Fisheries Management

Freshwater fisheries in the Cromarty Firth region are managed by the combined activities of the Cromarty Firth Fishery Board and the Cromarty Firth Fisheries Trust.  

The Board is a statutory body with particular responsibility for salmon and sea trout and fishery protection both in rivers and coastal waters.

The Trust is a charitable body which supports a programme of research and management and has a remit for all native fish species.

Many years of research including detailed habitat surveys and electro-fishing surveys were used to produce a Fishery Management Plan for the region which guides current management.  These management activities include; habitat management, management of the exploitation of fish stocks, maintenance of access for migratory fish, targeted stocking operations where appropriate, research and monitoring of the status of all fish species.

A Rotary Screw Trap used to estimate smolt production - River Orrin

Trapped smolts from the River Bran being released below Torr Achilty Dam

For more information about the work carried out by the Fishery Board please visit the Cromarty Firth Fishery Board website, or contact them by e-mail: cromartyfish@hotmail.co.uk

Below is a short video showing smolt tagging being carried out by fishery board biologists:

NB: for best quality, click on the YouTube logo on the embedded viewer above, then select the 720p or higher HD setting and view in full screen.