A p a r t n e r s h i p t o c a r e f o r t h e C l y d e : i t s e n v i r o n m e n t , i t s p e o p l e a n d i t s v i s i t o r s

Autumn 2009 Issue 10

Inside this issue

• Mylne Regatta

• Marine Stewardship Council

• Ailsa Craig seabird monitoring report

• Firth of Clyde Marine Spatial Plan update

• Creatures of the Clyde - a diver’s perspective

2Contents

4 Events Focus

• Arran Wildlife Festival

• Glasgow River Festival

• Dunoon Water’s Edge Event, Beach Watch 2009

7 Feature Articles

• Marine Stewardship Council

• A fruitful Clyde

• Marine Scotland and the Marine (Scotland) Bill, SSMEI Update

• Ailsa Craig Seabird Survey 2009

13 Recreation Focus

• The Mylne Classic Regatta 2009

• Creatures in the Clyde - a diver’s perspective

15 Firth Photography

• Homecoming Scotland 2009 / Placebook Scotland photography competition

16 A Day in the Life

Front cover photograph: Glen Shiel with a gentle ripple on the bow © A. Mylne & Co.

Printed on recycled paper

Firth of Clyde ForumUpdate

Welcome to the Autumn 2009 edition of

Clyde Breakers! The newsletter has not

been issued for a while as there have

been changes to Forum personnel over

the last 6 months. Claire Pescod has moved

to a new job at the Marine Stewardship

Council (MSC), where she works with fisheries,

retailers and restaurants throughout Scotland

who wish to receive MSC certification.You can

read more about this in the article on page 7.

We would like to thank Claire for her excellent

work with the Forum and wish her all the best

in her new role.

Meanwhile, Fiona Mills, the new Project

Manager started work full-time from

September. Fiona has a keen interest in the

marine environment and has just finished an

MSc degree in Marine Resource Development

and Protection at Heriot-Watt University.

The Forum has continued to work closely with

the SSMEI project team and also in matters

surrounding the Marine Bill and strategies for

the marine environment. We have recently

attended the first Marine Strategy Forum

meeting, a Marine Scotland workshop on socio-

economic marine objectives and a Marine Bill

Conference.We have also been out and about

in the local community presenting to students

at the University Marine Biological Station at

Millport, taking part in the Dunoon Water's

Edge Event and helping to organise a beach

clean at Dumbarton - see page 6.

In this issue of Clyde Breakers we have pulled

together a diverse range of articles for your

interest and information and thanks go to all

those who have contributed.As usual, if you

have any topics you would like to see in the

next issue of Clyde Breakers, or indeed on our

website at www.clydeforum.com, then please

let us know.

Best wishes,

Isabel Glasgow

Firth of Clyde Forum Chair, and

Fiona Mills

Firth of Clyde Forum Project Manager

Firth of Clyde Forum Annual Conference 20093

Marine Planning: from global origins to local reality

19th November, St Andrew's in the Square, Glasgow

As the Marine Bill works its way through Parliament and the SSMEI Clyde Pilot Project prepares to publish theFirth of Clyde Marine Spatial Plan, it is an appropriate time for us to consider international ocean governance andhow that translates into marine planning at a local level.We are privileged to have expert speakers from a widerange of disciplines presenting at the conference this year and providing inspiration for the afternoon workshopsessions where we will consider the Clyde Action Plan.

If you are interested in attending this year’s conference, then please complete the booking form enclosed with thiscopy of Clyde Breakers or contact us on 0141 951 0820 or clyde@clydeforum.org.

ProgrammeTime

10:00

10:30

10:40

11:20

11:50

12:30

13:20

14:00

14:15 -16:00

16:00

Event

Registration and Refreshments

Welcome

Ocean Governance: international challenges

Marine Planning in Scotland

What does Marine Planning mean for nature conservation?

Lunch

The Firth of Clyde Marine Spatial Plan - lessons learnt

Introduction to workshops

Workshops to discuss Action Plan from the Firth of ClydeMarine Spatial Plan.

There will be a break for refreshments.

Close

Speaker

Isabel Glasgow, Chair, Firth of Clyde Forum

Sunil Shastri, Lecturer in Marine Policy, Centrefor Environmental and Marine Sciences,University of Hull

Linda Rosborough, Deputy Director, MarineStrategy Division, Marine Scotland

To be confirmed

John Eddie Donnelly, formerly Project Officer,SSMEI Clyde Pilot Project

4Events Focus

Arran Wildlife Festival 2009

The fourth Arran Wildlife Festival was held from the13 to the 20 May 2009 and proved again that this eventis a very successful format for interpreting andenjoying the wildlife of the island.The Festival has aclearly defined purpose to “foster a greater awareness,appreciation and understanding of the local wildlifethrough a focus on education and conservation”.Thisis achieved by offering a wide range of activities tohelp local residents, visitors to the island and schoolchildren celebrate the special wildlife of the island in asustainable way.

