Category: Conservation
-
Smolt run is underway and as usual, we need rain
As often happens, we come through winter when it rarely ceases to rain and as soon as our smolt run starts, the rain stops, the rivers drop and smolts become vulnerable and slow moving in ever shallowing pools. The first 3 months of 2020 were wet, incessantly wet with almost 500mm of rain falling in…
-
Bywash upgraded at Catrine
The long awaited upgrade to the bywash at Catrine Dam was completed a couple of weeks ago just in time for the anticipated smolt run. This new bywash will function along with the old one that didn’t appear to be particularly attractive to smolts migrating downstream in anything but low flows. Hopefully now there will be…
-
Smolt migration improvements underway at Catrine
Good news is that the work required at Catrine to improve smolt passage is underway. The Board and ART pressed SEPA to require Catrine Community Renewables to make improvements at Catrine Dam since the scheme was commissioned and while some alterations were made, smolts were still prone to delays in 2019. The original installed bywash…
-
Catch returns from 2019 UPDATED
The reported catches from all Ayr and Lugar waters are as below: 44 salmon killed, 163 released making a total reported catch of 207 9 sea trout were reported and all were returned. Missing catch data from 4 influential clubs within the catchment – Muirkirk, Tarbolton, Annbank and Ayr. This doesn’t help and it…
-
Mandatory Conservation Measures for 2020
in ConservationThe Board would like to make all owners, clubs and anglers aware that the entire River Ayr catchment has been designated a ‘Category 3’ river for the 2020 season and mandatory catch and release for all salmon will be required. These conservation measures are a statutory instrument and the Conservation of Salmon (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2019…
-
Sorn Hydro
ART recently asked SEPA to confirm that the works to the fish pass at Sorn Castle had been completed. SEPA responded informing the Trust that they allowed the hydro scheme to commence operation and the operator’s were instructed to do the works over the summer. ART and the DSFB were of the understanding that the…
-
Trout Migration
Ayrshire Rivers Trust recently filmed trout migrating up a burn near Catrine ahead of spawning. Some of these fish may well be sea trout. Often clubs call for trout stocking to attract new members. This video shows that there are excellent quality trout in the middle river and plenty of them too. While they aren’t…
-
The end of the Fishing Season
Well that’s another salmon and trout fishing season over and while we expect it was better than in 2018, it still wasn’t a particularly good season. The Autumn run was again poor but thankfully, there were still a few fish making it upstream. The Lugar often has the better back end run and we will…
-
Glaisnock Fish Pass
Over a year has passed since the Glaisnock fish pass was completed at the A76 road culverts. There have been many moans and groans about this but the fish pass is functional and there’s nothing to stop trout and salmon going through it if they want to. Ayrshire Rivers Trust staff checked the fish pass…