Scottish Marine and Freshwater Science Volume 5 Number 6: Collation of Available Datasets on Smolt Populations in Scotland to Assess Migration Run Times

8. Appendix B. Metadata questionnaire responses

Supporting information is provided for each organisation in alphabetical order. Organisations providing smolt data were required to fill in two metadata questionnaires to the best of their knowledge and to provide one upstream facing and one downstream facing photograph of each trap installation. In some cases it was not possible to provide all of the required information within the project timescales. It should also be noted that in some cases 'annual resolutions' provided in the below responses do not match the eventual coverage of raw data provided. Please refer to the temporal resolution section of the main report for the final annual coverage of all datasets.

8.1 Ayrshire Rivers Trust

Location of smolt monitoring site:	River Ayr (Stairaird)
River order	Main stem
6 figure grid reference	NS 465 262
Annual resolution	2010
Survey period	24 th March - 28 th May
Frequency	Twice daily
Species recorded	Salmon, trout, river and brook lamprey, perch, eel, minnow and stone loach
Fish weights recorded	Not all, but roughly 10% captured
Trap strategy	Main channel flow
Trap type	Rotary screw trap
Method for assessing capture efficiency if applicable	3 recapture trials were done whilst running the RST
Any additional environmental data collected which you suggest may have relevance to the project aims	Rainfall data

Site/River: Stairaird, River Ayr

1. What is the purpose/research question(s) you wish to answer with this trap deployment?

One of the angling clubs on the River Ayr had been stocking the river with Sea Trout for numerous years and by implementing the RST it should show if the stocking was working or not. We also wanted to see the proportion of salmon against sea trout being caught and the difference on the recapture.

2. How do these objectives relate to your fishery management plan?

In our FMP one of our aims/objectives was to investigate the decline of Ayrshire's sea trout populations and to look into stocking.

3. Does your deployment specifically target smolts?

Yes as it was positioned in a main stream channel during the smolt run.

4. Please note years when part of the smolt run may have been missed.

This was only operated in 2010.

5. If you are operating this trap in 2014, for how many subsequent years do you plan to operate?

n/a

6. Are there any further locations at which you aspire to monitor smolt runs in future years?

Yes we would like to run a RST on all of the rivers in Ayrshire in future years.

8.2 Cromarty Firth Fisheries Trust

Location of smolt monitoring site:	River Blackwater
River order	2
6 figure grid reference	246900 855100
Annual resolution	2009
Survey period	09/04-30/05
Frequency	Daily
Species recorded	Sal, Trout, other
Fish weights recorded	No
Trap strategy	Partial
Trap type	Rotary
Method for assessing capture efficiency if applicable	Marked Recapture
Any additional environmental data collected which you suggest may have relevance to the project aims

Site/River: Blackwater

1. What is the purpose/research question(s) you wish to answer with this trap deployment?

Estimate smolt production of the River Blackwater

2. How do these objectives relate to your fishery management plan?

Identified in FMP as; RD2: Monitor smolt outputs RD11; Develop more sophisticated stock models

3. Does your deployment specifically target smolts?

Yes

4. Please note years when part of the smolt run may have been missed.

Only run once to date, combination of controlled hydro flow and dry spring meant trapping effort constant and no outages

5. If you are operating this trap in 2014, for how many subsequent years do you plan to operate?

Not planned for 2014 but would like to repeat in the future

6. Are there any further locations at which you aspire to monitor smolt runs in future years?

Yes Trapping planned on Meig in 2014 and Orrin 2015. Would also like to run RST on other Cromarty rivers particularly the Alness, Sgitheach and Allt Graad.

Location of smolt monitoring site:	River Bran
River order	2
6 figure grid reference	230000 861500
Annual resolution	1994-ongoing
Survey period	1 st April- variable (mid-June)
Frequency	Daily
Species recorded	Sal, Trout, other
Fish weights recorded	Yes
Trap strategy	Total
Trap type	Wolf
Method for assessing capture efficiency if applicable	Marked Recapture
Any additional environmental data collected which you suggest may have relevance to the project aims	Flow

Site/River: Bran

1. What is the purpose/research question(s) you wish to answer with this trap deployment?

Smolt trapping and transport is part of the long term mitigation for hydro development of the Conon system. The tagging programme associated with this project allows monitoring of the impact of the management and also monitoring of entire catchment smolt production. PIT tag decoders downstream allow for monitoring of adult return rates.

2. How do these objectives relate to your fishery management plan?

Identified in FMP as; RD1 - Monitor smolt outputs RD2 - Monitor adult salmon return rates RD11- Develop more sophisticated stock model

3. Does your deployment specifically target smolts?

Yes

4. Please note years when part of the smolt run may have been missed.

The trap is in constant operation during the smolt run and periods recorded in spread sheet. The trap is attached to the Achanalt Barrage and in periods of high flow the Barrage gates may be partly opened although there is an agreed protocol to minimise this. When gates are open there is likely to be some loss of smolts under the gates although the extent of loss cannot be quantified.

5. If you are operating this trap in 2014, for how many subsequent years do you plan to operate?

Yes and for foreseeable future as part of on-going mitigation for hydro development

6. Are there any further locations at which you aspire to monitor smolt runs in future years?

RST planned for Upper Meig in 2014 to study smolt passage through Loch Meig. New fixed trap planned below Orrin Dam 2015 to monitor smolt production upstream of Orrin Dam and optimise passage at Dam.

