Loughs Agency Freshwater Fisheries Monitoring Programme

Loughs Agency
Freshwater Fisheries Monitoring
Programme
Fisheries Coordination Centre/RAFTS Annual Biologists Meeting
29th – 30th January 2014
Marine Scotland Freshwater Laboratory, Pitlochry
Art Niven, Fisheries Biologist, Loughs Agency (FCILC)
OVERVIEW
• Introduction to the Loughs Agency (brief history and current roles and
responsibilities)
• IBIS
• Audit point management system for Atlantic salmon
• Other freshwater fisheries monitoring projects
• Conclusions
INTRODUCTION
• Prior to 1952 significant parts of the commercial and rod fishing rights to the
Foyle area were claimed by the Honourable the Irish Society a plantation body
established in the early 17th century. This was challenged in 1947 by local
fishermen leading to the “Foyle Fisheries Case” in the High Court in Dublin.
• In 1952 the Foyle Fisheries Commission was established to license, operate and
manage the fisheries of the cross border Foyle area on behalf of both
governments who had purchased most of the commercial fishing rights as a
compromise solution after the “Foyle Fisheries Case”.
• FFC operated various commercial fisheries selling directly to merchants in Europe
and was the local licensing authority for rod and commercial fisheries including
Drift and Draft net (net and cobble) fisheries.
• In 1998 the Good Friday agreement led to the British Irish Agreement of 1999.
This established a number of cross border bodies and developed the functions of
some including the Loughs Agency (Foyle Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission)
• The Loughs Agency assumed the functions of the FFC and obtained additional
functions and area of responsibility.
INTRODUCTION
• The Loughs Agency mission statement is
“….to provide sustainable social, economic and environmental benefits
through the effective conservation, management, promotion and
development of the fisheries and marine resources of the Foyle and
Carlingford Areas”
• The functions of the Loughs Agency are:
• The promotion of development of Lough Foyle and Carlingford Lough for
commercial and recreational purposes in respect of marine, fishery and
aquaculture matters
• The management, conservation, protection, improvement and development
of the inland fisheries of the Foyle and Carlingford Areas
• The development and licensing of aquaculture
• The development of marine tourism
INTRODUCTION
• The Loughs Agency primary legislation is the Foyle Fisheries (Northern Ireland)
Act 1952 (plus amendments) and the Foyle Fisheries Act 1952 (plus amendments)
(ROI equivalent). Also referred to as parallel legislation.
• The 1952 Acts enables the Loughs Agency to create statutory regulations
pertaining to its roles and responsibilities.
(4500km2 & 5 SAC River
designations)
Integrated Aquatic Resource Management Between
Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland (IBIS)
• A partnership between the Loughs Agency, Queen's University Belfast, and the
University of Glasgow, supported by the EU's INTERREG IVA Programme,
managed by the SEUPB. Runs from 2011-2015
• To enhance aquatic resources management across Ireland, Northern Ireland and
Scotland.
• Delivering across four outcome areas:
• Research
• Training (SFCC Electrofishing Courses, FBA courses, Invasive species ID etc.)
• knowledge transfer, (WTT workshops, tagging workshop, small streams
workshop etc.)
