News

Eels are a Protected Species!

by Stuart Brabbs | Jul 3, 2013 | Conservation, General | 1 Comment

The River Ayr Bailiffs just sent me photos of 2 large eels that have been hung from branches at Muirkirk on the upper river. Fishing for and killing eels is illegal and anyone caught doing so may be prosecuted. Eels caught accidentally must be carefully unhooked and...

Pow Burn electrofishing

by Stuart Brabbs | Jul 3, 2013 | Electrofishing, General | 6 Comments

We are back at electrofishing after what has seemed like a very long winter and spring. Electrofishing is the highlight of the staff's year allowing us to break free from the office for a month or two and find out what's going on in the rivers. With more rain falling...

Glasgow Natural History Society Conference

by Stuart Brabbs | Jun 24, 2013 | Conservation, General, Invasives | 0 Comments

On Saturday, Helen and I attended the Glasgow Natural History Society's annual conference at Glasgow University, entitled Natives, Aliens and Reintroductions: how does ecology inform wildlife conservation in Scotland? We had been asked to provide an informative poster...

Office Move

by Stuart Brabbs | Jun 23, 2013 | General | 1 Comment

Once again it looks as though we will be relocating our offices soon. With the planned closure of the Engineering Unit at Auchincruive for early next year, it appears that we are going to have to relocate which is disappointing as we were all very happy with our...

Cleaning Catrine Fish Pass

by Stuart Brabbs | Jun 23, 2013 | General | 3 Comments

Following requests from the District Salmon Fishery Board, on Friday morning Catrine Community Trust set about clearing the sediment that had built up in and around the fish pass at Catrine. When I arrived, the flow to the pass had been shut off as much as possible...

Glaisnock Water Clean-up Postponed

by Stuart Brabbs | Jun 21, 2013 | General | 0 Comments

Due to the heavy rain and strong winds forecast for the weekend, this event has now been postponed. The clean-up will be rescheduled for another day. I will update the site as soon as a date is set. Support from the community was brilliant and a lot of volunteers and...

Mayfly hatch

by Stuart Brabbs | Jun 9, 2013 | fishing, General | 0 Comments

I walked the dogs at Barskimming Mill this evening and there were a lot of trout rising in the Nursery Pool and Mill stream. The water looked terrible with that awful greenish tinge that appears during low water that is a symptom of iron from past and present mining...

Glaisnock Water Clean Up – Cumnock Sun 23rd June – *POSTPONED**

by Stuart Brabbs | Jun 3, 2013 | Conservation, General | 0 Comments

THIS EVENT HAS NOW BEEN POSTPONED DUE TO BAD WEATHER FORECAST FOR THE WEEKEND THE EVENT WILL BE RESCHEDULED FOR A LATER DATE THANKS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT We have agreed to assist The Princes Foundation and East Ayrshire Council with a clean-up and litter pick on the...