Key to GIS Map Symbols
Includes Research Facilities.
Information sourced from Fisheries Research Services Fish Farm Register.
Introduction to the Region
The Area Management Agreement (AMA) for Skye covers the marine waters surrounding the Isle of Skye and the adjacent islands of Rona, Raasay, Scalpay, Soay, Canna, Rhum, Eigg and Muck, and the catchment areas for the freshwater rivers which flow directly or indirectly into the sea around Skye.
One AMA covers all of the Skye area, and there are 7 individual management areas within the Agreement. The fish farm companies presently operating in the Isle of Skye area are Marine Harvest Scotland, Lighthouse Caledonia, Scot Trout Farming (Kames) Ltd. and more recently Dawnfresh Ltd.
There are 14 major rivers flowing into the sea from the Isle of Skye, 12 of which fall into the 7 defined Management Areas. Little is known about the wild salmon and sea trout populations of Skye's rivers and objective data are required as a basis for future management. To this end, the Skye District Salmon Board commissioned an assessment of 12 of Skye's rivers in 2006 which provides valuable information towards developing wild fisheries management plans for the rivers of Isle of Skye. The survey report makes a number of recommendations ranging from further, more detailed habitat surveys through improvements in riparian management to targeted re-stocking. Overall the water quality of Skye's rivers is very high, but none of them are supporting their full potential juvenile salmon population.
Biography of the Steering Group
- Mr. Peter Kinloch: Convenor of Skye District Salmon Fishery Board, Chairman Skye Fisheries Trust
- Mr. Ben Hadfield: Seawater Manager of Marine Harvest (Scotland) Ltd
- Mr. Stuart Cannon: Managing Director of Kames Fish Farming, Scotland
Biography of the RDO
Derek Dowsett owns and operates a non-commercial salmon hatchery in central Skye. Having followed a career in computer systems design he moved to Skye in 2004 . Over the last 20 years he has become increasingly involved with brown trout re-stocking programmes on a number of Cotswolds rivers in England. Using this experience he now dedicates much of his time to the salmon re-stocking programme he began on the river Snizort in 2005, using native wild fish stock. Through his work in the hatchery he has become acquainted with many of those involved in the aquaculture and freshwater fishery communities on Skye, and in October 2009 he began as the Regional Development Officer for the Skye district.