Official Posters from IBIS-AST Salmon Stocking Conference, 27-28 November 2013, Glasgow

7/22/2019 Official Posters from IBIS-AST Salmon Stocking Conference, 27-28 November 2013, Glasgow

1/6

Robert Brackley1

Supervisors: Colin Bean2and Rhian Thomas11University ofGlasgow, 2Scottish Natural Heritage

Introduction! Inresponse to a growing needfor renewableenergy, theprevalence ofsmall scalehydro-electricgenerating schemesis burgeoning intheUK andIreland. ! Smallscaleschemesareperceivedas environmentally benign, but their impact onthe naturalaquaticfauna ispoorly understood.

! Migratory fishspecies may beat risk fromloss oflongitudinal connectivity becauseof thephysicalandbehavioural barriersintroduced by hydropowerabstractions. Thereis also a risk ofdirect damageto animalsduring passagethroughhydropower infrastructure.

! Current work isfocussed onunderstanding theimpacts ofsmall-scale schemesupon themigratorybehaviourofsalmonids: thespawning migrationof adult fishand theseaward migrationofj uveniles.

Aprojectsupportedby the EuropeanUnion's INTERREGIVAProgramme managedby the SpecialEU Programmes Body

Aims and methods! Thebroadaimsoftheproject are:

to examinetheimp licationsofflow regulationandhydropower sitelayout onfishpassage, and

to assesstherisk posedto fishby a novelturbinetype: theArchimedeanscrew turbine

! Themovementsof naturally migrating f ishthroughhydropowersystemsare being monitoredusing radio andpassive integratedtransponder (PIT)tags. Passagebehaviour may thenbe relatedtositelayout andflow management.

! Potentialdamageto f ishby Archimedeanscrew turbineswillbeassessedusing surrogatesandnaturally moving fish.

!"#$%&'( *+,"'&'-."/0*.1.2"$3."4'5267.",..5/*$".

89#1&:. '; (-'0'5("#/N > O @A N N IN ? IN A >5'27K( 1'3., $5 #5, 'K(

-$(*$5 (*"./*':, (-$0.

/# : 1'5 1# : . S Q N A O R Q N N IN? IA M ? D- $ (*$ 5 ? N /E + . / 2 (- $ 0.

/ # :1 ' 5 1 # :. R A M ? O M N N IN A IM P > + . /

/ # :1 ' 5 1 # :. M P Q @ O AM N N IN N IA R > + . /

/# : 1'5 1# :. R @ S ? OR > '5: + '5. ,. ( .0%X1 '6;(9 K%.":Q

'*(": "."$()6S:9"4 L -""7: %+4[ -""7: %\") :(6$7*+,Q

5%+4T%)7:;:"4 W6)T6)U96.6,*$%. T"%:;)"T"+(:

]+ $6TU%)*:6+ -*(9 W)< 7"U( *+

9%($9")< $6+4*V6+:1 W) +./

/#:1'5 1#:. R@S ?OR> '5:+ '5. ,.(.0


3/6

!"#$%%&'( *+$ $,-%. %&/$ 0*,($0 "/ 1*%,'23 0,%4"' *" &45-"6$

3"'0$-6,2"' %&4&* $024,2"'0Hannele Honkanen

University of Glasgow

Introduction! Atlantic salmon has a long history of being the target of commercial and recreational fisheries and while Atlantic salmon as a species is far fromextinction due to the numbers of farmed salmon, the wild Atlantic salmon stocks throughout their range are declining with many populations nowextirpated (Parrish et al. 1998).

! Conservation limit (CL) defines the level of spawning stock under which recruitment would begin to decline significantly (Anon, 2011).! Knowledge of the species biology and habitat requirements can be linked with habitat data to create a model that predicts the distribution of thatspecies. As salmonids have fairly strict habitat requirements, this can be used to estimate the relationship between the stream habitat and salmonidabundance (Armstrong et al. 2003).

! Loughs Agency monitors salmonid populations in the Foyle and Carlingford catchments in the border region of Ireland and Northern Ireland and usesa model to estimate the sizes of salmon populations in the rivers. The model includes collected information on redd counts, electrofishing data onjuveniles, fish counters and habitat surveys, and is used to estimate river-specific conservation limits and management targets which form the basis of thefishery management in the area.

745-"6$# 8'#$-0*,'#&'( "/ *+$ +,9&*,* -$:8&-$4$'*0 "/ ;86$'&%$ 1*%,'23 0,%4"'

%$,#&'( *" , -$6&0$# +,9&*,* (-,#&'( 0.0*$4


4/6

Interactions between fisheries and wildfowl on Lough Foyle

Luke Murphy

Queens University Belfast

Introduction

! Lough Foyle is an important fishery for aquaculture, wild fisheries and recreational angling. It is also an important wildfowlreserve for both migrating and native waterfowl.

