Loch Lomond Fisheries Trust Newsletter December 2012 ǮDeveloping understanding and gathering the evidence required to conserve and enhance naturally self-sustaining populations of native fish and promote effective management of sustainable Ǥǯ LOCH LOMOND FISHERIES TRUST (LLFT) is an environmental charity formed in 2001 to cam- paign for the conservation and restoration of native fish populations in the Loch Lomond, River Leven and Lower Clyde catchment area and the freshwater habitats on which these populations depend. Our management area and main rivers: Falloch Endrick Water is our principle catchment area which was designated as a Ǯ Ǧ Luss Water ǯȋȌ͜͜͞͡Ǥ Fruin Water River Leven Blane Water Chairmans Welcome 2012 has been a particularly positive year for the Loch Lomond Fisheries Trust (LLFT). We are now constituted as a company limited by guarantee with two members of the company; Lo- mond Fisheries Riparian Owners Group (LFROG) and the Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Asso- ciation (LLAIA). The board of directors represent both interested parties plus additional independent directors and the Trust is now looking to recruit more independent directors. Recent changes in the management of the LLAIA have meant that the LLFT and the LLAIA are work- ing in close collaboration to enhance the quality of our rivers around the Loch Lomond catchment. The kind donation to the Trust of a vehicle by the LLAIA in 2012 which is gratefully acknowledged by LLFT and the board of directors. A priority for 2013 is to review our current Fisheries Management Plan. Our new plan will move this programme of work forward and address a number of important issues including invasive species and biosecurity. The future of the Trust is looking bright with an increasing number of volunteers from different back- grounds and the enthusiasm that they bring. Their help supporting our biologist has made all the dif- ference in completing a very full seasons fieldwork this year. It is particularly important to acknowl- edge the continued support we receive from Cameron House and all our supporters and funders with- out whom it would not be possible for us to continue this important work. We look forward to an- other successful year in 2013 and hope for some sunny weather to go with it ! Salmon and Sea Trout research Endrick Water Smolt Trapping Genetics work LLFT monitors salmon and trout populations in LLFT has been involved the Endrick Water using a rotary screw trap in a Scotland wide pro- (pictured) to trap smolts during their migration in ject to map the genetics spring. Smolts are juvenile fish which are migrat- of Salmon populations. ing to the sea and are characterised by their silvery Within the Loch Lo- colour. As they have survived for 1 Ȃ 3 years in the mond catchment we set river before migrating smolts are the best life stage out to identify if the to assess juvenile productivity within a river. Smolt salmon populations capture rates in 2012 were the highest in the 5 years within different rivers of operation with sea trout especially healthy. were genetically differ- ent. Sites were moni- tored on all the major river systems including the Fruin, Blane, Falloch, Endrick and Leven. The outcomes have confirmed that there geneti- cally separate breeding populations in each river system all of which are adapted to survive in these specific areas. Jim Freeman (Trustee) collecting smolts Carrying Capacity - Endrick Water SAC The carrying capacity of a river is the number of fish that can be naturally supported by its environment. Because different life stages such as fry have different habitat requirements from other life stages such as parr, the type of habitat present in the river acts to limit (or put a ceiling level on) the numbers of fish that can be supported. An ambitious project jointly funded by SNH and LLAIA is currently un- derway to determine what this carrying capacity is for salmon and try to answer vitally important questions such as :- Dzoptimum level of production that could be achieved naturally from the available habi- tat ǫdz Habitat Grades for Endrick Water : LLFT has conducted detailed habitat surveys over a total of 20 km of Grade 1 is the best nursery habitat type and Grade 4 is the worst Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 main stem covering the middle and upper Endrick from the Loup of Fintry (the upstream accessible limit for migratory salmonids) down- stream to the Craigbell weir at Gartness. This is a total wetted area of 16% available habitat of about 250,000 sq.m Ȃ of which a little over half (55%) is suitable habitat for juveniles (fry and parr). The important 45% thing is how much good quality nursery habitat is present for produc- 17% tion of juvenile salmon. 