Loch Fitty coal mining development: forming a fish mitigation

Centre for River Ecosystem Science
Loch Fitty coal mining development: forming a
fish mitigation and restoration strategy
Colin Bull & Theo Philip

Loch Fitty, Fife
December 2007 – fishery closed “significant water
problems and problems with fish health”

St.Ninians Surface
Mine, Kelty
• In operation since
1998
• Direct employment
for 90 staff
• Supplies circa 11%
of Longannet’s
annual coal-burn
• Meets the electricity
needs of 240,000
people each year
Southern extension:
• Nationally significant reserve of
coal – 3.4Mt located beneath
Loch Fitty
• Timeframe : 6 years coaling,
18 months restoration
• Fife Council resolved to grant
planning permission Sep 2011
• CAR application submitted to
SEPA Nov 2011

Southern Extension Design Overview: construction sequence
St.Ninians
Loch Fitty Burn
Lassodie Burn (divereted)
Meldrums Mill Burn
Hot Water Burn
EMC
Unnamed Burn
Kingseat

Loch Fitty Restoration Plan
• Loch Fitty currently in downgraded condition - Poor Ecological Status
• Main causes: poor water quality, compromised hydromorphology (deep
mine & fishery alterations to loch), and the presence of non-native species
• Development proposal offers a solution to improving the status of Loch Fitty
for the longer term through remediating historic water quality problems,
restoring the loch’s hydromorphology and removing non-native species.

Loch Fitty: Fish community aims:
• Re-establish Loch Fitty as a waterbody of Good Ecological Status
• Removal of Argulus foliaceus (L)
• Restore self-sustaining fish community representing a more native species
assemblage
Common name
Brown trout
European eel
3-spined
stickleback
Stoneloach
Brook lamprey
Roach
minnow
Rudd
Perch
Pike
Current fish community
Species name
Salmo trutta
Anguilla anguilla
Gasterosteus
aculeatus
Neomacheilus
barbatulus
Lampetra planeri
Rutilus rutilus
Phoxinus phoxinus
Scardinius
erythrophthalmus
Perca fluviatilus
Esox lucius
Aspirational fish community
Common
name
Brown trout
European eel
3-spined
stickleback
Stoneloach
Brook lamprey
Atlantic salmon
??
Species name
Salmo trutta
Anguilla
anguilla
Gasterosteus
aculeatus
Neomacheilus
barbatulus
Lampetra
planeri
Salmo salar

Establish the current status of the
fish community and extent and
quality of habitats:
Fish community:
Stillwater sampling = NS Share Methods
Manual V Fish): 8 x Norden multimesh
gillnets, 8 x fyke net gangs. Additional
attempts at beach seine netting and
electric fishing in margins
Channel network: electric fishing sampling
(SFCC full quantitative, timed) and lamprey
semi-quantitative at suitable habitats).
Fish health:
Institute of Aquaculture - fish sampling
Fish habitats:
Habitat surveys in inflowing stream network
(Hendry and Cragg-hine, 1996)

Fish community of Loch Fitty
• Roach and perch populations dominate numerically , populations
fluctuate. Pike and eels also present.
• Minnow and 3-spined stickleback not sampled but present in
inflow and outflow
• Unlikely that native brown or introduced rainbow trout remain in
main waterbody, but brown trout present in inflow and outflow
• Unlikely that Lampetra ammocoetes present
• Side ponds contain same fish species but Rudd may still be present
(not captured during sampling campaign)

Meldrum’s Mill
Burn (main inflow)
•Roach, perch, pike, minnow , stoneloach,
trout, stickleback, brook lamprey present.
•Roach dominate community numerically
in lowermost reaches
•Trout present both upstream and
downstream from impassable falls , but
very low densities (juvenile and mature
fish)
•Lampetra ammocoetes encountered in
tiny sub-optimal habitat patches in lower
reaches.

Argulus foliaceus (L.)
• Branchiuran, freshwater louse, size 6-8 mm, low host specificity
• Free-swimming juveniles seek hosts, attach and begin feeding
immediately
• Induces reduced fish growth, performance, disease resistance and
lower reproductive success rate. May result in death.
• Economic impact, angler’s perception of Argulus as a problem.
2010: “The presence of the Arguluid parasites is probably
the more significant health-related finding”.
= 7% prevalence
Both inflow and outflow streams are potential
reservoir for re-infection of Loch Fitty in future.
Measures required to prevent Argulus transfer to
EMC and subsequently to the restored Loch Fitty.

Fish mitigation and restoration
planning
Phase 1: Establish distribution of species and
Argulus foliaceus in loch and channel
network
Phase 2: EMC connection - prevent colonisation
by undesirable species and Argulus foliaceus
Phase 3: Loch de-watering phase: fate of fish
Phase 4: Monitoring establishment of fish
community in EMC (during mining)
Phase 5: restoration of Loch Fitty post-mining

Phase 2: Establish EMC and prevent colonisation by
undesirable species and Argulus foliaceus
• Fish screens to prevent
colonisation from channel
network. Eventual
replacement at outlet
with low-head weir with
eel pass.
• Eradication of fish in
inflowing stream section
to prevent colonisation by
undesirable fish.
• Natural colonization of
EMC fish from upstream
Argulus-free populations.
• One of EMC functions is
to provide refuge and
forage for otters during
mining operations.

Phase 3- dewatering Loch Fitty and fate of fish
De-watering by pumping
over 3 month period to
Thortonwood Loch
Fish pumping and removal
project.
Small number of specimen
fish rescued
Concerted effort for eel
capture in 3 month period
prior to de-watering

• Eel swimbladder parasite
Anguillacola crassus
Eel translocation options:
• Lochfitty Burn
• Standing waterbodies on
Lochfitty burn network
( Loch Ore?)
• Other neighbouring
recipient waterbody (Loch
Leven ???)
• Suitable waterbody with
restricted upstream
connectivity ??
• Estuarine habitat ??

Phase 4: Monitoring establishment
of fish community in EMC
(during mining)
• Regular monitoring of channels and EMC ponds
for fish and parasites.
• Contingency planning in place to address
biosecurity issues should they arise.
• Consider introducing forage fish species for otters
• Carry out habitat improvement works on
inflowing channel network to maximise their
potential as nursery areas for brown trout

Phase 5: restoration of Loch Fitty post-mining
• Reconnection and filling of
restored Loch Fitty
• Outlet fish barrier remains
in place to prevent
upstream migration of
undesirable fish species
• Monitor development of
ecosystem and fish
community through time
• Consider supplemental
stocking in nursery
streams to assist
establishment of brown
trout population and
assess / modify as required

SWOT
• Strengths: native brown trout population in catchment
so natural source for future restoration.
• Weaknesses: Argulus foliaceus, presence (and
distribution) of undesirable fish species.
• Opportunities: translocation of eels, restoration of
more representative fish community, sustainable
angling resource for future
• Threats: fish introductions, incomplete eradication of
Argulus , or undesirable fish species, unsuitability of
habitat for brown trout
Restoration Design Team: