Rod catch graphs updated

The rod catch data for each of the main rivers in Ayrshire have been updated to include the 2008 official catch returns (see rivers tabs e.g. http://www.ayrshireriverstrust.org/catches.htm). For salmon 2008 was generally a very good year. The catches on the Ayr, Doon, Girvan and Stinchar were all above the ten year average with the 2008 catch on the Girvan particularly good: equivalent to 238% of the ten year average. The catch return for the Irvine District (which includes the Garnock) was the only Ayrshire area to be below the ten year average.

For sea trout the situation was not so good, although reported catches on the Ayr, Doon, Girvan and Stinchar were all above the ten year average. The Ayr showed the largest increase with a total of 45 sea trout reported in 2008 compared to the ten year average of 24. On the Irvine and Garnock the situation was similar to salmon with the reported catch being 25% of the ten year average.

Of course there are issues regarding the accuracy of the official catch statistics, and it is thought that this factor is not consistent across Ayrshire. The catch statistics alone suggest that there are problems in the Irvine and Garnock, however large numbers of spawning salmon were observed in the Irvine at the end of 2008, perhaps the highest number seenfor many years. Whether this was due to a large late run of salmon which arrived after the close of the angling season or whether there are other factors explaining the poor rod catch need investigative work.