream habitat........................................................................................................................11 6.2.6 Predators ..................................................................................................................................12 6.2.7 Biosecurity, parasites and disease............................................................................................12 6.3 Opportunities and Constraints ...........................................................................................................12 6.3.1 Constraints ...............................................................................................................................12 6.3.2 Opportunities............................................................................................................................13 6.3.2.1 Environmental quality.........................................................................................................13 6.3.2.2 Fish......................................................................................................................................13 6.3.2.3 People..................................................................................................................................13 6.3.2.4 Common interest and complementary plans .......................................................................13 7 REGIONAL MANAGEMENT................................................................................................................14 7.1 Management structures......................................................................................................................14 7.1.1 Skye Fisheries Trust.................................................................................................................14 7.1.2 Skye District Salmon Fishery Board........................................................................................15 7.1.3 Skye Angling Development Group..........................................................................................16 7.2 Regional management priorities........................................................................................................16 7.2.1 Stock protection .......................................................................................................................16 7.2.1.1 Bailiffs and Northern Constabulary Wildlife Protection Officers.......................................16 7.2.1.2 Roles of anglings clubs & proprietors.................................................................................16 7.2.1.3 Legal and illegal coastal netting..........................................................................................16 7.2.2 Aquaculture..............................................................................................................................16 7.2.2.1 Rationale .............................................................................................................................16 7.2.2.2 Area Management ...............................................................................................................17 7.2.2.3 Priority actions ....................................................................................................................17 7.2.3 Predation ..................................................................................................................................18 7.2.4 Bio security: invasive species and disease ...............................................................................18 7.2.5 Stocking ...................................................................................................................................18 7.2.5.1 Rationale .............................................................................................................................18 7.2.5.2 Developing stocking programmes.......................................................................................18 7.2.5.3 Priority actions ....................................................................................................................19 7.2.6 Consultations............................................................................................................................19 i 7.2.7 Freshwater pearl mussels .........................................................................................................19 7.2.8 Education and publicity ...........................................................................................................19 7.3 Information needs..............................................................................................................................20 7.3.1.1 Develop catch recording system..........................................................................................20 7.3.1.2 Juvenile surveys ..................................................................................................................20 7.3.1.3 Redd counting .....................................................................................................................20 7.3.1.4 Sea lice counts.....................................................................................................................20 7.3.1.5 Predators..............................................................................................................................20 7.3.1.6 Landuse and geological information ...................................................................................21 7.4 Regional management plan ...............................................................................................................22 8 RIVER BRITTLE.....................................................................................................................................26 8.1 Background .......................................................................................................................................26 8.2 Assessment ........................................................................................................................................27