Future of Perthshire salmon unclear as talks held with 'benefactor'.
This is an article published in the Dundee Courier today by Richard Burdge.
The future of an award-winning Perthshire research unit which helps ensure the future of salmon stocks on the River Tay is hanging in the balance.
The Scottish Government has confirmed that it is closing the Fisheries Research Service unit at Almondbank, but talks are taking place between interested parties and a potential saviour of the facility.
Video of work being carried out at the Hatchery at Almondbank, Perthshire, Scotland.
The Tay Ghillies Association, the Tay Foundation and the Tay District Salmon Fisheries Board are all keen to see the research unit continue to operate.
"A benefactor has expressed interest in helping to fund the unit," said one of the participants in the talks.
The future of the three people employed at Almondbank is unclear at the moment, while negotiations take place.
A government spokesperson said, "Marine Scotland will cease to operate the Almondbank freshwater fisheries experimental station from spring this year.
"The decision has come about as part of the wider initiative to ensure that all Scottish Government activity is properly aligned with our strategic objectives and the pressures resulting from the UK spending review."
They added, "No final decision on the future of the site has been taken."
An 80-metre indoor stream is used to study the behaviour of salmon and tag detectors allow the logging of tagged fish.
The unit also reconditions Atlantic salmon after spawning and between 600,000 and 700,000 ova are produced from reconditioned kelts each year and used by the Tay District Salmon Fisheries Board as part of their restocking programme.
The unit was the home of Dolly, a female salmon that they reconditioned 11 years running to make her the world's oldest salmon.
She was collected as a four-year-old and died aged 15 in 2003, having produced an estimated 90,000 offspring—compared with the 10,000 that an average salmon produces.
Last year, at the River Tay Conservation and Awards Dinner, the Ballathie Award for Conservation went to Marine Scotland Science at Almondbank for their work in reconditioning salmon.
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1 comment:
No doubt this measure will be blamed on the austerity cuts prevailing at the moment.
When really, it is just another case of those who make decisions knowing the cost of everthing but, the value of nothing.
Very, very sad if this proposal happens.
Stumpy Boater
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