River South Esk Special Area of Conservation (SAC) - The Food and ...

The ‘qualifying interests’ of the RiverSouth Esk SACAtlantic salmonSalmon are found throughout the River South Esk SACsite. Salmon require high quality water, and any reductionin water quality as a result of a development could besignificant. In the short-term, sediment released into thewatercourse from construction work can be detrimentalto salmon, resulting in the gills being smothered, or theirpassage upstream impeded. Sediment can also smotherthe gravels used by spawning salmon or areas used byjuvenile fish, making them unsuitable. In addition, anydischarge points could raise pollution levels in the river.There is also a possible risk of contamination of thewatercourses from the fuel and chemicals used on site, orin the longer term, pollution from the drainage system.Freshwater pearl musselsThe freshwater pearl mussel is one of Scotland’s mostendangered species. Recent estimates are that Scotlandholds some of the world’s most significant knownremaining breeding populations, and the South Esk hasone of the largest populations of freshwater pearl musselsin the world.4 River South Esk Special Area of Conservation (SAC) Advice to planning applicants