Location of smolt monitoring site:	River Meig
River order	2
6 figure grid reference	239000 856700
Annual resolution	2006
Survey period	1 st April- variable (mid June)
Frequency	Daily
Species recorded	Sal, Trout, other
Fish weights recorded	No
Trap strategy	Partial
Trap type	Rotary
Method for assessing capture efficiency if applicable	Marked Recapture
Any additional environmental data collected which you suggest may have relevance to the project aims

Site/River: Meig

1. What is the purpose/research question(s) you wish to answer with this trap deployment?

Estimate smolt production of the River Meig

2. How do these objectives relate to your fishery management plan?

Identified in FMP as; RD2: Monitor smolt outputs RD11; Develop more sophisticated stock models

3. Does your deployment specifically target smolts?

Yes

4. Please note years when part of the smolt run may have been missed.

Only run once to date, combination of controlled hydro flow and dry spring meant trapping effort constant and no outages

5. If you are operating this trap in 2014, for how many subsequent years do you plan to operate?

Not planned for 2014 but would like to repeat in the future

6. Are there any further locations at which you aspire to monitor smolt runs in future years?

Yes Trapping planned on Upper Meig in 2014 and Orrin 2015. Would also like to run RST on other Cromarty rivers particularly the Alness, Sgitheach and Allt Graad.

Location of smolt monitoring site:	River Orrin
River order	2
6 figure grid reference	250600 853400
Annual resolution	2007
Survey period	1 st April- variable (mid June)
Frequency	Daily
Species recorded	Sal, Trout, other
Fish weights recorded	Yes
Trap strategy	Partial
Trap type	Rotary
Method for assessing capture efficiency if applicable	Marked Recapture
Any additional environmental data collected which you suggest may have relevance to the project aims	Flow

Site/River: Orrin

1. What is the purpose/research question(s) you wish to answer with this trap deployment?

Estimate smolt production of the River Orrin

2. How do these objectives relate to your fishery management plan?

Identified in FMP as; RD2: Monitor smolt outputs RD11; Develop more sophisticated stock models

3. Does your deployment specifically target smolts?

Yes

4. Please note years when part of the smolt run may have been missed.

Only run once to date, combination of controlled hydro flow and dry spring meant trapping effort constant and no outages

5. If you are operating this trap in 2014, for how many subsequent years do you plan to operate?

Not planned for 2014 but would like to repeat in the future

6. Are there any further locations at which you aspire to monitor smolt runs in future years?

Yes Trapping planned on Upper Meig in 2014 and Upper Orrin 2015. Would also like to run RST on other Cromarty rivers particularly the Alness, Sgitheach and Allt Graad.

8.3 Findhorn, Nairn & Lossie Fisheries Trust

Location of smolt monitoring site:	River Lossie, Kellas Estate
River order	1
6 figure grid reference	316119 853670
Annual resolution	2013
Survey period	15/04/2013 30/05/2013
Frequency	Daily
Species recorded	Salmon, trout, Brook Lamprey, 3 Spined Stickleback
Fish weights recorded	No
Trap strategy	Partial
Trap type	Rotary screw
Method for assessing capture efficiency if applicable	Mark recaptures. Portion of smolts tattooed with dye spots and re-released upstream from trap, recaptured recorded
Any additional environmental data collected which you suggest may have relevance to the project aims	Temperature data Flow data available from SEPA gauging station upstream

Site/River: Lossie

1. What is the purpose/research question(s) you wish to answer with this trap deployment?

After several years of poor fish catches and little observations of salmon spawning in the upper Lossie are there any salmon and sea trout smolts emigrating from the upper Lossie?

2. How do these objectives relate to your fishery management plan?

FMP 3.2: Salmon and Trout Smolt Production Currently No data smolt production is available for Lossie catchment. To provide better measure of the salmon and trout output from the River Lossie. Aim: Explore funding possibilities for establishing a smolts trap(s) within the catchment and identify suitable locations for establishing smolt traps throughout the Lossie.

3. Does your deployment specifically target smolts?

Yes, both salmon and sea trout

4. Please note years when part of the smolt run may have been missed.

Rotary trap only installed for Spring 2013

5. If you are operating this trap in 2014, for how many subsequent years do you plan to operate?

None

6. Are there any further locations at which you aspire to monitor smolt runs in future years

Yes, Lower Lossie to provide full river estimate, similar for river Nairn, Larger tributary of the Findhorn also under consideration such as Dorback. Data used to test desktop estimations of smolt out and carry capacity

8.4 Galloway Fisheries Trust

Location of smolt monitoring site:	River Bladnoch 2 (downstream of Site 1)
River order	1
6 figure grid reference	( NX) 396 553 (239682 555381)
Annual resolution NB: individual fish length/weight data is collected by GFT; count data is collected by the fish farm	1997 - 07/04/97 to 04/06/97 (individual length data) 1998 - 17/03/98 to 16/06/98 (individual length data) 1999 - 20/03/99 to 18/06/99 (individual length data) 2000 - 26/03/00 to 26/05/00 (individual length data) 2001 - 27/03/01 to 06/06/01 (individual length data) 2002 - 10/04/02 to 04/06/02 (individual length data) 2003 - 25/03/03 to 29/05/03 (count data) 2004 - 04/04/04 to 09/05/04 (individual length data) 2005 - No data 2006 - 28/03/06 to 08/05/06 (individual length data) 2007 - 28/03/07 to 10/05/07 (individual length data) 2008 - 28/03/08 to 11/05/08 (individual length data) 2009 - No data 2010 - 31/03/10 to 10/06/10 (count data) 2011 - 03/04/11 to 31/05/11 (count data) 2012 - 28/03/12 to 27/05/12 (count data) 2013 - 27/03/13 to 18/04/13 (count data) 19/04/13 (individual length data) 20/04/13 to 22/04/13 (count data) 23/04/13 (individual length data) 25/04/13 to 02/05/13 (count data) 03/05/13 (individual length data) 04/05/13 to 06/05/13 (count data) 07/05/13 (individual length data) 08/05/13 to 16/05/13 (count data) 17/05/13 (individual length data) 18/05/13 to 25/05/13 (count data)
Survey period	Varies between years, but approx. end of March to end of May
Frequency	Daily during salmon smolt run
Species recorded	All species caught but aim was for salmon smolts
Fish weights recorded	No, except in 2013 when only smolts were analysed 1 day/week
Trap strategy	Partial
Trap type	Fyke net in fish farm lade (intake from main river)
Method for assessing capture efficiency if applicable	None
Any additional environmental data collected which you suggest may have relevance to the project aims	May have access to river level records and water temp data