Over 70 events were held over 8 days and approximately 550bookable places were filled. Hundreds more people enjoyednon-bookable events such as evening talks and a Family FunDay. Events included guided walks run by RSPB Scotland, NTS,NAC and FCS Ranger services,Arran Natural History Society,

Scottish Natural Heritage and the Community of Arran SeabedTrust.There were RIB trips with Arran Power and Sail andOcean Breeze Ribtours. RSPB volunteers were on theCaledonian Isle over the weekend, pointing out birds from theboat, and there were art exhibitions and evening talks at anumber of locations.A photographic competition produced awinning entry of a black guillemot of such a high standard thatit will form a key part of next year’s publicity.

In 2009, the Festival was hosted for the first time by the ArranNatural History Society, through an organising committee withrepresentatives from conservation organisations and localbusinesses as well as dedicated volunteers. Funding wasgenerously provided by Argyll and Islands Leader Programme,Scottish Natural Heritage,Awards for All,Arran Natural HistorySociety and North Ayrshire Council.Additional funds weredonated by participants and sponsors and a novel visitorpayback scheme was piloted by Arran Power and Sail.

A particular emphasis was placed on building capacity forleading events through a free first aid course and leadership dayfor volunteer guides and purchase of event equipment such asfirst aid kits, binoculars, a laptop and projector.

The festival was a great success if feedback from participants isanything to go by, with 100% of respondents rating their guideto be good or very good and 99% of respondents rating thevalue for money for events to be good or very good. Of thesurvey respondents, 82% were visitors to the island and 80% ofvisiting respondents came for a week or more. Interestingly, thefestival also appears to be attracting visitors in its own right,with 50% of respondents saying that the festival influenced theirdecision to come to Arran.

The organising committee is delighted with the success of 2009but already has ideas for further improvements to be made in2010.The fifth Arran Wildlife Festival will run from 12 to 19May 2010 and preparations are already underway to ensure this

event continues and builds on previoussuccess. For regular updates and thelatest festival programme, please seewww.arranwildlife.co.uk or contact LucyWallace, the festival coordinator, on07501 337532.

Winning black guillemot photo by L Holburn

Boat trip with COAST divers in Lamlash Bay

RIB trip to Ailsa Craig RSPB Reserve

5

The Glasgow River Festival once again proved asummer success as thousands descended on the RiverClyde in July to take in the events and activities onoffer.

Now in its sixth year, the event has become a popular mainstayin the city’s event calendar and this year 90,000 people turnedup to take part in the fun, based in and around GlasgowHarbour, the SECC and the Glasgow Science Centre.

An action-packed weekend of entertainment and (mostly!)sunny weather brought in a bumper crowd to the Clydeside asattendances topped last year’s equally impressive figures.

There was something for everyone over both days, but therewere some particular standout events during the festival. Livepirate action was one of the big highlights of the weekend asthe crews of ships Zebu and Vilma battled it out using cannons,muskets and their wits to claim the bounty.

Record Crowds for the GlasgowRiver Festival

Freestyle Jet ski championLee Stone proved to behugely popular with thecrowds too, with fearlessdisplays of breathtaking skill.

Other weekend fun on theriver included powerboatrides, an appearance by Navymine hunter warship HMSBlyth, and scenic cruisesdown the Clyde on theWaverley, the world’s lastocean-going paddle steamer.

The fun was no less excitingon land, with local bandsplaying throughout Saturdayand Sunday and live scienceexperiments with BBC’s BangGoes the Theory roadshow.

Fans of the CBBC showRaven were treated to an

appearance by the star himself during both days of the festival,and the Glasgow Science Centre conducted their own scienceexperiments in conjunction with the BBC as part of the Blood,Bile and Body Bits Show.

The weekend’s action finished with the traditional curtaincloser, the Duck Race, as 20,000 toy ducks took to the Clyde insupport of Marie Curie Cancer Care.

The Lord Provost of Glasgow Bob Winter said:“The RiverClyde has been – and continues to be – an important feature ofGlasgow life and the Glasgow River Festival has once againproved a great way to celebrate its heritage”

“I’m delighted that so many people turned up at the weekendfor what was a spectacular two days of entertainment.”

The event was free throughout the weekend, with StrathclydePassenger Transport also providing a popular free shuttle busservice from Glasgow city centre and beyond to the festivalsite.

For further information on what to see and do in Glasgow, visit:www.seeglasgow.com

© See Glasgow

© Fiona Mills © Fiona Mills

6Events Focus

Dunoon Water’s Edge EventArdentinny Beach, 12th September 2009

Around 200 people visited this year’s Water’s Edge Event on what turnedout to be a gloriously sunny Saturday in September.The crowd was a mixtureof local residents and holidaymakers who came to Ardentinny Beach to enjoy theweather and visit the exhibitors’ stands. Exhibitors included Loch Lomond & TheTrossachs National Park,The Marine Conservation Society, RSPB, Strathclyde PoliceWildlife Crime Unit, Group for Recycling in Argyll and Bute (GRAB) Trust, the ScottishSea Angling Conservation Network and The Firth of Clyde Forum.There were plentyof hands-on activities for children including a rock pool to meet some marine critters,facepainting and arts & crafts.The event was the culmination of a week of educationalactivity in the area organised by the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park andsupported by the Marine Conservation Society’s Cool Seas programme.

