Scottish Sanitary Survey Project Sanitary Survey Report Loch Creran AB 129, 130, 131, 312 and 313 December 2007 Report Distribution – Loch Creran Date Name Agency* Linda Galbraith Scottish Government Judith White Scottish Government Ewan Gillespie SEPA Douglas Sinclair SEPA Stephan Walker Scottish Water Alex Adrian Crown Estate Andy MacLeod Argyll & Bute Council Christine Argyll & Bute Council McLachlan Harvester, Isle of Shuna Shellfish** John Barrington Harvester, Creran Oysters** Harvester, Caledonian Oysters** Harvester, Rubha Mor** Roger Thwaites Harvester, Shian Fisheries** * Distribution of both draft and final reports to relevant agency personnel is undertaken by FSAS. ** Distribution of draft and final reports to harvesters in undertaken by the relevant local authority. ii Table of Contents 1. General Description 1 2. Fishery 2 3. Human Population 5 4. Sewage Discharges 6 5. Geology and Soils 11 6. Land Cover 14 7. Farm Animals 16 8. Wildlife 18 8.1 Pinnipeds 18 8.2 Cetaceans 19 8.3 Birds 19 8.4 Deer 20 8.5 Other 21 8.6 Summary 21 9. Meteorological Data 22 9.1 Rainfall 22 9.1.1 Rainfall at Strath of Appin 22 9.1.2 Rainfall at Tiree 24 9.2 Wind 27 10. Current and Historical Classification Status 31 10.1 Area classified for mussel production 31 10.1.1 Loch Creran West classification history 31 10.1.2 Inner Loch Creran classification history 32 10.1.3 Comparison of classifications (mussel production areas) 32 10.2 Areas classified for oyster production 32 10.2.1 Loch Creran West: Shian classification history 33 10.2.2 Loch Creran West: Rubha Mor classification history 33 10.2.3 Loch Creran East classification history 33 10.2.4 Comparison of classifications (oyster production areas) 34 11. Historical E. coli Data 35 11.1 Validation of historical data 35 11.2 Summary of results by site 35 11.2.1 Summary of sampling and results (Loch Creran West) 35 11.2.2 Summary of sampling and results (Inner Loch Creran) 37 11.2.3 Summary of sampling and results (Loch Creran West: Shian) 38 11.2.4 Summary of sampling and results (Loch Creran West: Rubha 38 Mor) iii 11.2.5 Summary of sampling and results (Loch Creran East) 39 11.3 Overall geographic patterns in results 40 11.4 Overall temporal pattern of results 43 11.5 Seasonal pattern of results 49 11.6. Analysis of results against environmental factors 56 11.6.1 Analysis of results by recent rainfall 57 11.6.2 Analysis of results by lunar state 72 11.6.3 Analysis of results by water temperature 72 11.6.4 Analysis of results by wind direction 75 11.7 Results stability and sampling frequency 78 12. Designated Shellfish Growing Waters Data 79 13. Bathymetry and Hydrodynamics 82 14. River Flow 89 15. Shoreline Survey Overview 92 16. Overall Assessment 93 17. Recommendations 97 18. References 100 19. List of Tables and Figures 102 Appendices 1. Shoreline Survey Report 2. Sampling Plan 3. Tables of Typical Faecal Bacteria Concentrations 4. Statistical Data 5. Hydrographic Methods © Crown Copyright 2008. Food Standards Agency Scotland and Cefas. All rights reserved. iv Acknowledgements We are thankful to the following persons and agencies who provided assistance and information used in the following report. Argyll & Bute Council Christine McLachlan SEPA Registry Office Dingwall Scottish Water Dr. Alan Lilly, Macaulay Land Research Institute v 1. General description Loch Creran is a fjordic sea loch that runs east to west for a length of about 12km and opens to the Lynn of Lorn. The loch is divided by sills into four basins. The maximum water depth in the loch is 49 metres. There is relatively high input of freshwater into the loch from the River Creran, which flows forms Loch Baile Mhic Chailein approximately 4km upstream from the head of the Loch Creran. Loch Creran is a Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for biogenic reefs of the tube worm (Serpula vermicularis) and horse mussels (Modiolus modiolus), both of which occur in shallow, sublittoral zones around the margins of the loch. Figure 1.1 Location of Loch Creran on west coast of Scotland 1 2. Fishery The fishery at Loch Creran is comprised of two mussel (Mytilus edulis) farms and three pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) farms as listed below: Table 2.1 Mussel and oyster farms at Loch Creran Production Area Site SIN Species Common Inner Loch Creran Inner Creran AB 313 709 08 mussels Pacific Loch Creran East East - Barrington AB 129 021 13 oysters Common Loch Creran West Loch Creran AB 312 020 08 mussels Loch Creran West: Rubha Mor AB 130 022 13 Pacific Rubha Mor Loch Creran Ferlochan AB 130 742 13 oysters Loch Creran