Site/River: Site 2, Bladnoch (fyke net)

1. What is the purpose/research question(s) you wish to answer with this trap deployment?

2. The smolts are caught by fkye net. The fyke net is installed in a lade which provides water to a fish farm from the main River Bladnoch. The farm is gravity fed therefore the lade takes water directly from the river at all times. When the river level is low, I believe there is a sluice gate which can be opened further so that the farm takes sufficient amounts of water - meaning a greater percentage of water is going through the farm. Therefore during the smolt run there is a high chance of downstream migrating smolts being directed towards the fish farm and getting stuck at the screens which the farm doesn't want. Indeed, the farm has a legal obligation to run the net/trap so as to allow smolts to migrate downstream to sea. So every year the farm installs a fyke net and collects the smolts and puts them back in the river downstream of the lade's intake. In past years GFT has taken data from the smolts before they are put back into the river. In some years we have carried out mark recapture experiments on a proportion of the smolts in order to estimate the smolt run of the river. In years when we do not undertake mark recapture experiments, we do not have specific 'questions to answer' but we view it as an opportunity to collect data from this life stage that we would not normally have access to.

3. How do these objectives relate to your fishery management plan?

4. The objectives of collecting data from the smolts at this site does not relate directly to out FMP, but it helps up build the picture of smolts leaving the Bladnoch system.

5. Does your deployment specifically target smolts?

The fyke net deployment does specifically target the smolt run as they are numerous so there is potential for thousands to enter the fish farm. The fyke net is not run all year which means the odd pike or brown trout do get into the farm but this is not as big a problem as thousands of smolts. Legally the smolts have to be caught and put back in the river to be on their way. Although the fyke net does target the influx of smolts, many other fish species are caught when it is deployed (it is only installed in the lade just before until after the smolt run when catches radically tail off to zero).

6. Please note years when part of the smolt run may have been missed.

I am unaware of any years when part of the smolt run would have been missed by the fyke net. However in terms of holes in our data, we have not sampled smolts over the whole of the smolt run in each sampling year, and indeed have not taken data from the smolts every year. As this work has not been directly funded, we have spent time on smolts when time, manpower and funds have allowed.

7. If you are operating this trap in 2014, for how many subsequent years do you plan to operate?

This fyke net will be run by the fish farm every year regardless of what we choose to do in terms of smolt data collection. I plan to take a sub-sample of smolts to collect length/weight/age data in 2014 but we do not have the resources to collect data every day during the smolt run.

8. Are there any further locations at which you aspire to monitor smolt runs in future years?

N/A for the fyke net as it is static and here for a specific purpose. But I would like to run the rotary screw trap on the nearby Water of Fleet in order to get some data on sea trout smolts (numbers heading to sea, age of smolting, location in the catchment they are coming from).

Location of smolt monitoring site:	River Bladnoch 1 (upstream of Site 2)
River order	1
6 figure grid reference	( NX) 338 621 (233881 562141)
Annual resolution	2005 - installed trap then a few days later caught a sheep which damaged trap enough to make it inoperable 2006 - 03/04/06 to 08/05/13 (individual length data) Only 2006 data available
Survey period	Start of April to end of May
Frequency	Daily during salmon smolt run, except on high water when screw was lifted up so not fishing
Species recorded	All species caught but aim was for salmon smolts
Fish weights recorded	No
Trap strategy	Partial
Trap type	Rotary screw trap
Method for assessing capture efficiency if applicable	None
Any additional environmental data collected which you suggest may have relevance to the project aims	May have access to river level records and water temp data from further down the river

Site/River: Site 1, Bladnoch (rotary screw trap)

1. What is the purpose/research question(s) you wish to answer with this trap deployment?

This screw trap was used to try and ascertain if many smolts were being produced and coming down from the upper main River Bladnoch. It was installed upstream of where the river's largest tributary, the Tarf Water, joins, and from where we know many salmon are produced. The upper River Bladnoch suffers from acidification and although some juvenile salmon are recorded during electrofishing surveys, we wanted to know if many smolts (and their age/size/condition) were being produced. The numbers could be compared to those caught further downstream at Site 1 - Torhouse Trout Farm lade.

2. How do these objectives relate to your fishery management plan?

In our FMP we aim to try and address acidification (it is one of the main limiting factors in the Bladnoch). We need as much data as we can to back up and support our cause, especially with forestry interests. Smolt data helps fill the picture as we can show egg box experiment results, numbers of juvenile salmon either stocked there, and/or recorded in juvenile electrofishing surveys, and if we have smolt information we can complete the freshwater picture for the upper Bladnoch.