Clydesdale Bank volunteers were also rolling theirsleeves up to help with the coastal clean-up duringSeptember. Several employees requested a day ofbeach cleaning through their company volunteerscheme and so on a sunny September day, ScottishBusiness in the Community arranged for 11 people toclear up the Dunbartonshire shoreline to the east ofthe Castle.This is a popular area for recreation for thelocal community.West Dunbartonshire Councilsupplied bags, gloves and litter pickers and the hardworking volunteers collected over 60 bags of rubbish.

Marine Conservation SocietyBeachwatch Big Weekend 2009

This year saw a good response in the Clyde area to the MCS annual BeachWatch event which took place on 19th and 20th September. Volunteers fromall around the Firth took part in beach cleans to clear and also to record the rubbishcollecting on our shores. Surveys have generally recorded a 110% increase in theamount of beach litter compared to records in 1994 with debris coming from thepublic, fishing, sanitary waste (in particular cotton buds) and shipping. Last year Scottishbeaches had the highest density of both public litter and sewage-related debris of anycountry in the UK.This litter is not only an eyesore, but can also harm and kill marinelife. Recording the extent of the problem can also help to influence changes to laws ondisposal of waste at sea and sewage treatment.

Cleans organised by volunteers in the Clyde area during 19th/20th September 2009

County Nearest Town BeachArgyll & Bute Clynder Clynder

Lochgilphead Crinan FerryHelensburgh East Bay HelensburghArrochar Finnart Oil Terminal

(underwater clean)Cambeltown Kilkerran, Davaar Island and the DhorlinInverary Loch ShiraInverary Newtown BayCarradale Shore Road Beach

Inverclyde Gourock Lunderston BayIsle of Cumbrae Millport BallochmartinNorth Ayrshire Irvine Irvine

Largs Largs Pencil BeachSouth Ayrshire Girvan Ballantrae

Prestwick Prestwick (South)Troon Troon South Beach

Renfrewshire Erskine Beach

For further information as results of this Beach Watch come out and for information about nextyear’s event, keep an eye on www.adoptabeach.org.uk Beach cleaning © Claire Pescod

© Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park.

7Features

Fresh Cornish mackerel © MSC

Claire Pescod recently moved from the Firth of ClydeForum to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), theworld's leading certification and ecolabelling programfor sustainable seafood. Here Claire explains her newrole as the MSC's first Scottish Fisheries OutreachOfficer and how the MSC is working to safeguard theworld's seafood stocks for this and future generations.

“Global overfishing has risen to the unenviable position ofthe world's second greatest sustainability challenge - onlybeaten by climate change.The MSC's mission is to use itseco-label and fishery certification programme to contributeto the health of the world's oceans by recognising andrewarding sustainable fishing practices, providing an incentivefor other fisheries to change their practices, influencing thechoices people make when buying seafood and working withpartners to transform the seafood market to a sustainablebasis.

Sustainable fishing is just about one of the most complicatedbits of food-related science available and the plethora ofguides, red lists and traffic light systems available to a busyconsumer is testament to how difficult it can be to do theright thing.What you really need is a pocket marine biologist- or better still, a team of them - to tell you if the fish you'resourcing really is sustainable.

That's exactly what the MSC does and an increasing numberof restaurants and supermarkets are using the blue MSC eco-label on their menus and products to give their customersthe ultimate assurance that they are doing everything possibleto source sustainably.“

Here in Scotland many fisheries have already embraced theMSC programme and may more are following their lead.More than half of all Scottish fisheries by value arecurrently certified or in full assessment; ninety percent ofScotland's pelagic fisheries are MSC-certified; and, 7% ofthe world's MSC-certified fisheries are Scottish.This is agood start for Scotland and shows the commitment thatmany Scottish fishermen have made to sustainable fishingand Claire is working to improve on this positive start.Locally, the Clyde Fisheries Development Project (CFDP)is working towards MSC certification for Clydelangoustine.

Look for the fish with the tickScottish certified fisheries:

• Loch Torridon creel caught langoustine

• Stornoway trawl caught langoustine

• Scottish Pelagic Sustainability Group (SPSG) North Sea Herring

• SPSG western component of North East Atlantic mackerel

Scottish Fisheries in Assessment:

• CFDP Clyde langoustine

• Scottish Fisheries Sustainable Accreditation Group (SFSAG) North Sea langoustine

• SFSAG North Sea haddock

• SPSG Atlanto Scandian herring

There are also a number of Scottish fisheries in the confidentialpre-assessment stage.

Globally, around 150 fisheries are engaged in the MSCprogramme including 56 certified fisheries, and there are morethan 2,800 seafood products available with the blue MSC eco-label sold in 59 countries.The number of Scottish products withthe MSC eco-label is increasing rapidly and as more Scottishfisheries become certified the number and diversity of ScottishMSC-ecolabeled products will improve.