West: Pacific Shian Fisheries AB 131 023 13 Shian oysters Inner Loch Creran AB 313 The current production area boundary for Inner Loch Creran is given as the area bounded by lines drawn between NM 9086 4117 to NM 9192 4233 and between NM 9900 4398 to NM 9900 4477. The entire production area lies within the designated Shellfish Growing Water. The RMP for the production area is currently located within the Inner Creran site. The reported RMP grid reference is NM 953 436. This site actually consists of 2 distinct areas of mussel floats, either side of the East-Barrington oyster production site. The area of floats to the southwest consists of 4 lines, and had no harvestable mussels at the time of sampling. The lines are to be moved about 200m to the south and west in the near future to prevent damage to underwater reefs. The area to the north and east consists of 3 lines, and had mussels of a harvestable size. Loch Creran East AB 129 The current production area boundary for Loch Creran East is given as the area bounded by lines drawn between NM 9437 4300 to NM 9564 4223 then from NM 9900 4477 to NM 9900 4398. The entire production area lies within the designated Shellfish Growing Water. The RMP for the production area is currently located within the East Barrington site. The reported RMP grid reference is NM 949 430. The site is an area of trestle grown oysters. Stock of a range of sizes was observed including some of market size. The grower reports that they take 2- 2 3 years to reach harvestable size. Harvesting generally takes place during the winter months. Loch Creran West AB 312 The current production area boundary for Loch Creran West is given as the area bounded by lines drawn between NM 9002 4379 to NM 9002 4332 and NM 9089 4114 to NM 9193 4233, and NM 8984 4248 to NM 8980 4240. The entire production area lies within the designated Shellfish Growing Water. The RMP for the production area is currently located within the Loch Creran site. The reported RMP grid reference as of 21/12/2007 is NM 912 425. The site consists of a floating raft that currently has no stock on aside from 2 bags of mussels held at the RMP. There is also a larger area of long lines on floats to the south of the raft (4 lines). There is currently no stock on these lines. Loch Creran West: Rubha Mor AB 130 The current production area boundary for Loch Creran West: Rubha Mor is given as the area bounded by lines drawn between NM 9089 4114 to NM 9193 4233 and NM 9437 4300 to NM 9564 4223. The entire production area lies within the designated Shellfish Growing Water. The RMP for the production area is currently located within the Rubha Mor site. The reported RMP grid reference is NM 916 406. Rubha Mor is an oyster trestle site that was untended at the time the site visit was undertaken. Loch Creran Ferlochan is an active oyster trestle site. Stock of a range of sizes was observed including some of market size. The grower from Ferlochan advised that the Rubha Mor site is privately owned rather than a Crown Estates lease. The site is currently for sale. Loch Creran West: Shian AB 131 The current production area boundary for Loch Creran West: Shian is given as the area bounded by lines drawn between NM 9002 4379 to NM 9002 4332 and NM 9089 4114 to NM 9193 4233 and NM 8984 4248 to NM 8980 4240. The entire production area lies within the designated Shellfish Growing Water. The RMP for the production area is currently located within the Shian Fisheries site. The reported grid reference is NM 909 422. Stock of a range of sizes was observed including some of market size, and harvesting was taking place at the time of survey. 3 Figure 2.1 Map of Loch Creran Mussel Fisheries Figure 2.2 Map of Loch Creran Oyster Fisheries 4 3. Human population The figure below shows information obtained from the General Register Office for Scotland on the population within the census output in the vicinity of Loch Creran. Figure 3.1 Population map for Loch Creran The population for the seven census output areas bordering immediately on Loch Creran are: 60QD000708 115 60QD000709 89 60QD000576 124 60QD000706 152 60QD000707 94 60QD000710 184 60QD000100 138 On the northwestern side of the loch is the settlement of Port Appin, near Airds Bay and on the north eastern side is the settlement of Invernahyle. On the southeastern side of the loch is the larger settlement of Barcaldine and on southwestern shore is the settlement of Eriska. However, most of the population is concentrated towards this eastern side of the loch and any associated faecal pollution from human sources will be concentrated in these areas.