Achieved through:

• Electrofishing and habitat surveys by the local Fisheries Trust network with local volunteers to help identify and assess trout habitat while also monitoring juvenile trout numbers with a particular focus on the vulnerable small and coastal burns that are otherwise ignored. 

 

• The protection and restoration of habitat will be achieved through the education programme in conjunction with local community driven restoration projects to restore in-stream and riparian habitat using local volunteers.

 

 

• Scales collected by volunteer anglers will provide the baseline data to improve understanding of trout populations and their life cycles.

      

• Coastal netting with volunteers to survey for the presence of sea trout and to collect scale and tissue samples will help improve understanding of local populations and improve management.

 

• Hill Loch sampling by volunteer anglers will provide data on the distribution of trout and the importance of these upland populations.

• Population level research using genetic and isotope analysis of (above) samples will help to improve understanding of population homogeneity and feeding habitats will help inform management and conservation.

Conservation outcomes:

1. Improved knowledge of the distribution and requirements of trout habitat.

2. Monitoring of juvenile numbers as an indication of population health.

3. A collection of sea trout scales to reveal different trout population characteristics and life histories

4. Identification of poor degraded habitat and subsequent restoration through local, independently funded community projects.

5. A team of volunteers with heritage skills to assist and carry out habitat surveys and restoration projects.

6. Improved understanding protection and management of local trout populations.