Claire (who is based in the MSC's Edinburgh office when she isnot travelling around Scotland meeting fishermen, processorsand chefs), is a dedicated point of contact for the MSC inScotland providing advice and information to anyone,particularly fisheries, interested in the MSC programme. Shealso oversees the Scottish Inshore Fisheries Project which has aparticular focus on inshore fisheries to ensure the MSCprogramme is fully accessible to fisheries of all sizes andgeographies.

Claire adds,“By working with fishermen, the supply chain andconsumers the MSC is transforming the world's seafoodmarkets, promoting sustainable fishing practices locally andglobally and contributing to the health of the world's oceans.”

For further information on the MSC, please contact Claire onclaire.pescod@msc.org or 075 455 03866.

8Features

A fruitful ClydeAn article by John Hancox

“Over the past few years – as partof developing the Children’sOrchard and more recently TheCommonwealth Orchard – I’vefloated the idea of a Clyde RiverOrchard - A Fruitful Clyde – withvarious planners, politicians,teachers and tourist board people.And it’s an idea that is graduallystarting to blossom and bear fruit.

The seed of the idea was planted when Itook a group of school pupils from StMungos Academy in Glasgow’s East Endto visit an old orchard in the ClydeValley.The young people picked loads ofapples which were taken back and usedin home economics by the school.Wewent and looked at the river Clyde thatflows past the orchard – it’s fast flowingand beautiful there – and someone asked– what if we drop an apple in there –where will it go?

It opened discussions about this beingthe same river as flows through Glasgow.And that if we dropped an apple in – itwould (perhaps) bob along the Clydethrough the centre of Glasgow and downto the estuary. It struck me as an

interesting way to get people thinkingabout the Clyde and the differentcommunities living along it.After a fewdays our apple could be in Dumbarton,Helensburgh, Bute,Arran?

The Clyde has a long history of fruitgrowing. Most associated with fruit

growing is the Clyde Valley – the upperreaches – which has been a major fruitgrowing area for hundreds of years.Despite a steep decline in orchards overmany years – some remnants do remain– and work is taking place now throughthe Clyde Valley Orchard initiative torestore some of these old orchards.

Lower down the Clyde in Glasgow, theMerchant City – is built on what wasonce an ancient pear orchard – mostprobably planted by monks fromGlasgow Cathedral. Monasteries andchurches have always had a tradition ofplanting orchards, dating back manyhundreds of years.And big houses suchas Pollok have walled gardens with oldfruit trees.

Further down the Clyde at Cardross,Helensburgh, on Bute, and in many otherplaces there is a long history of fruitgrowing. Since Roman times in fact –along with flushing toilets, the Romansbrought us fruit trees.The wild apples ofcourse originate in Kazakstan, and weremoved along the trade routes such asthe silk road.

So what then is the vision for a FruitfulClyde? What might this look like in 10 or20 years time? A time in whichwidespread local food growing is likely tostart to be a reality.

The vision for a Fruitful Clyde is that theClyde Valley and other surrounding areasstart to provide for the needs of people

All photos © John Hancox/The Children’s Orchard

9

living in the central belt.That fruit shopsin Glasgow will stock local plums andapples as everyday goods rather thansomething of a luxury.The vision is thatthere will be a lot more communityorchards planted – in parks and gardens,and in public spaces.The vision is ofcommunities creating delicious publicspaces – where you can eat fruit fromthe trees.

The vision of a Fruitful Clyde is one ofpeople coming together to shareknowledge and ideas, and to createconnections along the wider Clydecorridor. It may involve tourist trails –blossom trails in Spring and harvest trailsin Autumn where people can go andtaste and enjoy good fruit fresh from thetree.

And lest you think this is an apple pie inthe Sky vision – much of it is alreadyhappening.There are lots of Glasgowschools, and also schools in EastRenfrewshire, East and WestDunbartonshire, in Inverclyde and Paisley,in Helensburgh and on Bute plantingschool orchards.There are lots ofcommunity groups too – ranging fromHousing Associations, regenerationcompanies, and a range of charities andchurches – planting fruit.There arecompanies supporting communitiesthrough employee volunteer schemes,and by donating trees.There areindividual landowners and estatesplanting fruit trees. It’s about property

developers, landscape architects andothers putting fruit trees into thelandscape to create new orchards forthe 21st Century.

The bits of the jigsaw are appearing: thequestion is how to create the BigPicture – a joined up vision of a FruitfulClyde? It requires drawing all thesegroups together into a coherent andfruitful whole.

So what does a Fruitful Clyde look like?Well, here are some ideas:

To get rural and urban schools together– in a twinning arrangement to plantfruit trees in each other’s school – tocreate a bond of friendship;

To get communities to visit each other,exchange ideas, – and perhaps alsoplant in each others area;

To get blossom and harvest trailspromoted by tourist boards;

Skilling people up, to grow their ownfood, and children growing up with fruitgrowing in their streets; and It’s aboutcreating a healthy, pleasant and deliciousfuture.

It’s an idea that seems to appeal to manypeople. If it resonates with you, I’d bevery happy to discuss how to makeScotland a more fruitful place. It’s apersonal vision I have articulated here –but it’s one lots of people seem to share.I found a nice quote from Yeats to leaveyou with… “If what I say resonates withyou, it’s that we are branches on thesame tree.”