3. Does your deployment specifically target smolts

Yes, the deployment specifically targets smolts, but other species have been caught as well. The screw trap only catches a proportion of the smolts leaving the upper Bladnoch because of the width of the river and the size/nature of the trap.

4. Please note years when part of the smolt run may have been missed.

The trap was only run for a few years, and only put in when we thought the smolts were running. In order to protect the screw trap from damage we have to crank up the catching part of the trap (the cone) in times of high water - one year about mid-way through the smolt run we caught a sheep in the trap that came down in a flood and this caused a lot of internal damage to the trap. Because of this we couldn't use the trap for the remainder of that year and it was very costly to fix. Plus the traps get battered around a lot in a flood and they're not that strong. So it is likely that in times of flood many more smolts will run past the trap which is not 'fishing'.

5. If you are operating this trap in 2014, for how many subsequent years do you plan to operate?

We do not plan to run the screw trap in this location on the Bladnoch in 2014, or for the foreseeable future. We (hopefully) plan to deploy the trap elsewhere as we have no data on smolts from other rivers ( e.g. Luce, Fleet, Urr).

6. Are there any further locations at which you aspire to monitor smolt runs in future years?

I would like to get data on smolts, particularly sea trout, from the Water of Fleet. I'd plan on using the rotary screw trap for this purpose.

8.5 Heriot Watt University / Malcolm Thomson (Orkney)

Location of smolt monitoring site:	River Eyrland
River order	1
6 figure grid reference
Annual resolution	2007-2010
Survey period
Frequency	Daily
Species recorded	Salmon, trout, other
Fish weights recorded	Yes
Trap strategy	Total
Trap type	Wolf
Method for assessing capture efficiency if applicable	Marked Recapture
Any additional environmental data collected which you suggest may have relevance to the project aims	Temperature, flow,

Site/River: Eyrland Burn, Orkney

1. What is the purpose/research question(s) you wish to answer with this trap deployment?

• Estimate smolt productivity in an Orkney burn which had not previously been done.
• Use the data to study migration cues, smolt growth rates and other aspects of migration.
• Tag smolts to study movement at sea.
• Use smolt data to compliment data from upstream trap surveys in the same burn carried out in 2007 & 2009.

2. How do these objectives relate to your fishery management plan?

• Orkney currently has no formal fisheries management plan.
• The data was collected as part of my PhD thesis, but also used by the local trout fishing association (of which I am a member) to provide summary information on sea trout which was submitted to local regulatory authorities, e.g. Orkney Islands Council, SEPA, SNH, to aid in the local development plan and planning process.

3. Does your deployment specifically target smolts?

• Yes

4. Please note years when part of the smolt run may have been missed.

• Part of the smolt run was probably missed in 2004 & 2006, when only partial samples were obtained.
• The Wolf trap (2007 - 2010) was certainly more effective and I think caught the majority of the run, but it was still possible that some smolts were missed during high water events.
• Attempts to estimate trap efficiency were confounded by the tendency for some marked fishes to de-smolt and remain in the burn.

5. If you are operating this trap in 2014, for how many subsequent years do you plan to operate?

• No.
• I would like to operate the trap again in the future in a primarily monitoring sense, but it would require funding to do so.

6. Are there any further locations at which you aspire to monitor smolt runs in future years?

• Yes there are other areas in Orkney where smolt data would be useful, if the Eyrland data is a sentinel site for the Scapa Flow area, then a complimentary site on the north of the mainland would be good. There are some sites where this might be possible, i.e. burns with dams/fish ladders, like the Eyrland burn.
• As with the Eyrland burn however this would require proper funding to execute.

8.6 Inverness College UHI (River Carron)

Location of smolt monitoring site: River Carron, Lochcarron, Wester Ross	The smolt trap is positioned at the neck of Brabourne's Pool approximately 300 metres above the road bridge at Strathcarron
River order	The Carron is one of the biggest river systems in Wester Ross.
6 figure grid reference	194100 842400
Annual resolution	The trap has been in operation since 2008
Survey period	The trap is positioned at the beginning of April and is operated until the end of the smolt run (sometime in June)
Frequency	The trap is checked and emptied daily
Species recorded	All fish are recorded and include salmon fry, parr and smolts, sea trout fry, parr, smolts, finnock and kelts, eels, sticklebacks, minnows, flounders and on a couple of occasions sea lampreys.
Fish weights recorded	Weights are not recorded, but lengths of the first 50 salmon smolts are taken daily as well as the lengths of all sea trout smolts, finnock and kelts.
Trap strategy	The trap is used to monitor smolt output from the river and operates best when the river is low. In 2011 and 2012, low conditions prevailed throughout most of the smolt run resulting in good numbers of smolts being caught (more than 6,500 in 2011). The trap has also enabled an assessment to be made of the smolt output from salmon stocked out as tagged fry.
Trap type	Rotary screw
Method for assessing capture efficiency if applicable	In 2011 and 2013, identifiable salmon smolts were released from a release pond in known numbers at a time of low water when the trap was operating at its most efficient. These fish were monitored through the trap giving an indication of trap efficiency. The results for the 2 releases were very similar.
Any additional environmental data collected which you suggest may have relevance to the project aims	All the fish going through the trap are carefully examined and any incidence of scale loss is noted either as a few missing scales or severe scale loss where mortality would occur. This gives an indication of bird damage on migrating smolts which at times can be very high.

Site/River: River Carron

1. What is the purpose/research question(s) you wish to answer with this trap deployment?

As part of the River Carron Restoration Project the trap is being used to assess the health of the salmon population in the river. This data forms part of the overall picture of the health of the River Carron stock and helps answer the question of whether it is improving or not.

