Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Association: River Fruin Habitat Improvements

Purpose of Grant

Easing of migration barriers and improvements to riparian habitat.

Project Description

In 2020 the Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Association, (a large local angling and management association with over 700 members) in conjunction with SCENE and Glasgow University, funded a Marine Biologist Masters student to undertake a comprehensive freshwater habitat survey in the Lomond catchment.

The aim of this aspect of the survey was to:

• Assess the areas of the catchment that may have features impeding salmonid production.

• Combining this data with the electrofishing data, where possible, to highlight which issues are having the greatest impact

Atlantic salmon and sea trout require good water quality, specific habitat types during juvenile stages and unimpeded access for their migration. Any issues with these factors can lead to declines in juvenile numbers and therefore in the overall smolt output. The report identified the problem areas in the catrchment and allowed an assessment of the ease in which these issues could be addressed. This indicated the order that improvement works could be undertaken to address the most critical issues first.

It identified a total of 186 areas for habitat degradation where improvement is required. This was across the entire Loch Lomond catchment (Loch Lomond, River Leven, River Endrick, River Fruin, River Falloch and Luss Water).

A total of 12 urgently needed improvements have been identified on the River Fruin. This application was to fund these 12 habitat improvements on the River Fruin.

They are:

• Main stem Fruin Full barrier to upstream salmonid migration
• Main stem Fruin Full / partial barrier to upstream salmonid migration
• Auchengaich Burn Partial barrier to upstream salmonid migration - concrete apron
• Balevulin Burn Partial barrier to upstream salmonid migration - concrete apron
• Fruin LHB Full / partial barrier to upstream salmonid migration - weir
• Fruin LHB Riparian zone denuded of vegetation
• Main stem Fruin Partial barrier to upstream salmonid migration – concrete apron
• Main stem Fruin Partial barrier to upstream salmonid migration - weir
• Auchengaich Burn Riparian zone denuded of vegetation
• Main stem Fruin Riparian zone denuded of vegetation
• Main stem Fruin Bank erosion (significant enough to affect stream habitat quality)
• Bale Vulin Burn Riparian zone denuded of vegetation

Work to mitigate the above impacts (through barrier removals and bankside green engineering) will be overseen and undertaken by staff of the LLAIA and biologists from the Loch Lomond Fishery Trust.

Click here to view photos of some of the locations in question.

Click here to read the Glasgow University report.

Budget

The total cost of the project is £75,000, with the LLAIA contributing £40,000 from their own funds.

The project was awarded a grant of £23,000 from the fund.