Scottish Sanitary Survey Project Sanitary Survey Report Seil Sound: Balvicar & Seil Sound: Kilbrandon AB247 & AB248 July 2009 FOOD STANDARDS AGENCY SCOTLAND Buidheann 4Cefas lnbhe-B1dhe an Alba Cefas SSS F0806 Final 231209 Report Distribution – Seil Sound 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 McLachlan Argyll & Bute Council Patrick Cadzow Harvester** Ewan McAskill Harvester** James Robertson Harvester** Jack McGregor Harvester** Philip Guy Harvester** Hugo Vijk Harvester** * 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. © Crown Copyright 2008. Food Standards Agency Scotland and Cefas. All rights reserved. i Cefas SSS F0806 Final 231209 Table of Contents 1. General Description ..................................................................................1 2. Fishery......................................................................................................2 3. Human Population ....................................................................................5 4. Sewage Discharges..................................................................................7 5. Geology and Soils...................................................................................13 6. Land Cover .............................................................................................15 7. Farm Animals..........................................................................................17 8. Wildlife ....................................................................................................20 9. Meteorological data ................................................................................23 9.1 Rainfall.............................................................................................23 9.2 Wind ................................................................................................24 10. Current and historical classification status ..........................................29 11. Historical E. coli data...........................................................................32 11.1 Validation of historical data..............................................................32 11.2 Summary of microbiological results .................................................32 11.3 Overall geographical pattern of results ............................................67 11.4 Overall temporal pattern of results...................................................69 11.5 Seasonal pattern of results..............................................................73 11.6 Analysis of results against environmental factors ............................78 11.6.1 Analysis of results by recent rainfall....................................78 11.6.2 Analysis of results by spring/neap and high/low tidal cycles 85 11.6.3 Analysis of results by water temperature ............................85 11.6.4 Analysis of results by wind direction ...................................88 11.6.5 Analysis of results by salinity ...............................................91 11.7 Evaluation of peak results ..................................................................94 11.8 Summary and conclusions .................................................................96 11.9 Sampling frequency.........................................................................98 11.10 Norovirus testing results...............................................................98 12. Designated Shellfish Growing Waters Data ......................................100 13. River Flow .........................................................................................103 14. Bathymetry and Hydrodynamics .......................................................105 15. Shoreline Survey Overview...............................................................121 16. Overall Assessment ..........................................................................124 17. Recommendations ............................................................................132 18. References........................................................................................135 19. List of Tables and Figures.................................................................136 Appendices 1. Sampling Plan 2. Table of Proposed Boundaries and RMPs 3. Geology and Soils Information 4. General Information on Wildlife Impacts 5. Tables of Typical Faecal Bacteria Concentrations 6. Statistical Data 7. Hydrographic Methods 8. Shoreline Survey Report 9. Summary of Norovirus Testing Results ii Cefas SSS F0806 Final 231209 1. General Description Seil Sound is located 12 miles south of Oban on the west coast of Scotland. It is separated from the Firth of Lorn by the islands of Seil and Luing. The sound is oriented roughly north and south, and is sheltered by islands to the west and south and the mainland to the east. It is 9 km in length and 1.25 km at its widest point and is very shallow at the northern end (0-5 m) while at the southern end this increases to up to100 m. Figure 1.1 Location of Seil Sound 1 Cefas SSS F0806 Final 231209 2. Fishery There are seven sites in two adjacent production areas within the survey area, as listed in Table 2.1 and shown on Figure 2.1. Table 2.1 Seil Sound production areas and sites SIN Species Description Seil Sound: Balvicar Ardshellach AB 247 071 13 Pacific oysters 1 area of trestles 2 areas of Balvicar North AB 247 735 13 Pacific oysters trestles East of Balvicar AB 247 703 08 Common mussels Lines and rafts 2 areas of Rubha nan Ron South AB 247 728 13 Pacific oysters trestles Listed in classification Rubha nan Ron South AB 247 728 08 Common mussels document but no mussel fishery at this site Trestles Balvicar AB 247 072 13 Pacific oysters belonging to two different owners Seil Sound: Kilbrandon Island Site AB 248 784 13 Pacific oysters No stock Stock for Kilbrandon AB 248 073 13 Pacific oysters sampling only Seil Sound: Balvicar The Seil Sound: Balvicar production area is currently defined as the area bounded by lines drawn between NM 7851 1969 and NM 7854 1968 and NM 7707 1534 and NM 7821 1534. Both mussels and Pacific oysters are cultured within this production area. The production area is large, with several active oyster sites spread around it, and many potential sources of contamination. To better capture contamination within this area, and hence be better protective of public health, two RMPs were set at two different representative locations. These are located at NM 775 173 and NM 773 158. The RMP for mussels is located at NM 779 169. All observations relate to the positions of the farms at the time of shoreline survey. Ardshellach (AB 247 071 13). This is the northernmost of the sites in the Balvicar production area. At the time of shoreline survey, this site consisted of an area of Pacific oyster trestles on the east shore of Seil Sound at Ardshellach. Stock of a range of sizes was present, including harvestable stock. Balvicar North (AB 247 735 13). This site consisted of two separate areas of Pacific oyster trestles, one on an island in the middle of Seil Sound where trestles are spread out at low density over a large area (Island), and one on 2 Cefas SSS F0806 Final 231209 the eastern shore at Craig Ulian (Craig Ulian). Stock of a range of sizes was present, including those of harvestable size. Rubha nan Ron South (AB 247 728 13 and AB 247 728 08). This site consisted of two separate blocks of Pacific oyster trestles at the time of shoreline survey. The main block of trestles was located on the west shore of Seil Sound, just south of the town of Balvicar (Main Site). A processing shed was located on the shoreline above this site, where depuration facilities may be installed at some point in the future. Stock of a range of sizes was present including those of harvestable size. In addition to the main block of trestles, the grower also has 2 trestles just to the east of the boatyard at Balvicar (Boatyard). Planning permission had been granted for a further 300 trestles to be deployed here. At the time of a second visit to the site on 24 April 2009, there were still just the two racks in place here. This site is also listed in the classification document for 2009 as a mussel site, but mussels have never been cultured here, so there is no requirement for it to be classified for this species. Balvicar (AB 247 072 13). This site has Pacific oyster trestles belonging to two different harvesters and extends along 350 meters of coastline. The smaller of the two, owned by Ewen McAskill, consisted of a few areas of trestles, some of which had old stock on but most of which were empty. According to the harvester, the farm has been inactive for over a year, but would normally be harvested during the autumn. These were primarily confined to the southern end of the site. The larger portion of the trestles, ending to the north, belonged to Caledonian oysters and was in active production. Stock of a range of sizes was present including of a harvestable size. East of Balvicar (AB 247 703 08). This mussel site consisted of two lines with 10 m droppers, and 5 rafts with 10m droppers. Stock of a range of sizes was present on site, including of a harvestable size. Harvesting usually occurs during the summer months,