Work to restore two Western Isles river systems is among a series of habitat improvement projects being funded by Scottish salmon farmers.
Community landowners Urras Oighreachd Chàrlabhaigh (Carloway Estate Trust) and Uig Lodge Lettings have each received grants from Salmon Scotland’s wild fisheries fund to help conserve iconic wild salmon and sea trout.
Almost £140,000 has been granted to organisations across the country this year to address long-term species decline.
The fund is part of a £1.5 million commitment from Scotland’s salmon farmers to support the conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of wild fish populations.
The Carloway Estate Trust has been awarded £6,305 to improve salmon spawning grounds on the Carloway River in north-west Lewis.
An electrofishing survey by the Outer Hebrides Fishery Trust will identify problem areas in the young salmon's habitat.
The project will then use 30 tonnes of local gravel to replenish and create new spawning beds.
Uig Lodge Lettings has received £10,000 to improve the Fhorsa River system on the southern tip of Lewis.
The project will enhance salmon and sea trout spawning areas by reshaping river channels, removing plants that cause silt build-up, and making it easier for fish to pass through.
Changes to the falls at the top of the system will also help fish migration.
Wild salmon and sea trout populations throughout the UK have been in decline for decades – particularly because of habitat loss and rising river and sea temperatures.
These fish now have a marine survival rate of just one-to-five per cent, compared to around 25 per cent only three decades ago.
The Scottish Government has identified other pressures facing wild salmon, including non-native plants, predation by fish, birds and seals, and obstacles to fish passage including dams and weirs.
Salmon farming companies, which only operate on the west coast, Orkney, and Shetland, launched the fund to play their part finding solutions, engaging constructively with the wild fish sector and taking meaningful action to save wild salmon.
Previously called the ‘wild salmonid fund’, more than £335,000 has already been invested since 2021.
This includes a £35,000 grant to save the leaking Fincastle Dam on West Harris, helping preserve an important salmon fishery.
The fund is co-ordinated by fishery manager Jon Gibb, who is based in Fort William and has championed a constructive relationship between the farm-raised salmon sector and fisheries and angling groups.
The other five projects awarded funds this year are:
- Otter Ferry Seafish – £49,404 to develop a living salmon gene bank to restock rivers in Argyll. The project is a partnership with Argyll Fisheries Trust and the River Ruel Improvement Association.
- Galloway Fisheries Trust – £22,697 to reduce acidity in the River Bladnoch using 700 tonnes of crushed scallop shells on forestry roads and feeder burns, improving the ecosystem.
- Ayrshire Rivers Trust – £17,026 to undertake a restoration project that will aim to address riverbank erosion at the Mauchline Burn.
- River Ruel Improvement Association – £10,000 to tackle erosion on the river in South Argyll, by improving the habitat through tree planting and fencing.
- River Eachaig Fishery Syndicate – £24,376 for habitat improvements in Argyll, including riverbank strengthening, fencing, rhododendron control, and flood damage repairs.
Jon Gibb, co-ordinator of the Salmon Scotland wild fisheries fund, said:
“The wild fisheries fund provides a rare and exceptional opportunity for rural and coastal communities to access vital funds aimed at improving their local rivers and lochs.
“In 2023, wild Atlantic salmon in Scotland were officially classified as an endangered species.
“It’s fantastic to support a variety of innovative projects dedicated to conserving and enhancing habitat, particularly for species facing extinction in certain areas.
“Wild salmon are currently facing a deep and dire crisis, and the aquaculture sector can play a crucial role in reducing their decline.”
Tavish Scott, chief executive of Salmon Scotland, said:
“Wild salmon is one of Scotland's most iconic species, but there has been a decades-long decline on the east and west coasts of Scotland due to climate change and habitat destruction.
“Scotland's salmon farmers are determined to find solutions, engaging constructively with the wild fish sector and taking meaningful action to save wild salmon.
“We actively contribute to reversing this decline by supporting community-led projects to restore our rivers and lochs, making a positive global impact.
“Through the extraordinary success story of farm-raised salmon, we have developed world-leading expertise in hatching and rearing salmon that thrive at sea.
“Our members not only fund projects but also share their expertise to help restock wild fisheries, contributing to reversing the decline in wild salmon numbers.”
Dickon Green, of Uig Lodge Lettings, said:
“The grant that we have received from the Salmon Scotland wild fisheries fund will be used towards a habitat improvement project on the Fhorsa system, Isle of Lewis.
“We will be looking to restore and enhance the main spawning areas and habitat.
“It is envisaged that this project will help to boost the numbers of smolts leaving the river as they head out on their challenging sea migration.”
Donald MacKinnon, development manager at the Carloway Estate Trust, said:
“We are delighted to receive support from Salmon Scotland's wild fisheries fund to assist with making improvements to the community-owned Carloway River.'
“We will use the funding to enhance spawning habitat by depositing gravel in the riverbed.
“Electrofishing will also be carried out to monitor the impact of similar improvements made in 2022 and to provide a baseline.”