River Girvan

Introduction

The source of the River Girvan is Loch Girvan Eye, situated high in the Galloway Hills and only half a mile from the source of the River Stinchar. The Water of Girvan passes through Lochs Cornish, Skelloch and Bradan, Ayrshire's major water supply reservoir, before making a broad sweep north via Straiton and Kirkmichael and then south-west via Crosshill and Dailly to reach the sea at Girvan Harbour. The upper Girvan valley is heavily forested, while in its middle and lower reaches the river flows through mainly cattle and sheep farming land.

The Girvan is very much a spate river, with only a small compensatory flow from Loch Bradan. Freshets are released from the dam with some regularity throughout the summer season. The forestation at the headwaters causes rainfall to run off very quickly with resultant flash floods. At Dailly old mine workings pose a constant threat of pollution although the National Coal Board makes continuous efforts to contain the overflows from the disused mineshafts.

Principal fish species are Atlantic salmon, sea trout, brown trout, eel, stickleback minnow, and grey mullet. Other wildlife regularly seen by the river are otters, herons, kingfishers, dippers, roe deer, duck, goosanders, cormorants and, in Girvan Harbour, grey seals. Whilst the latter do some damage to the migratory fish returning to spawn, they nevertheless provide an attraction for visitors to the town of Girvan.

Riparian owners and Angling Clubs undertake regular river management, and the River Girvan Salmon Fishery Board maintains a number of conservation measures including:

Major initiatives introduced in the last ten years:

• operation of a salmon and sea trout hatchery at Blairquhan
• cessation of commercial netting at the estuary
• bailiffing of the river and anti-poaching measures
• a no-fishing policy in the upper spawning reaches
• a voluntary Code of Conduct limiting the numbers of migratory fish taken
• liaison with the West Galloway Fisheries Trust to effect habitat improvement

Fishery returns

The River Girvan accounts for 14% of all salmon caught within the Fishery Board areas in Ayrshire, over the last ten years. In common with other Ayrshire Rivers, the River Girvan has continued to experience a steady decline in its migratory fish stocks. The graphs show the decline in fish catches over the period from 1990 to 1999.