Ness District Salmon Fishery Board

In Phase 2 of the project (2023 – 2026), the Ness District Fishery Board (NDFB) has become a project partner following a restructuring of operations at the Ness and Beauly Fishery Trust.

The Ness District Salmon Fishery Board protects and enhances the salmon and sea trout fisheries of the district through: scientific research detailing and updating the population status; river management to improve spawning and nursery habitats and bailiffing to promote catch and release and to minimise criminal exploitation of the salmon.

The status of the Ness catchment regarding invasive non-native species is relatively high in that it has relatively low levels of infestation, certainly compared to rivers flowing through cities elsewhere in Scotland, in no small way due to the previous prevention and control work undertaken by the Ness & Beauly Fisheries Trust, and subsequently by the Scottish Invasive Species Initiative. Remaining areas of concern include Himalayan balsam and Japanese knotweed in Urquhart Bay Woods SAC and the ongoing need for control of American mink.

American mink have been trapped and humanely dispatched throughout the catchment and are reported on a regular basis. Breeding populations do occur and it is thought the Great Glen Way acts as a through route from East to West. Currently there is a network of volunteers in the Ness catchment, monitoring and trapping as required under the direction of the Scottish Invasive Species Initiative.
 

Contact

Trudi Clarke (SISI Project Officer):      [email protected]       Tel: 07498889443

or

Chris Daphne, Fisheries Officer:     [email protected]     Tel: 07808 762052