Annan Fishery Management Plan - RAFTS

River Annan DSFB Fisheries Management Plan 2009 – 2014Sea Trout: The Celtic Sea Trout ProjectSea trout, the sea going form of the brown trout is ubiquitous in rivers around theCeltic seas. The phenotypic and genetic variations of sea trout representimportant elements of marine and freshwater biodiversity and thus representsignificant conservation value. However, sea trout in parts of Western Britain aresuffering decline in response to unspecified impacts, although the pattern ismixed. Historical studies have shown substantial temporal and spatial variation instock status and life histories of sea trout around these waters, but hardlyanything is known about the distribution and mixing of sea trout at sea or theirexposure to mixed stock fishing. Little is known of the environmental conditionsthey experience at sea, or their response in terms of feeding, growth, survivaland maturity.Fisheries management requires scientifically robust answers to these questionsand this proposal aims to provide these in a format that will directly feed intobetter sustainable management of this joint resource, shared by countriesbordering the Celtic seas. A common and urgent issue is the impact ofenvironmental change in freshwater and at sea, across the habitats used by seatrout during their life cycle. Climate change is indicated to be affecting alreadysea trout marine growth and possibly the age and size of smolts (the juvenilesmoving to sea).The aims of the project are to provide the information and knowledge that willenable the better management of sea trout and the protection of its biodiversity.Also, the project will strive to enhance cooperative working, networking, sharedknowledge and awareness of sea trout fisheries, their environments andmanagement amongst practitioners and stakeholders.The RADSFB has contributed a cash sum of up to £15,000 (including moneyfrom partners such as the Wild Trout Trust) over three years to the Celtic SeaTrout Project and also contribution in kind to collect such as scale and fin clipsamples for parr, smolts and adult sea trout. The programme can be brokendown into eight broad inter-linked tasks. These tasks are as follows:Fishery inventory and descriptionSamplingStock discrimination and structuring (Genetics)Movements and distribution (Microchemistry)Freshwater production capacityMarine ecology and life history variation (modelling for management)Communication and disseminationProgramme management51