SEPA update, February 2015

Alistair Duguid

Outline

• Fish team update

• Classification

• Rivers

• Barriers

• Lochs

• River Basin planning update

• 2nd RBMP consultation

River Fish Classification

• FCS2 Scotland

• Now fully integrated into

annual classification

• Method statement available

on UKTAG website

• Issues identified with wide

rivers

• Results available through

Scotland’s Environment

website

http://www.environment.scotland.gov.uk/

Fish barrier classification update

• Change from catchment area

blocked, to river length

• Issues identified with

overestimating potential habitat

available in headwaters

• GIS comparison of stream

width, slope and salmon

distribution being carried out

• to assess whether we can

improve prioritisation

• Smartphone app in

development to improve

information

http://www.environment.scotland.gov.uk/

Loch classification

• Major progress

underway

• Data set collated-

SEPA, MSS, SNH

• NORDIC gillnet

methodology

• 35 lochs, wide range

of sites

Loch classification

• Data tested using Irish FIL2 classification tool

• Poor results- lower species diversity, and different

loch types in Scotland

• Funding available to repeat the model building on

Scottish data set

• Project underway with AFBI (N. Ireland)

• Due to deliver by April

Loch classification- input data set

• Fish metrics

• Species metrics (CPUE, BPUE, size)

• Functional guilds (piscivore, phytophilic

etc.)

• Abiotic metrics

• Landuse

• Geographic (depth, area, altitude,

distance to sea etc.)

• Hydrology & morphology

• Water chemistry

• Alkalinity

• Cholorphyll A

• Total phosphorus

• pH

• Define a pressure gradient

• Eutrophication

Loch area (Ha)

0.0

200.0

400.0

600.0

800.0

1000.0

1200.0

1400.0

Mea

die

Affr

ic

Beinn

a M

head

hoin

Mar

ee

na S

eagle

Dun

telcha

ig

Kat

rine

Nav

er

Loya

l

Dug

hail

Fanni

ch

Bru

iche

achLo

ch

Loch

Bui

lg

Mor

e

Loch

Lom

ond

Loch

Tar

ff

Ven

acha

r

Loch

of G

irlst

a

Laid

on

Loch

Eck

Ash

ie

Lubn

aigAwe

Dam

h

Loch

Doo

n

Bro

ra

Loch

Gra

nnoc

h

Nam

Bra

c

Loch

Insh

Kinor

d

Loch

Uss

ie

Dav

an

Loch

of S

trath

begFitt

y

Phosphorus pressure gradient

Next steps…

• Define pristine lochs,

• Use these to develop a Scottish typology, based on

cluster analysis of fish metrics

• Create separate classification for each typology

Can we use eDNA as a substitute?

• Gillnetting is expensive, time consuming,

destructive and unpopular

• SEPA pilot project with RZSS has shown that

shed DNA can be identified in water samples

• Other countries developing detailed protocols

• Inferring relative abundance of species may

be possible

• Testing reduced list of fish metrics in

classification to assess potential

Current Condition

& Challenges

where are we now?

Principles for developing the second

plans

• Our aim is to achieve good status by 2027 unless not technically feasible, disproportionately costly or where environmental recovery takes longer

• Reviewing and updating the RBMP is an opportunity to:

• Learn from the successes and failures from the 1st plan

• Apply a better understanding of the benefits and costs of measures (prioritise)

• Review the balance of measures between the second and third cycles

Developing strategic implementation for these measures

• Approaches for water pollution from land

contamination and toxic pollution

• Scenarios for

• Rural diffuse pollution

• Restoring physical condition of beds, banks and

shores

• Restoring fish passage at man-made barriers

• Consultation now open. Deadline for responses is

9th April for Scotland RBD, 9th June for

Solway/Tweed

• See online tool at

www.sepa.org.uk/about_us/consultations.aspx

Second river basin plans consultation

Waterbodies where improvements are

required for barriers to fish movement

Proposed barrier measures (number and %)

Baseline

scenario

Step change 1

scenario

Step change 2

scenario

Consultation tool provides data

in various formats – easy to

export!