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Integrating Salmon and Sea Trout within Management of the Moray Firth Dr. James Butler (Director, Spey Fishery Board) Salmon rod fisheries and river conservation Sustainable tourist income Conserves 100% Fishery takes 10% Funding for management of stocks Healthy stocks and river environment Benefit to river ecology Salmon Lifecycle Adult Salmon Tagging Studies (Shearer, 1986 & 1992) Adult Salmon Migration Routes (Shearer, 1986 & 1992) Coastal predation Legal & illegal netting • 130 dolphins Dolphins & seals • 700 common seals • 300 grey seals • Catching ? fish • 15 netting stations • Catching 8,000 fish 180,000 salmon 80,000 sea trout Commercial fisheries Pelagic fisheries Dolphins & seals Sea trout, salmon Herring, sprats, sandeels The SAC Conundrum • Salmon (PREY) are declining • Common seals (PREDATOR) are declining • Bottlenose dolphins (PREDATOR) are declining • Common and grey seals (PREDATOR) are protected in the Moray Firth by Conservation Order (2002-2004) due to PDV outbreak WHICH SPECIES TAKES PRIORITY? What actions are impossible? 1. Culling dolphins • SAC population declining • Source of tourist income (£720,000 per year) 2. Culling common seals • SAC population declining • Contribute to tourist income What actions are possible? 1. Targeting problem seals in river mouths? • Most damage done by few problem animals? • Grey seals not in decline and outwith common seal SAC • Appropriate methods: lethal or non-lethal? • Management plan for Moray Firth seals needed • Process begun by Scottish Executive pre-PDV but stalled What actions are possible? 2. Reduce salmon netting? • Declining surplus • Mixed-stock interceptory fisheries • Would reduced catch buffer dolphin and seal predation? • BUT economic impact on traditional activity? What actions are possible? 3. Reduce pelagic fishery? • Pelagic fish are basic diet for all predators in Moray Firth • Would reduced catch benefit salmon and sea trout feeding? • Would reduced catch buffer dolphin and seal predation on salmon and sea trout? • BUT difficulties of dealing with North Sea fisheries policies What actions are possible? 4. Relocate salmon aquaculture? • No risk of disease or escapes on wild salmon and sea trout • Scottish Executive Aquaculture Strategy and TWG reviewing location of salmon farms • No current salmon farm production in Moray Firth • Relocate freshwater salmon farm cage sites? Operation Fish Net Dolphin deaths from illegal gill nets Fishery Board patrols • Reduces salmon losses • Prevents dolphin deaths Illegal Gill Nets Recovered, 2002-03 Possible Moray Firth action 1. Seal management plan? 2. Review salmon netting? 3. Review commercial pelagic fisheries? 4. Relocate salmon farms? 5. Expand Operation Fish Net?