Nith Fishery Management Plan Quarterly Progress 2015 No. Prescription Actions Quarter 01 - 12th December to 23rd Quarter 02 - March 24th to 6th July Quarter 03 - 6th July to 15th Quarter 04 - 16th September to 10th December Additional March September Prescription(s) 1 Enforcement Overt and covert operations Ongoing Seasonal Water Bailiff Ongoing 2, 10, 11, 13 employed Fishing Without a permit reported to police 4 persons on the Buccleuch beat 2 National Bailiff's training course Developed and co-ordinated Training course delivered at Melrose 2, 11 National Bailiff's exam Invigilated exams Marked exam papers 2 Case taken - Kirkconnel Estate Active Case abandoned by Procurator Fiscal 2, 11 Case taken - Kirkconnel Estate Active Active 2, 11 Gill net on Solway Siezed 2, 11 Fishing without permit Blackwood 2 youngsters put off water 2, 11 Fishing without permit Upper Nithsdale AA Cautioned 2, 11 Unauthorised Electrofishing investigated Spoke and corresponded with perpetrators 11 Unauthorised dredging Spoke to perpetrators 2 Exploitation Catch & Release rates in 2014 have increased. Salmon & Grilse up by 5% to 64% and 13, 15 Sea Trout up by 25 to 87% Conservation codes reviewed Amended and published on website 1, 13, 15 Burgh Angling Association permit regulations Edited rules 1, 13, 15 The Times newspaper Interview with Mike Wade, J. 15 Henderson and R. Cowan Conservation promoted through Fishing For The Year 2 started with 400+ participants to Year 2completed with over 800 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, Future Project date participants 14, 15 Wild Fisheries Reform Responded to consultation ban on Attended JWG Meetings and strategic meetings 2, 11, 10, 13 killing of salmon (Scottish Government). Consultations responded to. 3 Engineering Attended all Technical Working Group meetings Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13 (Including Forestry) for the coal industry (Kier Mining, & Hargreaves) House of Water channel repairs Supervision of machine work on bank 7, 9 repairs Iberdrola, overhead power line Afton to Commissioned desktop fisheries survey Attended pre-start up meetings Walk over survey and report Baseline Electrofishing and Report completed, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 Euchanhead completed and invoiced completed invoiced and paid. Inductions completed. BGE gas pipeline between Cluden and Lochfoot Negotiated quote for work to be Commissioned to conduct baseline Electrofishing and invertebrate survey Reports completed and invoiced. 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 carried out, submitted surveys work completed Greenburn Barrier Assessment Report - post Completed Re-assessment conducted, amendments to 7, 8 2015 barriers invoiced and paid. Hargreaves Surface Mining Annual electrofishing surveys All reports submitted, invoiced - most paid. 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 conducted for House of Water, Additional meeting planned. Glenmuckloch and Rottenyard OCCS's Kier Mining Electrofishing Report Provided Linn Burn re-instatement - Attended Annual electrofishing surveys Consultation on planning permission TWG 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 site meeting and provided consultancy - conducted at Greenburn OCCS attended - Electrofishing reports submitted. responded to draft plans Invoiced and paid. Barburgh Mill Quarry Annual survey conducted Invoice paid. 9, 13 House of Water Scottish Coal Financial Bond Active Active Invoice submitted - awaiting payment Invoice paid. 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 claim pursued SEPA Flood Management Plan Consultation request to project Contracted to provide consulation Work started on Upper Nith - tenders invited. 6, 7, 9 manage Kirkland Farm, Closeburn Consolation on site regarding bank re- 7, 9 instatement Carron Water Consultation on site Carron Water 7, 9 regarding bank repairs Crawick Water Revetment work Fish rescue Work completed - invoiced and awaiting payment. 7, 9 Carsalloch Consultation on site regarding gravel 7, 9 works No. Prescription Actions Quarter 01 - 12th December to 23rd Quarter 02 - March 24th to 6th July Quarter 03 - 6th July to 15th Quarter 04 - 16th September to 10th December Additional March September Prescription(s) Burnfoot Farm site visit regarding gravel Attended with SEPA 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13 extraction, Crawick Water 4 Renewables Hare Hill Wind Farm Extension Commissioned to conduct Survey works started Electrofishing survey work completed Reported, invoiced and paid. 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13 electrofishing/invertebrate survey Airdrie Farm hydro Consultation and survey commissioned Electrofishing survey work completed, Additional survreys requested - consultation with 3, 7, 8, 9, 13 planning response made regulators. High Cumnock Windfarm Correspondence provided 3, 7, 8, 9, 13 Boreland of Southwick Hydro Scheme Consultation and survey commissioned Electrofishing survey work completed Invoiced and paid. 11, 13 and planning response submitted Twentyshilling Hill Windfarm Consultation and quote provided Electrofishing survey work completed Reports completed, invoiced and paid. 3, 7, 8, 9, 13 Whiteside Hill Wind Farm Consultation response Consultation supplied regarding culvert Invoiced and paid. 