2. How do these objectives relate to your fishery management plan?

N/A

3. Does your deployment specifically target smolts?

Essentially yes, but any fish in the trap regardless of age or species is recorded.

4. Please note years when part of the smolt run may have been missed.

In both 2008 and 2009 the trap was raised to allow stocked smolts ease of movement to the estuary

5. If you are operating this trap in 2014, for how many subsequent years do you plan to operate?

Screw trap surveys in the River Carron are likely to be on-going

6. Are there any further locations at which you aspire to monitor smolt runs in future years?

No

Additional note: In 2008 salmon were stocked out as unfed fry, fry, pre-smolts and smolts while trout were stocked out as ova and fry. In 2009 salmon were stocked out as fry, pre-smolts/ parr and smolts while trout were stocked out ova, fry, "yearlings" and smolts.

8.7 Kyle of Sutherland Fisheries Trust

Location of smolt monitoring site:	1. Tirry 2. Grudie 3. Corriekinloch 4. Fiag 5. Loch Ghriama (Loch Shin)
River order	?
grid reference	1. NC 576 116 2. NC 552 031 3. NC 369 253 4. NC 466206 5. NC 389 581
Annual resolution	Annually since 2011
Survey period	March 1 st- June 1st
Frequency	Daily
Species recorded	Salmon, Trout, Eels
Fish weights recorded	No
Trap strategy	1. Partial 2. Total 3. Partial 4. Partial 5. Partial
Trap type	1. Rotary Screw 2. Wolf Trap 3. Rotary Screw 4. Rotary Screw 5. Rotary Screw
Method for assessing capture efficiency if applicable	None
Any additional environmental data collected which you suggest may have relevance to the project aims	None

Site/River: Fiag/Corriekinloch/Merkland/Tirry (Kyle Fisheries)

1. What is the purpose/research question(s) you wish to answer with this trap deployment?

The success (or otherwise) of smolt migration through Loch Shin and the SSE Hydro Dams at Lairg. The approximate density of smolts in the main tributaries (Fiag/Corriekinloch/Merkland/Tirry)

2. How do these objectives relate to your fishery management plan?

Shin Smolt Migration Research - Re-establishing a viable migratory population in the tributaries of Loch Shin

3. Does your deployment specifically target smolts?

Yes

4. Please note years when part of the smolt run may have been missed.

5. If you are operating this trap in 2014, for how many subsequent years do you plan to operate?

As long as funding will allow, or until a viable migratory population is established

6. Are there any further locations at which you aspire to monitor smolt runs in future years?

Yes, on the River Oykel.

8.8 Lochaber Fisheries Trust

Location of smolt monitoring site:	River Morar
River order	1
6 figure grid reference	NM684 923
Annual resolution	2005-2012 (but trap has had to be removed for periods during the run in some years due to high water)
Survey period	Varies usually beginning May to early June
Frequency	daily
Species recorded	Salmon and sea trout
Fish weights recorded	No - lengths recorded
Trap strategy	partial
Trap type	rotary screw
Method for assessing capture efficiency if applicable	Mark and recapture. Recapture rates for salmon approx. 6-19%, too low for sea trout (0-7%)
Any additional environmental data collected which you suggest may have relevance to the project aims	Vaki counter at hydro dam on river records numbers of salmon, grilse and sea trout ascending the river. In conjunction with smolt output data can be used to estimate smolt survival. BUT number of years when counter not working and gaps in trap deployment through smolt run mean that data aren't that robust.

8.9 Outer Hebrides Fisheries Trust

Location of smolt monitoring site:	Outflow of Loch nan Struban
River order	n/a
6 figure grid reference	NF 807643
Annual resolution	E.g. 2008-2010, 2012
Survey period	March to June data supplied
Frequency	Daily
Species recorded	Trout
Fish weights recorded	No
Trap strategy	Total
Trap type	Fixed
Method for assessing capture efficiency if applicable
Any additional environmental data collected which you suggest may have relevance to the project aims	Trap is not located on the best possible system.

8.10 Spey Foundation

Location of smolt monitoring site:	River Truim, Spey catchment
River order	2
6 figure grid reference	268900/794957
Annual resolution	2010-2013
Survey period	Early March to about 25 th May (varied from year to year
Frequency	Daily
Species recorded	Salmon/Trout
Fish weights recorded	No
Trap strategy	Partial
Trap type	rotary screw
Method for assessing capture efficiency if applicable	Proportion of catch mark and released
Any additional environmental data collected which you suggest may have relevance to the project aims	Temperature, river height or flow, cumulative spring air temperature

Site/River: River Truim

1. What is the purpose/research question(s) you wish to answer with this trap deployment?

Assessment of smolt production in tributary subject to SEPA CAR licence variation

2. How do these objectives relate to your fishery management plan?

FMP Action 3.2: To provide better measurements of the salmon and trout smolt output of the River Spey

3. Does your deployment specifically target smolts?

Yes

4. Please note years when part of the smolt run may have been missed.

Described in spread sheet

5. If you are operating this trap in 2014, for how many subsequent years do you plan to operate?

This RST will not operate in 2014 but may operate in future years depending on outcome of SEPA CAR licence review