For more information, please contactJohn Hancox 0778 606 3918

www.childrensorchard.co.ukwww.commonwealthorchard.com

10Features

Marine Scotland is the marine managementorganisation for Scotland. It was established on April1 2009 as a Directorate of the Scottish Government(SG), integrating core marine functions involvingscientific research, compliance monitoring, planningand policy functions and management of Scotland’sseas. It combines the functions and resources of theformer SG Marine Directorate, Fisheries ResearchServices (FRS) and the Scottish Fisheries ProtectionAgency (SFPA).

Marine Scotland’s goal is to manage Scotland’s seas forprosperity and environmental sustainability in order topromote sustainable economic growth and the achievement ofour Marine Vision of clean, healthy, safe, productive, biologicallydiverse marine and coastal environments, managed to meet thelong term needs of people and nature. Its objectives are:

to promote sustainable, profitable and well managed fisheriesand aquaculture industries in Scotland

to promote the marine renewables industry in Scotlandthrough streamlined planning and regulatory frameworks

to ensure a sound evidence base to inform the developmentand delivery of marine policy, planning and services

to ensure effective compliance and enforcement arrangements

to continue the integration of functions and resources and todevelop the organisation’s skills, competencies and capacity for

new challenges, including potential new functions andresponsibilities under the Marine (Scotland) Bill.

Resources:

Marine Scotland has around 700 staff in total. Its main officesare in Edinburgh and at its Marine Laboratory in Aberdeen, witha wider network of offices including the Freshwater FisheriesLaboratory at Pitlochry and fishery offices around the Scottishcoast. It operates a fleet of four patrol vessels for inspections atsea, two aircraft for aerial reconnaissance and two researchvessels.

Marine Scotland’s ability to meet its purpose will be enhancedby the powers proposed in the Scottish Marine Bill.

The Scottish Marine Bill

Scotland’s first Marine Bill was introduced to Parliament in Aprilthis year, meeting demands from a wide diversity of marineusers – industry, conservation bodies and the leisure interestsalike for better and sustainable management of the marineenvironment.

The Marine (Scotland) Bill introduces a framework for thesustainable management of the seas around Scotland, ensuringthe need to protect our seas is integrated with economicgrowth of marine industries. It introduces:

Marine planning: a new statutory marine planning system tosustainably manage the increasing, and often conflicting,

Marine Scotland and the Marine (Scotland) Bill

Photo (top) © Sue Scott/MNCR/SNHPhoto © George Logan/SNH

11

SSMEI Clyde Pilot Update

The past year has been a busyand exciting one for the SSMEIClyde Pilot project team, whichsaw the launch, on 31 March2009, of the first draft Firth ofClyde Marine Spatial Plan.Speaking at the launch, held on the TallShip in Glasgow, RoseannaCunningham, Scottish EnvironmentMinister, said:“The ScottishGovernment is determined to makemarine planning and managementmore efficient, inclusive and accessible– both now and for futuregenerations. I very much welcome thisdraft plan, a first for the Clyde whichwill help inform the futuredevelopment of marine planning inScotland, and I congratulate everyoneinvolved in its preparation”

The draft Plan was the outcome ofintensive effort on the part of boththe project team and Steering Groupto develop a voluntary Plan through aprocess of consensus amongstakeholders and regulators.Thelaunch was followed by a 12-weekpublic consultation period, duringwhich the project team travelled tocommunities throughout the Plan areato provide information on the Planand encourage local residents tosubmit their comments. Over 20,000information leaflets were alsodistributed to encourage publicengagement in the planning process.

Since the close of the consultationperiod, the project team have beencollating and analysing the commentsreceived.A full report on theconsultation will be published with thefinal draft of the Plan in spring 2010.The outcome of the consultation willinform both the revision and trialimplementation of the Firth of ClydeMarine Spatial Plan and the ongoingdevelopment of statutory marinespatial planning in Scotland.

Update courtesy of Kate Thompson,SSMEI Clyde Pilot Project.

demands on our seas whilst protecting the marine environment.

Marine licensing: a simpler licensing system, minimising the number of licencesrequired for development in the marine environment to cut bureaucracy andencourage economic investment

Marine conservation: improved marine nature and historic conservation with newpowers to protect and manage areas of importance for marine wildlife, habitats,wrecks and other submerged sited of interest.

Seal conservation: much improved protection for seals and a new comprehensivelicence system to ensure appropriate management when necessary

Enforcement: a range of enhanced powers for marine conservation and licensing

Marine Scotland is charged with leading the delivery of Scotland’s marine vision - tomanage Scotland’s seas for prosperity and environmental sustainability.The ScottishMarine Bill, if enacted, will provide the basis for a coherent system of marinemanagement for the seas around Scotland.

Article courtesy of Wendy Geary, Marine Scotland

Photo © Sue Scott/MNCR/SNH

Photo © courtesy of C.Duck.