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13 works Belstane Hydro, Marr Burn Consultation and quote provided Electrofishing survey work completed Invoiced and paid. 3, 7, 8, 9, 13 Captainton Hydro Planning response provided Post commissioning e-fish commissioned. 3, 7, 8, 9, 13 South Kyle Wind Farm Extension Planning response submitted 3, 7, 8, 9, 13 Glenmuckloch Energy Project Consultation regarding Glenmuckloch Electrofishing and invertebrate survey Report submitted, invoiced and paid. 3, 7, 8, 9, 13 Energy Project work conducted Ulzieside Wind Farm Quotation provided for survey work Third party authorisation to electrofish. Pencloe Wind Farm Electrofishing and invertebrate survey Report submitted and invoiced. 3, 7, 8, 9, 13 work conducted Porterstown Hydro Electrofishing survey/monitoring 3, 7, 8, 9, 13 conducted 5 Planning & SP Energy re: New Hospital Site Response requested site visit On site meeting regarding power 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13 Consultation - supply for new hospital and fish rescue please see conducted Engineering and Renewables for individual responses 6 Biosecurity American Signal Crayfish control New refuge traps were constructed by Annual return completed. Licence Report on work to date provided to 7, 15 MK Welding New ASC signage obtained until 2020. SEPA. Crayfish have been found to have moved approximately 100m downstream since last year. Meeting with Islesteps Community Regarding Attended Assisted community pulling Himalayan 7, 15 Invasive Species balsam Giant hogweed control Completed - 5500m2 treated 7, 15 Skunk cabbage control On going 739m2 treated 7, 15 Japanese knotweed control 162 stands treated - started on the 7, 16 New Abbey Burn Japanese knotweed PHD project Provision of site for PHD project Study ongoing 7 Rainbow trout survey on Cairn Water Survey conducted and meeting with No more reports of rainbow trout 7, 12, 13, 15 proprietor of fish farm. INNS funding WEF, D&G Council, Shambellie Estate, 7, 15 Irving Homes and Friars Carse Dumfries & Galloway INNS Working Group Attended Attended 7, 15 Meeting 7 Habitat All Habitat schemes monitored Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing 9 Shinnel Water Habitat scheme Water gate washed away - repair Repairs made to watergate at Shinnel 9, 15 carried out scheme Natterjacks/Reptile Meeting Meeting attended 9, 15 Willow whipping and habitat restoration day on Forth Fisheries Trust attended 15 Nith Yellow Craig pond weed survey Conducted 15 Cample Water Habitat scheme thinned Completed 9 No. Prescription Actions Quarter 01 - 12th December to 23rd Quarter 02 - March 24th to 6th July Quarter 03 - 6th July to 15th Quarter 04 - 16th September to 10th December Additional March September Prescription(s) Kier Mining Dalricket Mill Diversion Consultation on tree planting density, 9 species and placement. Upper Crawick Water Habitat Scheme Recovery of flood damaged fencing materials. 8 Access Burnfoot Bridge material to be removed Consulted 7 Enterkin Burn Log jam removed Completed 7 Pennyland Burn barrier Permission sought and granted by Works conducted (temporary) to ease fish 8 SEPA. Materials sourced. passage. Greenburn Burn Rock obstructions eased. 9 Water Quality Report to SEPA silage incident at Castlehill NDSFB/SEPA Attended Report to SEPA unauthorised dredging of NDSFB/SEPA Attended watercourse Crawick incident at Multiverse Site NDSFB Attended SEPA reported pollution incident at New NDSFB Attended Hospital Site Reported Slurry incident River Cairn SEPA attended, Moniaive, (Mr Neil Gourlay) 10 Marine Survival CSTP Final Report Being Compiled Sea Trout Symosium attended 15 Horizon 2020 Application for European funding Project application rejected at Stage 1 7, 8, 13 complete World Oceans Day Attended with display and fishing 15 instruction 11 Governance Wild Fisheries Review/Reform Meetings attended and responses Meetings attended and responses Meetings attended - Joint Working Meetings attended - Joint Working Group, 1 - 15 submitted submitted Group, Strategic Direction for Scottish Strategic Direction for Scottish Freshwater Freshwater Fisheries meeting, Strategic Fisheries meeting, Consultations responded to - meeting attended by Chairman and regarding categorization of River Nith re Clerk to discuss regional FMO, Scottish conservation limits. Government Roadshow attended, met with Mark Cummings. Consultations responded to - Proposed ban on the killing of salmon except under licence, Wild Fisheries Reform. Scottish Government visit to Nith catchment Carol Barker Munro and Allan Wells 1 - 15 met with Jim Henderson SFCC Electrofishing Team