This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Salmon river conservation project launched
26/08/2004
The most significant conservation project for wild
Atlantic salmon to be undertaken in Scotland was launched
today.
The £3 million Scottish LIFE Salmon Project will restore
freshwater habitats and examine specific threats in eight
of the seventeen key salmon rivers in Scotland. The
project which received 50 per cent EC funding will also
provide a major vehicle to raise awareness of the needs of
the species.
Scotland's salmon stocks face challenges from land use
change, habitat destruction, stream obstacles, climate
change and pollution. These factors have contributed to the
decline of the species over most of its range.
Launching the project in Aberdeenshire, Deputy Minister
for the Environment and Rural Development, Allan Wilson
said:
"The award of this significant funding package
highlights the importance of Scotland's rivers and how
their quality contributes to our country's economy, its
ecology and our own quality of life.
"This funding from the European Commission is
recognition that Scotland can bring forward imaginative
projects which demonstrate long term benefits for the
conservation of our Atlantic salmon stocks.
"The LIFE project is particularly significant as it
involves the partnership of a wide range of organisations
involved in salmon conservation and will complement wider
actions to conserve this species and improve biodiversity
in Scotland."
The project will be co-ordinated by Scottish Natural
Heritage (SNH) and partners include the Scottish Executive,
the Association of Salmon Fishery Boards, participating
fisheries boards and trusts, the Forestry Commission and
Scottish Hydro-Electric.
This project will target eight of the seventeen Scottish
rivers which have been designated under the EC Habitats
Directive for their Atlantic salmon interest. Under this
Directive, Member States are required to take special
measures to conserve the most seriously threatened habitats
and species across Europe. In recent years, increasing
concern has been expressed over the decline in Atlantic
salmon abundance across most of the geographic range - the
species are listed in Annex II of the EC's Habitat's
Directive. This acknowledges that the Atlantic salmon is a
threatened species requiring conservation action. The
International Council for the Exploitation of the Seas
(ICES) also notes the decline of salmon such that stocks in
Southern Europe (which includes the UK) are at or only just
above the spawning escapement reserve. Scottish rivers in
particular are a European stronghold for Atlantic
salmon.
The Rivers Dee, Spey, Tweed, Tay, South Esk, Bladnoch,
Oykel and Moriston will benefit from the project. Actions
will focus work which is tailored to meet the specific
requirements of each river as prioritised by the various
District Salmon Fishery Boards in conjunction with Scottish
Natural Heritage
The project will secure the active and financial
involvement of a number of private landowners and managers,
as well as Government and NGO bodies. In addition to the
EC contribution, funding has been provided by various
Government bodies including the Scottish Executive,
Scottish Natural Heritage, the Forestry Commission and
Forest Enterprise. NGOs include the Association of Salmon
Fishery Boards and Scottish Hydro-Electric, along with the
relevant District Salmon Fishery Boards. The total project
budget is €4.7m (£3.1m) with a 50 per cent contribution
from the European Commission.
The European funding comes from the €300m, four year
LIFE-Nature programme. LIFE-Nature provides funding for
actions specifically aimed at the conservation of natural
habitats and of wild fauna and flora which have been
protected within designated sites across the European
Union. This network of sites is known as Natura 2000 and
is the European Unions flagship initiative aimed at halting
the decline in biodiversity within the Union.
The Scottish salmon project is the third largest in the
whole of the enlarged European Union to receive funding
from this round of applications to the LIFE-Nature
Programme. On average less than one third of all eligible
applications receive approval from the European
Commission.
A recently published study, commissioned by the
Executive, estimated that freshwater angling in Scotland
provides the equivalent of 2,800 full time jobs and that
anglers spend a total of £113 million per annum on related
expenditure in Scotland. Salmon and sea trout anglers
accounting for over 65 per cent (£73m) of this total.