12

Ailsa Craig Seabird Survey 2009Ailsa Craig was visited on four separate occasions toundertake seabird survey and monitoring.This was themost complete survey by RSPB since leasing the islandfive years ago and provides some interestingcomparisons with the results of the Seabird 2000survey.

Ailsa Craig is an instantly recognisable and iconic island in thefirth of Clyde. For many years it was plagued by rats, which hada devastating impact on ground and burrow nesting birds. In1991, after intensive baiting and monitoring, the island wasdeclared free from these rodents.

Thankfully, puffins, wheatears, black guillemots and shelduckshave returned to breed on the island since then but thequestion over whether Manx shearwaters and storm petrelsare once again breeding on Ailsa Craig was one reason for thisyear’s surveys.

Poor weather hampered a dedicated puffin survey, but countsindicated a slowly spreading colony of about 55 occupiedburrows, with July visits recording lots of food being broughtback by adults.A surprisingly high figure of 132 black guillemotswas recorded in late April, the majority on shore. BernieZonfrillo, who has researched the island for many years,suggests some may not be breeding but journeying from themainland to feed on the rich supply of butterfish around theisland.Whatever the explanation, these charismatic littleseabirds are doing well once more on the Craig.

Surveying the vast numbers of auks on the island is not easyand only one count was possible this year, meaning numbersmay be overestimated but in July, a total of 11,668 individualguillemots and 1030 razorbills were counted on the cliffs.

Species that are not doing so well appear to be fulmars,kittiwakes and gulls. Only 174 fulmar nests found and sadly,since Seabird 2000, kittiwake numbers have decreased from1675 nests to only 428, mirroring what is happening elsewherein the country.The herring gull population has also fallendramatically in recent years from 1450 pairs in 2000 to only345-450 individuals recorded in June this year.These are hard

birds to survey, but this shows just how much their numbershave fallen in the last nine years.

Disappointingly, despite much searching and call playbackaround suitable looking burrows around the island, noconfirmed evidence of breeding Manx shearwater was found,although surveyors were treated to the arrival of calling maleand female Manx shearwaters every night. Bernie Zonfrillo hasreported the same thing and it seems highly likely that for anumber of years now Manx shearwaters have been breeding insmall numbers on Ailsa Craig – they are just hard to find. Stormpetrels proved even more elusive, with no contact made but wehope to look for both species again next year.

Gannets were not formally surveyed in 2009 but the colonyappears to be expanding beyond the 32,000 pairs recorded bySeabird 2000, continuing to reach above the cliffs onto theslopes, most notably in the southwest of the island. It is hopedto undertake aerial counts of the whole colony next year toprovide an up to date picture of how this most numerous ofAilsa’s seabirds is faring.

Report courtesy of Zoe Clelland, Senior Conservation Officer, RSPB

Photos Puffin, Fulmar and Ailsa Craig © Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)

Features

13Recreation Focus

Classic yachts created by one ofScotland’s most famous ship designersreturned to the Clyde in July.Victoriannaval architect Alfred Mylne openedhis first office in Glasgow in 1896 andduring his career designed over 400yachts,many of which are still sailing indifferent parts of the world.Twelve ofthem gathered in the Clyde for aRegatta.This is the account of theevent by David Gray from Mylne & Co.

Held on the Clyde from the 12th to the16th July 2009, twelve beautiful Mylneyachts enjoyed glorious sunshine for theinaugural Mylne Classic Regatta.Withnearly 100 years of progressive yacht

design on display, the fleet gathered foran open day on Sunday 12th at RhuMarina, where members of the publicwere invited to inspect the assembledyachts and admire their glorious lines,and shining bright work.

In Class 1 the oldest yacht present wasthe 1903 Solent Class Kelpie, also knownas the oldest 12m yacht in the world.Trucked up by her enthusiastic ownerPelham Olive, her towering gaff rig andmultiple sails, sheets and halyards earnedher the nickname the ‘string boat’ byReid Kempe, owner of Chicane currentlybeing restored in Bermuda. Kelpie sailedagainst the hugely impressive Eileen II,ex-Albyn (1934) which at 92ft was thelargest yacht present. Eileen II’s normalstomping ground is the west coast ofNorway, and her owners Erling Stormand Rene Rostant brought the gaff riggedketch through some fierce conditions totake part in the event.

Her regal crew and imposing formcertainly added to the elegance of the

event. One of Alfred Mylne II’s favouriteyachts, and a well known yacht on theClyde scene, Glenafton (1967) completedthe Class 1 line up.

In Class II the gorgeous double enderMaid of Lorn (1908) looked resplendentwith her tan sails, and was the eventualwinner of the ‘Concours d’elegance’ prizeprovided by Fairlie Restoration.We hadtwo Scottish Island Class yachtscompeting, Shona (2000) and Isla (1928),the latter winning ‘Best presented crew’presented by Morag Nicolson.The racingwas close against the Mersey MylneMerrimac (1934) which came all the wayfrom Birkenhead, and the Glen Class

yachts Glen Moyle, GlenShiel and Glen Elg (1945 -1956) which came all theway from StrangfordLough.The local yachtTrefoil (1947) was one ofAlfred Mylne 1st’s lastdesigns, and was owned formany years by theindomitable Mrs Keppie,before finally being sold tothe current owner RobinWishart, but not before hepassed the interview!Finally another yacht fromStrangford Lough, and ayacht with a long and

extensive cruising history in its relativelyyoung life, the Reiver (1978), built andowned by Peter and David Williams,completed the Class II line up.

