by Stuart Brabbs | Jun 1, 2025 | Conservation, General, Projects
With some time passing since we gave any update on the Nethermills counter on the Ayr, I thought now was as good a time as any. What became obvious to us after commencing this project back in 2022 was that it was never going to be as simple as download an accurate...
by Stuart Brabbs | Dec 11, 2024 | Conservation, General
As ever, the culmination of each year’s hard work is rewarded by seeing fish successfully spawning in our rivers and burns across Ayrshire. Spawning activity has been noticeably slow to start this season although it is possible that a few fish spawned around 3...
by Stuart Brabbs | Aug 19, 2024 | General, Projects
Phase 2 of the Chalk River/Mauchline Burn restoration project is well underway. Continuing from last weeks green engineering, this week our fencer (Billy Semple) started erecting fences and gates. He takes great pride in his work and always leaves an excellent tight...
by Stuart Brabbs | Aug 13, 2024 | Conservation, Green engineering, Projects
We recently secured funding for restoration work on the Mauchline Burn (a.k.a. locally as The Chalk River) with the ultimate aim of reducing silt and nutrient inputs and restoring a functional trout and salmon population within this small watercourse. Our surveys...
by Stuart Brabbs | Jul 25, 2024 | Conservation, Electrofishing, General
Continuing with our Brockloch Burn updates within the Doon catchment, it is now mid summer and the best of the growing season is past. Barley and oats are ripening but perhaps a week or two behind normal due to our poor summer weather and temperatures, however, and...
by Stuart Brabbs | Jul 23, 2024 | Electrofishing
Each year perform our timed electrofishing surveys during the same weeks each season. Timed surveys enable us to rapidly assess spawning success and survival from the previous winter’s salmon spawning activity. These are salmon fry surveys and while we catch...