Integrating Integrating Salmon and Sea Trout within Salmon and Sea Trout within

Management of the Moray FirthManagement of the Moray Firth

Dr. James Butler (Director, Spey Fishery Board)

Salmon rod fisheriesand river conservation

Fishery takes 10%Funding for

management of stocks

Sustainable tourist income

Healthy stocks and river environment

Benefit to river ecology

Conserves 100%

Salmon Lifecycle

Adult Salmon Tagging Studies (Shearer, 1986 & 1992)

Adult Salmon Migration Routes (Shearer, 1986 & 1992)

Coastal predation

Legal & illegal nettingDolphins & seals

• Catching 8,000 fish

• 130 dolphins

• 15 netting stations

• 700 common seals

• 300 grey seals

• Catching ? fish

180,000 salmon 80,000 sea trout

Commercial fisheries

Pelagic fisheries Dolphins & seals

Sea trout, salmon

Herring, sprats, sandeels

The SAC Conundrum

• Salmon (PREYPREY) are declining

• Common seals (PREDATORPREDATOR) are declining

• Bottlenose dolphins (PREDATORPREDATOR) are declining

• Common and grey seals (PREDATORPREDATOR) are protected in the Moray Firth by Conservation Order (2002-2004) due to PDV outbreak

WHICH SPECIES TAKES PRIORITY?

What actions are impossibleimpossible?

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 possiblepossible?

1. Targeting problem seals in river mouths?

• Most damage done by few problem animals?

• Grey seals not in decline and outwith common seal SAC

• Management plan for Moray Firth seals needed

• Process begun by Scottish Executive pre-PDV but stalled

• Appropriate methods: lethal or non-lethal?

What actions are possiblepossible?

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 possiblepossible?

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 possiblepossible?

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 NetSt

eve

Daw

son

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?

4. Relocate salmon farms?

3. Review commercial pelagic fisheries?

5. Expand Operation Fish Net?