Category: Environment
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Reducing Silt inputs in the Ayr Catchment
Restoration work on Mauchline Burn Ayrshire Rivers Trust recently secured funding for restoration work on the Mauchline Burn (a.k.a. The Chalk River) with the ultimate aim of reducing silt and nutrient inputs and restoring a functional trout and salmon population within this small watercourse. In recent years, the burn has suffered from repeat pollution incidents…
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Severe Pollution on the River Ayr
By now, there are pictures circulating on social media re a serious pollution incident on the River Ayr at Catrine. Ayrshire Rivers Trust were quickly made aware of the problem and were in attendance within 15 minutes of hearing of the developing situation. We can’t state any more than the Board have been kept informed…
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Another issue currently threatening the river
in EnvironmentAnother potential problem has arisen on the Ayr with a weir at Carine undermining. It is the weir downstream of the institute adjacent to Ballochmyle Road. We received a message about this earlier today and went for a look as soon as we could. This weir carries a sewer to the Catrine Sewage Treatment works…
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Smolt Migration at Catrine
With April being a very dry month, flow in the river is at base levels and as low as we’ve seen for many years. At the time when smolts are descending the river, this is a worrying time as they are easily delayed by a lack of water and this leaves them vulnerable to predation…
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Nethermills Hydro scheme commences
We have had a few calls looking for information on what’s happening at Dam Park / Nethermills on the Ayr. Machinery moved onto site over the weekend and contractors started working today. An Archimedes screw type hydro scheme is being built along with a turbine house that will generate electricity for the College. The Energy…
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Wild or Farmed?
Ayrshire Rivers Trust received a video call today from an angler who had just caught a salmon on the Irvine that he thought may be a farmed fish escaped from Carradale 3 weeks ago. Impressed by his ingenuity we quickly were able to confirm that indeed this was an escaped farmed salmon and it…
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The Latest advice on what to do if you catch an escaped farmed salmon
Following the escape of 48,000+ farmed salmon at Carradale in the Firth of Clyde 2 weeks ago, reports are now reaching fishery managers that a few of these fish are beginning to turn up in Ayrshire’s rivers. Please look closely at any fish and make the right decisions. Here’s a link to the latest guidance produced…
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Fish Farm escapes at Carradale, Firth of Clyde
Ayrshire Rivers Trust are working closely with Fishery Management Scotland, other neighbouring Trusts and DSFBs to respond to the fish farm escape of salmon into the Forth of Clyde at Carradale. MOWI have now managed to assess all cages and provided a count on the fish they have lost. Over 48,000 salmon around 4.3kg in…
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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…