On Monday the Silvers Trophy race toRothesay saw the fleet sail through theScottish equivalent of a tropical rainstorm.All yachts had dried out in thesunshine by the time they reachedRothesay and the evening receptionhosted by the Isle of Bute Sailing Clubturned into a memorable shindig.

The Southampton Yacht Services (SYS)Round Bute Race on Tuesday included asail past and salute to the Bute Slip Dock(now Ardmaleish Boat Yard), the Mylne’sown yard where many yachts were built.A piper returned the compliment fromthe pier, before the yachts sailed on toenjoy the splendours of the Kyles of Bute.

The Adelphi Fascadale Cup onWednesday was a race round GreatCumbrae for the larger yachts, but lightwinds, and the prospect of a very special

evening at Mount Stuart house promptedan early finish.

The Dubarry Trophy race from Rothesayto Rhu meant farewell to the excellenthospitality of the seaside resort town,but hello to the smartly dressed Prizegiving of our hosts at the historic RoyalNorthern and Clyde Yacht Club.Aftersome close results, and many finetrophies, the overall Class 1 and Class 2first prizes were presented by thedaughter of Alfred Mylne II, the lovelySusan Mylne who graciously said a fewwords of support for this new event.First Prize overall went to Glen Elg, withPatrick Storey receiving the coveted

Keepsake Trophy from the gorgeousNatalie Gray of A. Mylne & Co.

While the winds for the event were lightand fluky, there were no complaintsabout the glorious sunshine, thehospitality, or the general bonhomie.Thiswas the first time that the owners ofMylne yachts had gathered together tocelebrate their heritage, their beautifulyachts and pay homage to both AlfredMylnes.With serious sailing and seriouspartying it was a sterling event.Thequestion on everyone’s lips was,“when isthe next one?”

The Mylne Classic Regatta 2009

Reiver, Shona, Glen Shiel, Trefoil and Maid of Lorn © A. Mylne & Co

Glenafton in a hole © A. Mylne & Co

14Recreation Focus

For decades now, Scuba divers havebeen gathering on the picturesqueshores of the Firth of Clyde.Theirgoal is discovering the wonders thatlie beneath the water’s surface.There are a myriad of things to seein the waters of the Clyde.You candelve into Scotland’s past exploringunderwater archaeology, spot amultitude of sealife or just glidealong enjoying the scenery.

Beautiful red sea anemones can be seenin many locations of the Firth.Theseprimitive animals are related to jellyfishand the tropical corals.They consist of asoft polyp with numerous stingingtentacles which are used to catch theirprey.They attach to the rocks by theirbase and have a single opening whichfunctions as a mouth to ingest food, andalso to expel their waste products.

Another exciting creature is the dogfish –the most common British shark. Oddly,this is actually a member of the Catshark family.The dogfish lives and feedson the seabed on shallow coastal waters. It is nocturnal, sleeping on thesandy seabed during the day and feeding mainly at night.

Red cushion stars are easily spotted due to their vibrant colour.The body ofthe red cushion star is fleshy and sticky to the touch. Its overall diameteraverages about 10cm and is found mostly at depths of 10m and more.

The cold dark waters of the Firth of Clyde are also a graveyard ofshipwrecks.

The largest of these is Akka - a Swedish motor vessel. Found just off thecoast of Dunoon at 18-40 metres depth, Akka is suitable for divers of all

Creatures in the Clyde - a diver's perspective

experience and is the most intact wreck in the Clyde.Exploring the wreck is also a great opportunity to spotsealife.The ship is covered in sea squirts and manyspecies of anemones.You will also see plenty of fishswimming in and out of the decks and corridors. Formore information on wrecks in the Clyde, visit

www.clyde-diving.co.uk/wrecks.

Scuba Diving in the Clyde is becoming ever morepopular. More and more people are becoming aware ofthe attractions of our coastal waters.The ScottishSubaqua Club (ScotSAC) membership currently sits ataround 1500 individuals and the Clyde Coastguard reportfigures in the region of 20,000 dives annually in andaround the Clyde area. One way of taking part in thishugely enjoyable and rewarding sport is to join Scotsac.Visit their website at www.scotsac.com and look for yournearest branch.

Article courtesy of Danielle Casey, SSAC Sports DiverRed cushion star © Charlie Ramage

Dogfish © John Docherty

Dahlia anemone © John Docherty

15Firth Photography

Clyde View by James Carrick

Photos of the Clydecommended inHomecomingScotland 2009 /Placebook ScotlandphotographycompetitionPlacebook Scotland is a web-basedproject created by the ScottishLandscape Forum. It is aimed atpeople from all walks of life andallows them to submit pictures,film, music and writing about whatmakes their place distinct, and givesit an identity. Anybody who lives, worksor was brought up in Scotland isencouraged to use the Placebookwebsite to generate interest and debateabout their featured place.This could beanything from their own backyard orstreet, a local feature or countrysidescene where they grew up.The projectwas launched at Moncreiffe primaryschool in Perth, where a group of pupilswere among the first to highlight theirplaces of choice.

