£158,750 boost for project to enhance health of Argyll and Lochaber fish stocks

A three-year project aimed at enhancing the health of wild and farmed fish in and around the coastal waters of Argyll and Lochaber is to receive a grant of £158,750 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

The project, costing a total £230,125, will be delivered and funded by a partnership involving HIE, local fisheries trusts and fishery boards, and private sector companies including Aquascot, Murray Seafoods, Lighthouse of Scotland, Marine Harvest and Scottish Sea Farms. It will include the development of six new area management agreements (AMAs) covering Loch Ailort, Loch Sunart, the Firth of Lorne (South), the
Sound of Jura, West Mull and the Sound of Bute.  These will complement existing management agreements already completed for Loch Nevis and Loch Linnhe/Firth of Lorne (North)/ the Sound of Mull and Loch Fyne. The grant is part of HIE's ongoing support for the 'Tripartite Working Group', which comprises salmon farming and salmon and sea trout fisheries
interests and the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD).  This was set up in 1999 against a backdrop of a long term decline in stocks of wild salmon and sea trout in rivers of the north west Highlands and Islands, and is also receiving support from HIE for similar projects in the Western Isles and the North West Mainland.

Iain Sutherland of HIE's key industries team, said:  "The health of both farmed and wild fish stocks across the Highlands and islands is extremely important to the economy of the area.  It is crucial that steps are taken to improve this wherever possible and the enterprise network is committed to this effort.  Argyll and Lochaber are key areas for both salmon and sea trout fisheries and aquaculture, and as such are priority areas for this
initiative.  Area management agreements will bring a more co-ordinated approach to the localised management of stocks as well as helping to identify best practices, which can in turn be shared more widely."

HIE has also supported the employment of the national development officer for the group, Dr Amanda Currie, who works from her home on the island of Lismore:  "There is no shortage of commitment to this initiative," she said.  "As well as the support from the enterprise network, we also have the fisheries management interests, the local authorities and private
sector companies on board.  I very much welcome this commitment and look forward to working with all those parties on the development of the area management agreements."

Jane Wright, of the Argyll Fisheries Trust is chair of the AMA covering Loch Linnhe, The Firth of Lorne (North), Loch Etive and the Sound of Mull.  She is convinced that the better understanding between wild fish interests and the aquaculture industry brought about by AMA's will lead to an improvement in wild fish stocks and says there are signs that this is already happening.

She added:  "Both Fisheries Trusts in Lochaber and Argyll are delighted with the project funding. The Trust's resources are at present stretched to the limit in servicing present agreements and the HIE funding will allow the development of AMA's in the remaining areas.  At the end of the project, almost all fisheries wild and farmed, in Argyll and Lochaber will be covered.  This should underpin the future of both industries".

Laurance Larmour, fisheries director for the Lochaber District Salmon Fishery Board said:  "This funding is vitally important for the future survival of salmon and sea trout in Lochaber and Argyll. The package will ensure that wild fisheries interests and fish farmers can work proactively to ensure a mutually satisfactory future for both sectors, and especially from the LDSFB point of view, continuing increases in the numbers of wild fish that were seen last year."

Brian Simpson, Chief Executive of Scottish Quality Salmon, commented: "Our members are committed to high standards of fish health and welfare as well as building better and productive working relationships, to secure long term sustainable salmon farming and wild salmon fisheries. This can only be good for Scottish jobs and the Scottish economy."