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River Carron Restoration Research Project newsletter Published

Posted: Friday 5 April, 2013 @ 16:42:58

River Carron Restoration Research Project Newsletter February 2013

The latest River Carron restoration research project progress report can be found on the River Carron Restoration Project website or by clicking here.

This project was set up to sustainably manage the salmon and sea trout stocks of the River Carron and to research the efficacy and impacts of the salmon and sea trout stocking programme.

In 1995 Bob Kindness of Inverness College began a stocking programme on the River Carron following a decline in rod catches. This work was initiated by the River Carron Improvement Association. Since 2000 rod catches have increased dramatically, to the point where 2010 and 2012 were the best years on record. The River Carron Research Project aims to investigate the efficacy of the stocking programme through genetic and ecological studies whilst maintaining salmon stocks on the River Carron. In January 2012 funding was secured for three years to continue the stocking programme and undertake the research project

The River Carron Research Project has now been fully integrated into the Rivers and Lochs Institute led by Eric Verspoor. From 1st February 2013, Eric took over management of the RCRP and will report on progress and development to the RCRP Steering Group. Bob Kindness and Pete Minting (the new research assistant) continue to work on the RCRP, as part of the Rivers and Lochs Institute team. The RLI is integral to the wider development of research activity at Inverness College led by Melanie Smith.

The 12 page newsletter is full of interesting information, including some initial results from research studies. The report describes the current stocking programme and how genetics and computer modelling are being used to assess the outcome of this; a fluvial assessment of the catchment, a summary of the results of the programme of tagging salmon fry and smolts to find out about rates of marine survival and recapture as adult rod-caught salmon, and also results of studies of the number of times marked rod-caught salmon were recaptured.

The latest information about the River Carron Restoration research Project can be found on the website at:   

http://www.rivercarron.org.uk