Ian Jardine, chief executive of ScottishNatural Heritage, one of the 22organisations involved in the ScottishLandscape Forum behind the project,says: “It's great to see so much interestin this site already.We would urgeeveryone across the country and beyond,who have a particular place in Scotlandthat's important to them, to share this onthe website.Together we can create ahuge archive of material that willcelebrate the close links between peopleand places.That's what PlacebookScotland is all about.”

Inspired by this initiative, a partnershipwas formed between HomecomingScotland 2009 and Placebook Scotland toset up the “My Special Place”photography competition. Over the past10 months, members of the public havebeen invited to submit photographs oftheir special Scottish places to thePlacebook Scotland website.These werethen shortlisted to the top 10 for publicvote.

Whilst technical excellence was animportant criterion for the judging panel(chaired by renowned Scottishphotographer Andy Hall), the judges were

also looking for the personal storybehind the photograph, explaining whythis place was special to thephotographer.Two of the photographs ofthe Firth of Clyde, whilst not reachingthe top 10, were highly commended bythe panel.Visitors to the HomecomingScotland website were invited to vote fortheir favourite photo.

The winning entry will receive a framedpicture of their special Scottish place,taken professionally by top Scottishphotographer Andy Hall, with runners upprizes for the next four finalists.Votingunfortunately has already closed on 30thSeptember 200, however you can stillview the photographs, including the 2Firth of Clyde commended entries, atwww.homecomingscotland2009.com.

The Placebook Scotland initiativecontinues, so if you wish to submitmaterial to the Placebook Scotlandwebsite as well as browse the otherentries, visitwww.placebookscotland.com..

For more information contact: IreneWatson, Placebook Scotland projectofficer, 01738 860839.

16

Tell Us What You Think...Clyde Breakers is your newsletter; tell uswhat you think of this issue and what youwould like to see in the future. Manythanks to those of you who contributed tothis edition.

If you would like to become involved inthe Forum and its work, contact us at theaddress below.

The Firth of Clyde Forum would liketo thank the following organisations fortheir continued funding and support:

The Firth of Clyde Forum has a broadmembership base with representatives fromindustry, local authorities, community groupsand charities.The opinions expressed bymembers within this issue are not necessarilythe opinions of the Forum or its CoreGroup.

Project ManagerFirth of Clyde ForumCaspian House2 Mariner CourtClydebank Business ParkClydebank, G81 2NR

Tel: 0141 951 0820Fax: 0141 951 8948Email: clyde@clydeforum.org

Website: www.clydeforum.com

A day in the life...

Here we bring you the third in our series of articles allowing you a glimpseinto a day in the life of someone working in the Firth of Clyde area in amarine related field. Joe Connelly,Wildlife Crime Officer Co-ordinator forStrathclyde Police, gives us an idea of the wide variety of issues involved intackling wildlife crime...

“I am a civilian member of staff with Strathclyde Police with responsibility for allwildlife and environmental matters. I oversee the force’s team of local Wildlife CrimeOfficers (WCOs). I am the force expert on this type of legislation and I advise andhelp any officer investigate wildlife crime.

A large part of my role is liaising with other agencies.We work closely with SNH,RSPB, SSPCA, SEPA and many other bodies.

That’s the job description but what does it mean in practice? Well, Strathclyde Policecovers a huge area from Glasgow to the Inner Hebrides and the type of crime variesgreatly as well.Almost every day we are called to investigate salmon poaching, deercoursing (where someone deliberately lets their dog attack deer) and badger settdisturbance (usually related to badger baiting). Surprisingly, both these crimes aremore common in the Greater Glasgow area where both roe deer and badgers arevery common.

In more rural areas I can be called to help investigate the poisoning of birds of prey orthe illegal taking of Scottish Freshwater Pearl Mussels.The list of crimes is,unfortunately, very large and I never know what the day is going to bring.

For example, on Tuesday 22nd September I was contactedabout a Northern Bottlenose Whale in difficulty in theClyde in the centre of Glasgow.What has this to do withus? Well, it is an offence to disturb any cetacean andalready some boats had been out to view the whale.Also,I had concerns about what would happen if it had beached(it was the centre of Glasgow after all!) Along with helpfrom our Marine Policing Unit we ensured that the whalewas not bothered by the public.

And I haven’t even mentioned wallabies, beavers, big cats,elephant tusks…”

Photos © Joe Connelly: Joe on the left investigating a suspected poisoning of a buzzard

For further information, please contact:

Joe ConnellyStrathclyde PoliceWildlife Crime Officer Co-ordinator0141 532 6481Joe.connelly@strathclyde.pnn.police.uk

A female American SignalCrayfish (Pacifastacusleniusculus) illegally releasedinto the Clyde and causingdamage to salmonstocks andriver banks