Nith District Salmon Fishery Board
Nith News
Haaf Netters Head for the Hills
Board Members, representing Lower Proprietors on the River Nith with Haaf Netting interests recently took part in a tour of the catchment. The purpose of the tour was to enable Board members to see "first hand" some of the works that the staff have been engaged in recently. The members visited Dalswinton Windfarm which is nearing completion. The Board has been responsible for ensuring that fish populations in the vicinity of the construction works have not been adversely impacted. Nith District Salmon Fishery Board (NDSFB) has worked with the owners of the Windfarm, Airtricity, from the planning stage through to the completion of the site.
Board Members at Dalswinton Windfarm
River Restoration at House of Water
The Haaf Netting Board Members visited Scottish Coal's Opencast Coal site at House of Water. This is the site where it was necessary to divert the River Nith during 2004 to extract coal. NDSFB have been consulted by and work with Scottish Coal on every aspect of this project. The Board is responsible for monitoring populations of fish in the new river channel and for the planting of the riparian zone. The new channel is proving to be good for flora and fauna.Our photo shows Board Member Mr Tom Brown (6ft 2inch) standing beside some of the willows which NDSFB planted 4 years ago. 
Dumfries Community Learning & Development Group
NDSFB has been involved with Dumfries community Learning & Development Group in a project which has extended over the winter of 2007 into the spring 2008. Members of the group and staff were invited to the hatchery and given a guided tour with a demonstration of egg stripping. Fertilised eggs were then incubated in an aquarium at the Barony College where the group could visit to check on development. When the hatchlings grew to the appropriate stage they were brought back to the River Nith where they were liberated. Our photo shows members of the group releasing salmon fry into the River Nith under the instruction of Senior Bailiff Barry Young.
Re-Stocking
52,866 - 45,916 - - - 56,726- - - - 59,246- - - - - TOTALS
The Board's hatchery operations have just recently been completed for the 2007/2008 season. A total of 748,003 fry were produced this year, of which 226,617 were sea trout and the remainder were salmon. From the total number of eggs produced in the hatchery 94.3% of these were successfully incubated and reared to the fed fry stage. NDSFB devoted more hatchery space this year for sea trout and this is one of the Board's initiatives to assist this species. NDSFB have been assisted by pupils from Sanquhar Academy, Kelloholm Primary, Sanquhar Primary, Wallace Hall Academy and Dunscore Pre-school group in stocking fry into the river catchment near to their respective schools.
River
Salmon Released
Sea Trout Released
Kirk Burn (Carron Water)
Burnsands Burn
Kello Water
49,754
Polneul Burn
46,448
Shinnel
69,782
Crichope Linn (Cample Water)
16,908
Upper Cample
58,606
Nith (Thornhill)
76,159
Euchan Water
47,691
Mennock Water
30,000
Wanlock Water
80,645
.
521,386
226,617
New Hatchery
One initiative that NDSFB are investing in to combat falling numbers of Sea trout is to increase their production of this species in the hatchery. However to achieve this the Board has had to compromise their salmon production. To facilitate the requirement for additional stock NDSFB are building an additional hatchery. The additional space will enable the Board to rear the numbers of fry that they consider to be appropriate at any given time. Additional hatchery space is not, "all about numbers". It does enable the Board to produce a quality product in good condition which will stand a better chance of survival in the wild. Additional separate facilities also provides better bio security for the hatchery stock.