• capacity building
http://www.loughs-agency.org/ibis/
LOUGHS AGENCY AUDIT POINT MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM FOR ATLANTIC SALMON
The Foyle Area (Control of Fishing)
Regulations 2010 is the
cornerstone of the real-time
fishery management regime
outlining the rationale and
conditions set on the commercial
and rod fisheries
Catch
Returns
Habitat
Surveys
Semi Q
Electrofishing
Fish Counters
Redd Counts
20000
16000
18000
18000
14000
16000
12000
16000
5 Year Average
14000
14000
12000
12000
10000
10000
8000
8000
6000
6000
4000
4000
2000
2000
80
Reported Rod
Catch
Corrected Rod
Catch
Rod Catch %
Return
70
60
10000
50
8000
40
6000
30
4000
20
2000
10
0
Year
Summary of Salmon and Trout Fry Semi
Quantitative Electrofishing Results 2012 from
circa 400 sites
25
25000
Foyle Area Redd Count 1952/53-2012/13
20000
Number of Redds
20
15
10
15000
10000
5
5000
Foyle South
Deele
Culdaff
Fairywater
Strule
Owenreagh S
0
1952
1955
1958
1961
1964
1967
1970
1973
1976
1979
1982
1985
1988
1991
1994
1997
2000
2003/4
2006/7
2009/10
2012/13
Catchment
Drumagh
Finn
Camowen
Owenkillew
Derg
Burn Dennet
Glenelly
Roe
Owenreagh East
0
Faughan
Average Fry/5 Minute Fishing
30
0
1952
1955
1958
1961
1964
1967
1970
1973
1976
1979
1982
1985
1988
1991
1994
1997
2000
2003
2006
2009
2012
0
*1957
1960
1963
1966
1969
1972
*1975
1978
1981
1984
1987
1990
1993
1996
1999
2002
2005
2008
2011
0
Rod Catch % Returns
Management
Target
90
Salmon Rod Catch 1952 - 2012
Number of Salmon
Limit
Number of Fish > 45cm
18000
River Mourne Electronic Fish Counters Figures
Conservation
1957-2012
20000
Year
HABITAT SURVEY
•
•
•
•
Follows DANI methodology plus additional pressure codes
Data collected on Trimble Juno handheld units
Used to calculate CL’s
Integrated into GIS and queried to highlight potential
areas for habitat improvement
• Needs regular updating
WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE FISH MONITORING
• 28 WFD fish surveillance monitoring stations in
Loughs Agency area
• 3 year rolling programme
• Report fish classification to NIEA who collate final
classifications
• Utilises FCS2 (Ireland) methodology
• Contribute towards POM’s
TROUT MONITORING PROGRAMMES
• Ongoing Brown trout and Sea trout monitoring
programmes
• Lough Derg Wild Trout Conservation Project in
partnership with Pettigo and District Angling
Association
•
•
•
•
•
•
RST deployed annually since 2010
Out migrant trout on d/s spawning run
Key biological data collected
Radio tracking
GSI exercise under IBIS/QUB
Programme of improvements/ongoing monitoring
• Developing network of Sea trout index tributaries
• Rod catch & electrofishing data
• Increasing awareness of small streams
• More work needed to investigate potadromous and
anadromous migrations of trout
RARE FISH MONITORING (JUVENILE LAMPREY)
• Since 2010 the Loughs Agency has conducted
annual juvenile lamprey distribution and
abundance surveys.
• To date these have focused on the designated SAC
catchments. It is planned to roll this out to the
other catchments in coming years.
• Currently collaborating with QUB and Phd student
on lamprey work.
• Following procedures as outlined in LIFE in UK
Rivers monitoring series and adapted by IFI/Loughs
Agency
• Highlighted barriers issues which dovetails well
with other work
STILLWATER FISH MONITORING
• The Loughs Agency conducts WFD
compliant still water fishery surveys
to aid with fishery development and
to provide baseline data for other
purposes
•
Little work has been conducted on
the stillwaters of the Foyle and
Carlingford areas
HABITAT IMPROVEMENTS
• Currently writing a strategy document and
implementation plan for habitat improvements.
This is following on from the catchment status
reports which have been published for the past
eight years
• Importance of developing partnerships
acknowledged
• Capacity needs to be built in terms of practical
habitat improvement delivery
• WTT practical habitat improvement workshop (4
days Foyle area Sept 2013) videos on Loughs
Agency Facebook pages
• Multiple approaches, need to fit best available
options to each scenario. Dependant on level of
information available. Flexible approach required
RIPARIAN INVASIVE SPECIES AND BARIERS TO MIGRATION
Overview
Densities
0
Species
Himalyan Balsm
Hogweed
Japanese Knotweed
20
40
80
120
160
Meters
Location of Riparian Invasive Species,
Faughan Catchment Summer 2009
© Crown Copyright
and database rights
EMOU205.1
±
POPULATION STRUCTURE OF ATLANTIC SALMON
POPULATIONS AND GENETIC STOCK IDENTIFICATION OF THE
SALMON FISHERIES IN THE FOYLE SYSTEM
CONCLUSION
• Quick overview of many of the Loughs Agency
freshwater monitoring programmes
• Importance of developing statutory and non
statutory partnerships:
•
•
•
•
WFD
River restoration and continuity
Knowledge transfer
Consensus building
• Dissemination of information to stakeholders
• New approaches required in the context of
diminishing resources
• Utilisation of new technology
• Volunteer coordination
THANK YOU