www.riverdon.org.uk

A three way management solution

• The Don District Salmon Fishery Board

• The River Don Brown Trout Improvement Association

• The River Don Trust• Note the first two have species in

their name!

The Board

• The Constrained & empowered by salmon Act

• Only migratory fish, so can include the sea trout

• No commercial activities or fundraising“Represent, co-ordinate and promote the interests of Scottish

salmon and sea trout fisheries and generally to take such steps as may be desirable for the protection, preservation and development of salmon fisheries of Scotland and having regard for the environment and other fauna and flora. “

The RDBTIA• Species specific to Trout• Looks after the protection order• Ensures that Trout fishing access is

available at reasonable cost.• Newly resurrected, with a new

management team“The RDBTIAs function is to monitor the Protection Order and report on what measures are being taken to improve the access to reasonably priced Brown Trout fishing, habitat management and the policing of tickets on the water “

The RDT• Covers all species in the catchment, inc

salmon, trout, gudgeon, lamprey, eel, pike perch, minnow, stickleback and possibly roach and dace!

• Can and does engage in commercial activities

• A charity with no restrictions in activities• To improve and conserve the ecology of

the whole Don catchment area, with specific emphasis to fish“River & Fishery are independent charitable Trusts

briefed to contribute to river and fishery management for the benefit of all fish species living within the aquatic habitat of their catchments “

ASFB RAFTS

DDSFB RDT

JMG

BAILIFF TEAM BIOLOGIST

How it all works

IN THE FUTURE RDBTIA

The RDT to date

• Restructured as a Company Limited by guarantee, we have been going for 10 months.

• Developed the FMP, the rivers blueprint for survival

• Employed a biologist, Jamie Urquhart• Developed the rivers first dedicated

website, with pages for RDT, DDSFB and RDBTIA

• Offer a scale reading service• Genetic sampling

The RDT to date• Salmon in the classroom• Obstruction removal and easing• Invasive species• Habitat survey• Founded the “Friends of the River Don”• Represent the River at a national level• Offer scientific advice to the board and

outside bodies• Hosted a conference on invasive species

and river weeds• All this from our offices in Cluny Castle

FMP

• Sent to all for consultation and available from our website

• A living document, 1st review early next year

• Sets our work plan for the next 3-5 years

• Hopefully the first of many plans detailing how the river will be resurrected

Our websitewww.riverdon.org.uk

Scale reading & Genetic Sampling• We will read scales from fish you catch to tell the age, identify sea-trout, springers and the number of sea winters

• Scale envelopes in all Aberdeenshire tackle shops, training is available

• Genetic sampling will identify Don fish, identify where each group of fish spawn

• We will be able to use this information in many ways

• Genetic sampling in association with FRS

Salmon in the Classroom

• We have purchased 5 sets of SITC kit• We will be working with 5 schools

this year, and may extend this in the future

• Education is key to protecting the environment and habitat.

• We hope to encourage youngsters into angling

Obstructions• We are looking to ease or remove 4

obstructions, opening over 142km of habitat

• All have now had an engineers survey completed, and are awaiting the report

The Goval DamThis dam is at Dyce, has an excellent parr population below it, but very few

above . It could only be passed by salmon, and only in large floods. Many miles of excellent habitat blocked to trout, salmon and eels. How will we ease this one?

Habitat surveys• We are doing habitat, invasive

species, invertebrate, electro-fishing and redd counting surveys

Friends of the River Don• An organisation to raise funds for our

works• It gives members access to Jamie’s

blog, up to date information weekly on our works.

• Discounted RDT merchandise• Hatchery visits• Access to all our activities e.g redd

counting• Access every week to meet with us to

discuss our activities

Invasive Species• With the board we have licences to

spray hogweed, knotweed and balsam• We are trapping mink, a salmonid

predator

Representation and advice

• We advise the board on a regular basis, and hope that this scientific advice will extend

• We represent the Don at RAFTS conferences, to share best practice.

• We represent the river at micro Hydro scheme conferences, and will be researching the impact of up to 5 of these in planning

Finally, What we do• We raise money and complete

works to improve your fishing’s for all species in the river, improve your asset and to allow us all to learn more

about your river!• We ask for nothing from you for this, though all donations

gratefully received!• Consider becoming a friend of

the River Don.