! Lough Foyle is experiencing an increase in shore based aquaculture particularly on the southern shoreline.! The Interactions between the fisheries and the wildfowl on Lough Foyle has not been assessed.! Salmon fisheries on Lough Foyle are experiencing increasing levels of predation from cormorants.! There has been a massive decline in the number of salmon returning to Lough Foyle and its tributaries.! Assessment of the impact of cormorant predation could lead to improved cormorant management.To critically assess the intertidal wildfowl populations on Lough Foyle and determine whether

shellfish fisheries and aquaculture operations are affecting these populations.

To study the effects of cormorant predation on Atlantic salmon Salmo salar smolts on Lough

Foyle and its tributaries.

A project supported by the European Union's INTERREG IVA Programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body

Summary

! At the moment regulation and licencing of shellfish aquacultureon Lough Foyle is a contentious subject and there are many

unlicensed aquaculture operations on the Foyle.

! The findings from this study will help with the regulation andmanagement practices of aquaculture for the Loughs Agency (The

aquaculture licencing authority on the Foyle).

! The study will produce a baseline population survey for thewildfowl population of Lough Foyle

! The study will highlight an improved method for cormorantmanagement on salmon fisheries

Objectives

!To complete a habitat assessment for the intertidal zone of LoughFoyle and establish a catalogue of various habitats found on Lough

Foyle and their locations.

!To survey the wildfowl populations species, behaviours and numberson a selection of these habitats throughout the year.

!To assess whether the shellfish fisheries and aquaculture operationsare having an effect on the wildfowl populations numbers, behaviours

and habitat.!

To link the data gathered on this project with similar IBIS studies beingconducted on Carlingford Lough and determine if any fisheries/

aquaculture interactions if any, are unique to Lough Foyle.

!To assess whether the findings will have implications for the regulationand management practices of the shellfish fisheries and aquaculture

industries on Lough Foyle.

!To assess the impact of cormorant predation on Atlantic salmonsmolts.

!To track the movement of cormorants during the smolt run.


5/6

Assessing the Impact of Riverine barriers on the

Freshwater Migration of Atlantic Salmon

Matthew NewtonUniversity of Glasgow

Introduction

! Salmon are a migratory fish and occupy different parts of a river during their life cycle! As part of the European Union Water Framework Directive (WFD) all member states have to ensure that migratory fish can move withinrivers unimpeded by man-made barriers

! Barriers in rivers such as dams, weirs and culverts under roads can create barriers to fish migration by preventing free movement alongrivers and can have a considerable effect on fish populations

! While the effects of very large barriers are now well understood, the effects of relatively small-scale barriers on fish migration is very poorlyunderstood

! The number of these small-scale barriers in our rivers is considerable and understanding their impact on fish stocks is essential to meetWFD targets

Summary

! European Union WFD targets require member states toensure rivers are free of barriers to fish migration

! The effects of small-scale barriers on fish riverine migrationis not well understood

! It is essential for fishery managers and policy makers tounderstand the impacts of these barriers to effectively conserve

salmon stocks

! Ground breaking work undertaken in this project will unearthpreviously unknown behaviour of adult salmon in response to

migration barriers

! Results from this project will provide insight into how adultsalmon negotiate small scale barriers and the effects these

barriers pose to populations

! Information gained through this study will developmanagement strategies and inform policy to protect this rapidly

declining resource

Investigate how salmon use fish pass channels in large weir systems and the

effects of small-scale barriers in river systems to develop management options

for WFD targets.

Project Outline

! Radio tag 132 Atlantic salmonand use telemetry to monitor

individual behaviour

! Physical details (e.g. length &weight) of individual fish will be

recorded to investigate if specific

characteristics are related with

barrier passage success.

! Listening zones will detectfish at specific locations

enablingroute selection

identification

!Flow modelling will identifychannel use and effect ofAttraction Channels

Extent of the problem

!Environment Agency estimates 25,000 obstructions present in Englandand Wales.

!3,000 of the above cause a significant impact to migration and wouldrequire mediation under WFD and Eel directives.

!Cost of 532 million to improve passage at these sitesIs it possible to provide true remediation despite not knowing the actual

behaviour of salmonids in response to small riverine barriers?

Radio Telemetry

Radio tags emit a codedfrequency which can be

detected through receiverequipment on land

Tags are inserted oesophgallyinto the fish. Salmon do not feed

in freshwater and so tag issecure and does not effect fish

behaviour

Receiving equipmentallows fish to be

pinpointed within theaquatic environment


6/6

!"#$%&'()* ,")-, )$ ./0#$)1#

2&13$4* ,315%$ 6%11%7)$8 ,&%*9)$8!"#"$$% '()*+,-".. /01 2."3%+4)% 56$7 /1 89%).": '(;($9#;)< /1 =69+ >%

Documents

Official Posters from IBIS-AST Salmon Stocking Conference, 27-28 November 2013, Glasgow