6. Are there any further locations at which you aspire to monitor smolt runs in future years?

Yes - a RST will be operated in the Lower River Avon in 2014

Location of smolt monitoring site:	River Tromie, Spey catchment
River order	2
6 figure grid reference	278912/799585
Annual resolution	2009 -2013
Survey period	Early March to about 25 th May (varied from year to year
Frequency	Daily
Species recorded	Salmon/Trout
Fish weights recorded	No
Trap strategy	Partial
Trap type	rotary screw
Method for assessing capture efficiency if applicable	Proportion of catch mark and released
Any additional environmental data collected which you suggest may have relevance to the project aims	Temperature, river height or flow, cumulative spring air temperature

Site/River: River Tromie

1. What is the purpose/research question(s) you wish to answer with this trap deployment?

Assessment of smolt production in tributary subject to SEPA CAR licence variation

2. How do these objectives relate to your fishery management plan?

FMP Action 3.2: To provide better measurements of the salmon and trout smolt output of the River Spey

3. Does your deployment specifically target smolts?

Yes

4. Please note years when part of the smolt run may have been missed.

Described in spread sheet

5. If you are operating this trap in 2014, for how many subsequent years do you plan to operate?

This RST will not operate in 2014 but may operate in future years depending on outcome of SEPA CAR licence review

6. Are there any further locations at which you aspire to monitor smolt runs in future years?

Yes - a RST will be operated in the Lower River Avon in 2014

Location of smolt monitoring site:	River Spey Dam
River order	1
6 figure grid reference	258207/793540
Annual resolution	1973 - 1994, 1995 to 2010
Survey period	Varied, generally April to June, occasionally earlier, and later
Frequency	Daily
Species recorded	Salmon/trout
Fish weights recorded	No
Trap strategy	Total, although trap can be bypassed if dam spills
Trap type	Mobile
Method for assessing capture efficiency if applicable	n/a
Any additional environmental data collected which you suggest may have relevance to the project aims	River/loch levels available, possibly water temperature

Site/River: River Spey at Spey Dam

1. What is the purpose/research question(s) you wish to answer with this trap deployment?

Assessment of smolt production upstream of hydro impoundment

2. How do these objectives relate to your fishery management plan?

FMP Action 3.2: To provide better measurements of the salmon and trout smolt output of the River Spey

3. Does your deployment specifically target smolts?

Yes

4. Please note years when part of the smolt run may have been missed.

Described in spread sheet

5. If you are operating this trap in 2014, for how many subsequent years do you plan to operate?

No plans to operate in 2014

6. Are there any further locations at which you aspire to monitor smolt runs in future years?

Yes - a RST will be operated in the Lower River Avon in 2014

Location of smolt monitoring site:	River Spey Main stem
River order	1
6 figure grid reference	332910/855027
Annual resolution	2005 - 2008
Survey period	Varied : Start March to end May or early June
Frequency	Daily
Species recorded	Salmon/trout and OFS
Fish weights recorded	No
Trap strategy	Partial
Trap type	Rotary screw
Method for assessing capture efficiency if applicable	Mark and recapture
Any additional environmental data collected which you suggest may have relevance to the project aims	River levels/water temperature

Site/River: River Spey lower main stem

1. What is the purpose/research question(s) you wish to answer with this trap deployment?

Assessment of smolt production in Spey catchment: biological characteristics, run timing and size

2. How do these objectives relate to your fishery management plan?

FMP Action 3.2: To provide better measurements of the salmon and trout smolt output of the River Spey

3. Does your deployment specifically target smolts?

Yes

4. Please note years when part of the smolt run may have been missed.

Described in spread sheet

5. If you are operating this trap in 2014, for how many subsequent years do you plan to operate?

This RST will not operate in 2014.

6. Are there any further locations at which you aspire to monitor smolt runs in future years?

Yes - a RST will be operated in the Lower River Avon in 2014

8.11 Tweed Foundation

Location of smolt monitoring site:	River Yarrow
River order	Comes out of a loch
6 figure grid reference	NT 343 259
Annual resolution	2006-13
Survey period	Late March to when algae makes trapping impossible.
Frequency	At present, three days per week.
Species recorded	Salmon & Trout
Fish weights recorded	No, lengths and damage types only recorded
Trap strategy	Partial
Trap type	Fixed, in outwash of screening for a trout farm.
Method for assessing capture efficiency if applicable	n/a
Any additional environmental data collected which you suggest may have relevance to the project aims	Temperature data logger permanently at site, hourly readings.

Note: 1) This trap was the source of the Sea-trout smolts tagged for: N.R. Gauld, R.N.B. Campbell, M.C. Lucas 2013: Reduced flow impacts salmonid smolt emigration in a river with low-head weirs. Science of the Total Environment.

2) There are also Smolt samples from the Leader Water (1999 & 2000) and the Gala Water (1997).

3) The Environment Agency catch smolts during their fyke-net fish surveys of the Tweed estuary each year.

4) Seine net samples of smolts in the Tweed estuary were taken by the Faskally laboratory in the late 1950s and early 1960s, though most of this data has apparently been lost.

Site/River: Yarrow Water at Tinnis Fish Farm

1. What is the purpose/research question(s) you wish to answer with this trap deployment?

(1) To find the start dates for smolt runs. Temperature is also recorded. (2) General information on the size distribution of smolts (3) Rates of predator or other damage to smolts

2. How do these objectives relate to your fishery management plan?

Study of Goosander and other predation is part of the management plan work ( FMP Input 2C.2c) as is work on environmental variables and salmon catches (Input 2D.2b)

3. Does your deployment specifically target smolts?

Yes

4. Please note years when part of the smolt run may have been missed.

Sampling is qualitative, not quantitative; no attempt is made cover the whole of the run. The trap is in the off wash of the smolt screen of the fish farm, so when algae levels become too high in early May, trapping has to stop. It is not run at weekends either, as it is for qualitative data rather than quantitative.