33% of all available habitat is excellent or good nursery habitat (grade 1 or 2). This has allowed us to estimate the number of eggs (and therefore pairs of spawning of fish) that are 22% required to fully utilise this habitat to capacity. Biosecurity Invasive Non-Native Plant Species This year a new project has started to combat the growing issue of invasive plant species (INNS) within the Endrick and Blane catchments. The River Endrick was designated as a Ǯ ǯȋȌ͜͜͞͡ Special Sites of Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a National Nature Reserve (NNR). This is a joint project with the Scottish Natural Heritage which aims to survey, monitor and control non-native invasive plant species along the river banks. With help from local volunteers LLFT staff completed walk over surveys of the lower Endrick and the Blane. These focused on 3 main species; Japanese Knot- weed, Himalayan Balsam and Giant Hogweed. Giant Hogweed In spring 2013 we will be starting work on eradication and control of INNS in some of the worst affected locations. LLFT will require further help from vol- unteers to help survey and control the INNS plants next year. If you are inter- ested in this project and want to learn more about the development of the INNS surveys or would like to get involved in volunteer events, then please do contact the LLFT office for further information. Japanese Knotweed Ruffe justice for Powan ! Loch Lomond is home to the nationally rare species Powan (Coregonus lavaretus). Powan is a native fish which is only found naturally in two Scottish lochs, Loch Lomond and Loch Eck. It is a highly protected species whose numbers have been in serious decline in Loch Lomond Ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus) is a close relative of the Perch which was first discovered in Loch Lomond in 1982. Ruffe is an invasive non native species and its discovery here extended its known habitat range a further 250km north from what had previously been recorded. The reasons for the decline of powan are closely related to the introduction of ruffe. The main prob- lem relates to the predation of powan ova (eggs) by adult ruffe. As the ruffe population grew rapidly following introduction, this additional predation pressure had a catastrophic effect. Unlike the native fish whose predation rates are reduced by the cold winter temperatures, ruffe continue to forage at the same rate during winter when powan are spawning. This is seriously impacting the population in Loch Lomond but in Loch Eck (where there are no ruffe) powan are very abundant. As a result of the threat to the native Powan population Loch Lomond Fisheries Trust set up Dzdz Ǥ ENCOUNTERS WITH ALIENS by Ann White I recently took part in a survey of invasive plant species along the banks of the Endrick Water. A small group met in Drymen on Sunday morning and after the preliminary paperwork we set off for Killearn and the bridge at the bottom of Drumtian Road. Dividing into two groups, with a packet of chocolate biscuits per group, we walked downstream to Killearn Bridge, looking out for Himalayan Balsam, Japanese Knotweed and Giant Hogweed. We charted the percentage cover of these species every 250m using a GPS to get accurate positions. It was a beautiful, sunny, autumn morning and we Himalayan Balsam paused to look at a dipper perched on a stone in the river, its white front catching the sun as it bobbed up and down. Further on we entered dense, pathless woodland where we clambered up steep banks, picking our way over dead branches and across small burns, clipboard in hand and pencil between teeth. Then out again into open fields: I was glad I had my wellies on as the going was pretty wet and muddy. Eventually Killearn Bridge came into sight and the end of our first section of river. Getting up to the bridge was quite exciting, scrambling up a steep bank and over a ǯǤ the bridge and after exchanging stories of our morning we found a pleasant picnic spot with views across to Conic Hill. We had found quite a lot of Himalayan Bal- sam and one small patch of knotweed on that section. Suitably refreshed we walked back across the fields to the car and then drove to Drymen Bridge to complete another section of river in the afternoon. Getting to the river here was a bit of an adventure as after climbing down from the bridge we encountered an electric fence Ȃ and yes, it was turned on! So it was back on to the bridge again and up the road for a more civilised approach to river, which at this point borders the golf course. We were amazed at the extent of the Giant Hogweed, a very strange and magnificent plant, that we found between the golf course and the river Ȃ huge stands of it, tower- ing high above our heads.