5. If you are operating this trap in 2014, for how many subsequent years do you plan to operate?

Annually

6. Are there any further locations at which you aspire to monitor smolt runs in future years?

Yes, on the Gala Water, to provide smolt data to go with the adult fish counter there.

Site/River: Leader Water at Drygrange

1. What is the purpose/research question(s) you wish to answer with this trap deployment?

This was a first attempt to get (1) some general data on the size distribution of Tweed smolts and (2) to see how these sizes related to the prey size preferences of Goosanders

2. How do these objectives relate to your fishery management plan?

Study of Goosander predation is part of the management plan work

3. Does your deployment specifically target smolts?

Yes

4. Please note years when part of the smolt run may have been missed.

Sampling was qualitative, not quantitative. No attempt to cover the whole of the run

5. If you are operating this trap in 2014, for how many subsequent years do you plan to operate?

N/A

6. Are there any further locations at which you aspire to monitor smolt runs in future years?

See the reply for the Yarrow site.

Site/River: Gala Water at Torwoodlee Fish Farm

1. What is the purpose/research question(s) you wish to answer with this trap deployment?

There was no trap deployment, there was an accidental catch of smolts in the fish farm after a screen failure

2. How do these objectives relate to your fishery management plan?

N/A

3. Does your deployment specifically target smolts?

N/A

4. Please note years when part of the smolt run may have been missed.

N/A

5. If you are operating this trap in 2014, for how many subsequent years do you plan to operate?

6. Are there any further locations at which you aspire to monitor smolt runs in future years?

See the reply for the Yarrow site.

8.12 West Sutherland Fisheries Trust

Location of smolt monitoring site:	River Manse
River order	1
6 figure grid reference	NC080 247
Annual resolution	1999-2000
Survey period	Annual
Frequency	daily
Species recorded	Salmon and trout
Fish weights recorded	No, length only
Trap strategy	total
Trap type	Fixed
Method for assessing capture efficiency if applicable	n/a Fish missed if they went over mid net
Any additional environmental data collected which you suggest may have relevance to the project aims	Water temperature

Site/River: Manse

1. What is the purpose/research question(s) you wish to answer with this trap deployment?

The size of the migratory population within the system and the return rate.

2. Subsequently the trap was also used as part of a PhD project looking at the effects of sea lice on returning sea trout

How do these objectives relate to your fishery management plan?

3. Increased knowledge of the migratory populations for improved management

Does your deployment specifically target smolts?

4. No

Please note years when part of the smolt run may have been missed.

5. Potentially each as the trap can be avoided in high water

If you are operating this trap in 2014, for how many subsequent years do you plan to operate?

6. Are there any further locations at which you aspire to monitor smolt runs in future years?

Location of smolt monitoring site:	River Loanan
River order	1
6 figure grid reference	NC244 193
Annual resolution	2000- 2001
Survey period	April - May
Frequency	Daily
Species recorded	Salmon and trout
Fish weights recorded	No
Trap strategy	Total
Trap type	Mobile
Method for assessing capture efficiency if applicable	n/a Fish missed if they went over mid net
Any additional environmental data collected which you suggest may have relevance to the project aims

Loanan

1. What is the purpose/research question(s) you wish to answer with this trap deployment?

What proportion of the smolts from the river return as adults

2. How do these objectives relate to your fishery management plan?

Knowledge of stock recruitment

3. Does your deployment specifically target smolts?

Yes

4. Please note years when part of the smolt run may have been missed.

Each year deployed

5. If you are operating this trap in 2014, for how many subsequent years do you plan to operate?

6. Are there any further locations at which you aspire to monitor smolt runs in future years?

Location of smolt monitoring site:	Badaidh Daraich
River order	1
6 figure grid reference	NC159 448
Annual resolution	2009 - 2013
Survey period	April - May
Frequency	Daily
Species recorded	Salmon, trout and eels
Fish weights recorded	No
Trap strategy	Total
Trap type	Mobile
Method for assessing capture efficiency if applicable	n/a
Any additional environmental data collected which you suggest may have relevance to the project aims	Temperature data in 2011 & 2013

Site/River: Bhadaidh Daraich

1. What is the purpose/research question(s) you wish to answer with this trap deployment?

Have migratory fish returned to the system?

2. How do these objectives relate to your fishery management plan?

Assess the effectiveness of habitat restoration

3. Does your deployment specifically target smolts?

Yes

4. Please note years when part of the smolt run may have been missed.

Each year operated

5. If you are operating this trap in 2014, for how many subsequent years do you plan to operate?

6. Are there any further locations at which you aspire to monitor smolt runs in future years?

Location of smolt monitoring site:	River Laxford
River order	1
6 figure grid reference	NC260 467
Annual resolution	2009-2010
Survey period	May
Frequency	daily
Species recorded	Salmon and trout
Fish weights recorded	yes
Trap strategy	partial
Trap type	Rotary screw trap
Method for assessing capture efficiency if applicable	Mark - recapture
Any additional environmental data collected which you suggest may have relevance to the project aims

Site/River: Laxford

1. What is the purpose/research question(s) you wish to answer with this trap deployment?

The size of the smolt run within the system

2. How do these objectives relate to your fishery management plan?

Knowledge of the smolt runs and population dynamics

3. Does your deployment specifically target smolts?

Yes

4. Please note years when part of the smolt run may have been missed.

Each year deployed, not a suitable location

5. If you are operating this trap in 2014, for how many subsequent years do you plan to operate?

Location of smolt monitoring site:	River Badna Bay
River order	1
6 figure grid reference	NC220 467
Annual resolution	2012 - 2013
Survey period	April - May
Frequency	daily
Species recorded	Salmon and trout
Fish weights recorded	Yes for some, not all
Trap strategy	total
Trap type	mobile
Method for assessing capture efficiency if applicable	n/a
Any additional environmental data collected which you suggest may have relevance to the project aims	Temp data in 2013

Site/River: Badna Bay

1. What is the purpose/research question(s) you wish to answer with this trap deployment?

What proportion of the smolts in the estuary netting come from the Badna Bay catchment?

2. How do these objectives relate to your fishery management plan?

Additional knowledge on the sea trout populations within the 2 systems

3. Does your deployment specifically target smolts?

Yes

4. Please note years when part of the smolt run may have been missed.

Each year deployed

5. 23. If you are operating this trap in 2014, for how many subsequent years do you plan to operate?

Unknown, at least 3

6. 24. Are there any further locations at which you aspire to monitor smolt runs in future years?

8.13 Wester Ross Fisheries Trust

Location of smolt monitoring site:	Tournaig River, Wester Ross. Trap located in fish ladder ~50m above mouth of river.
River order	1 (a relatively small coastal stream)
6 figure grid reference	187 883
Annual resolution	1999 - 2013
Survey period	Typically 1 st April (or earlier) to end July or later (and upstream trap to October or later)
Frequency	Trap checked daily each morning.
Species recorded	Salmon and sea trout smolts; occasional brown trout, minnow, and in some years silver eels in September - October.
Fish weights recorded	No. Just lengths to nearest 5mm.
Trap strategy	Partial (1999- 2002), Total (2003-2013) - smolt screens direct fish into trap; however in 2011, 2012 and 2013 some fish were missed due to very high water levels during smolt migration period and water levels over-topped screens. Smolt runs were typically of between 0 and 600 salmon smolts per year, and 50 - 200+ sea trout smolts, reflecting changes in the performance of respective populations. The Tournaig system has been unstocked: the aim has been to monitor the performance of wild trout and salmon populations. Scale and DNA samples have been taken from typically every 5 th smolt. Many photographs.
Trap type	Fixed. Trap decommissioned during winter months.
Method for assessing capture efficiency if applicable	VI tags were used to assess capture efficiency in earlier years (before smolt screens were fitted).
Any additional environmental data collected which you suggest may have relevance to the project aims	Water level (always) and usually water temperature. In some years smolt migration has been delayed by low flows.

Site/River: Tournaig, By Loch Ewe

1. What is the purpose/research question(s) you wish to answer with this trap deployment?

The Tournaig trap project was set up to monitor 'natural' salmon and sea trout populations in a small, un-stocked river system by Loch Ewe. In addition to operation of upstream and downstream traps, an annual electro-fishing survey is carried out to assess the distribution and relative abundance of juvenile salmon and trout in the principle spawning stream.

2. How do these objectives relate to your fishery management plan?

The project informs local fisheries management about freshwater and marine production & performance of both salmon and sea trout. We have information about growth rates of juvenile salmon, and trout, smolt age, composition of adult runs, sex ratios of adult fish, information about seal predation; and DNA samples (all adult salmon and sea trout; 1 in 5 smolts). Ben has also taken photographs of almost every adult fish in the upstream trap over past (?10) years, and many smolts heading out..

3. Does your deployment specifically target smolts?

No. We also operate an upstream trap to record adult salmon and sea trout entering the system.

4. Please note years when part of the smolt run may have been missed.

In the past three years (2011, 2012, 2013) water levels over topped the smolt diversion screens for one or more days during the smolt migration period and some smolts may have been missed. During the years 2003-2010 (inclusive), we believe that the trap recorded close to 100% of the smolt runs.

5. If you are operating this trap in 2014, for how many subsequent years do you plan to operate?

Yes, pending funding agreement. We have some minor repairs to carry out to prepare the downstream trap for operation (from late March). The trap is operated by Ben Rushbrooke who lives nearby and has been able to check the trap and process fish every morning. Without Ben, who has much knowledge and experience, operation of the trap would not have been possible.

6. Are there any further locations at which you aspire to monitor smolt runs in future years?

Other river systems where information on smolt runs would be interesting and useful include the Little Gruinard ( SAC), Ewe and tributaries (esp. sea trout), Kerry; and on Skye, Strath More system (near Torrin). We also remain very interested in data from the MSS Shieldaig Project by Loch Torridon.

Location of smolt monitoring site:	River Ewe, below Loch Maree, in 'T' Pool
River order	1
6 figure grid reference	186 879
Annual resolution	2010 (attempts to operate the screw trap in 2011 were unsuccessful due to exceptionally high flows and other difficulties).
Survey period	29 th April to 6 th June 2010
Frequency	Daily
Species recorded	Salmon and sea trout
Fish weights recorded	Some. Lengths to nearest 10mm
Trap strategy	Initial trial to sample smolts emigrating from the River Ewe system
Trap type	Rotary screw trap.
Method for assessing capture efficiency if applicable	Not assessed. The trap was considered to be inefficient: it failed to rotate at low flows, and at high flows had to be decommissioned (due to threat of being washed away). However, some useful information for the timing, size of smolts migration and relative proportions of trout vs. salmon was obtained in 2010.
Any additional environmental data collected which you suggest may have relevance to the project aims	(Predator damage of smolts.) SEPA gauging station nearby.