Scottish Freshwater Group 107th meeting (October 2022)

The 107th SFG meeting took place on Thursday 27 October 2022 as a hybrid event. The themed SFG meeting focused on “From river to sea: freshwater and coastal migration by salmonids” and was coordinated by members of the aquatic research group (Colin Adams, Jessica Rodger, Hannele Honkanen, and Angus Lothian) from Scotland’s Centre for Ecology and the Natural Environment (SCENE) at the University of Glasgow, in collaboration with the Atlantic Salmon Trust (AST).

A foreword from our SFG Guest Coordinators from SCENE and the AST

This themed SFG meeting was hosted by Nigel Willby (@NWillby) at the University of Stirling (@StirUni) and brought to you by Colin Adams (@C_Adams1758) with Jessica Rodger (@JessicaRFordyce), Hannele Honkanen (@hanhonkanen), and Angus Lothian (@AngusJLothian) from SCENE (@sceneUofG) at the University of Glasgow, in collaboration with the Atlantic Salmon Trust (@AST_Salmon). With special thanks to the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and the SFG Team for support.

There are a large number of studies being conducted across Scotland, investigating the freshwater and coastal migration of salmonids. The purpose of the day is to highlight a selection of these studies, which use a range of techniques including acoustic telemetry, modelling, and genetics to gain some insight into the migratory behaviours of salmonids. We thank all of our agenda contributors.

SFG 107 Agenda – From river to sea: freshwater and coastal migration by salmonids

10:00 SFG 107 Welcome, Theme and Introductions [PDF]

Morning session – Chaired by Colin Adams, with support from Martin Hughes & Kerr Adams

10:15 Colin Adams (SCENE @sceneUofG @C_Adams1758) – Emerging insights into the migration to sea by salmonids [PDF]

10:35 Jessie Lilly (SCENE @sceneUofG @Jessie_Lilly) – Investigating the behaviour of Atlantic salmon post-smolts during their early marine migration through the Clyde Marine Region [PDF]

10:55 Jessica Rodger (SCENE & AST @sceneUofG @AST_Salmon @JessicaRFordyce) – The West Coast Tracking Project

11:15 Hannele Honkanen (SCENE @sceneUofG @hanhonkanen) – Atlantic salmon smolt migration through lakes: combination of stochastic and directed movements

11:35 Jamie Ribbens (Galloway Fisheries Trust @Galloway_FT) – Investigating smolt migration through the heavily modified Kirkcudbrightshire Dee, SW Scotland

11:55 Isabel Moore (Skye and Lochalsh Rivers Trust @SkyeLochalsh_RT) – Coastal habitat use of adult sea trout

12:15 Aislinn Borland (University of Strathclyde @StrathMathStat @AislinnBorland) – On the edge of the abyss: modelling the marine migration of Atlantic salmon [PDF]

Lunch break and informal networking opportunities (1 hour 25 mins)

Afternoon session - Chaired by Jessica Rodger, with support from Martin Hughes & Kerr Adams

14:00 Angus Lothian (SCENE & AST @sceneUofG @AST_Salmon @AngusJLothian) – The Moray Firth Tracking Project

14:20 Matthew Newton (Marine Scotland Science @marinescotland @Mnewton87) – Marine migrations of salmon smolts in the Moray Firth

14:40 Robert Main (Marine Scotland Science @marinescotland) – Smolt migration from the River Dee [PDF]

15:00 Niall Gauld & David Morris (Marine Scotland Science @marinescotland) – Tag size study east coast

15:20 Paolo Morcetti (University of Hull @UniOfHull @PMoccetti) – Influence of genetics on emigration success of Atlantic salmon smolts in the Moray Firth

15:40 Colin Bean (NatureScot @nature_scot @ProfColinBean) – Management implications and importance of understanding the outward migration of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

16:00 SFG Reflections, Announcements & Meeting Close – with latest updates from the SFG Team [PDF]

Next meeting of the Scottish Freshwater Group will be held on Thursday 27 April 2023. The plan is to proceed as a full-day hybrid SFG meeting agenda, aligned with University of Stirling campus visitor policies and SG Covid-19 guidelines. However, we will revert SFG meetings to a virtual setting if the situational need arises in future.

Scottish Freshwater Group 106th meeting (April 2022)

We continue to coordinate Scottish Freshwater Group (SFG) gatherings as virtual events and provide continuity for our community during this challenging time. This enables opportunities for SFG members to add value to freshwaters and stay connected in safe ways amid a Covid-19 situation.

A foreword from our Guest Coordinators, SFG’s Climate Action Team:

This virtual themed SFG 106th meeting was hosted by Phil Taylor (@ScienceAndMaps) and Emma Brodie of UKCEH (@UK_CEH), and brought to you by SFG’s Climate Action Team. With special thanks to Kerr Adams (University of Edinburgh, @EdinburghUni @KerrAdams10) of the Hydro Nation Scholars programme (@HydroScholars), and the SFG Team, for support.

The purpose of the day was to bring together a synthesis of new and existing information to shape practical climate action related to freshwaters, enabling the SFG community to learn from a broad range of examples on what is happening and what needs to be done. This tailored knowledge-exchange opportunity will help promote expertise and collaboration on climate action, eg in the form of key policy recommendations produced from research undertaken, to partnership working and boots-on-the-ground delivery approaches, as well as applied case studies.

 A virtual poster, demonstration and drop-in session provided opportunity for informal interaction with more presenters and other SFG members to discuss a range of work on freshwaters and can-do climate actions. Thanks to all our contributors! Slides of presentations where available are now linked below.

SFG106 Agenda – “Informing practical action to address the impacts of climate change on freshwaters in Scotland”

SFG 106 Welcome, Theme and Introductions (PDF)

Morning session – Chaired by Rachel Helliwell, with support from Kerr Adams

10:15 Linda May (UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, @UK_CEH) – Assessing climate change impacts on the water quality of Scottish standing waters

10:45 Sayali Pawar (University of Dundee, @dundeeuni @pawarsayali20) – Future-proofing Scotland’s water security: delivering safe and resilient water supplies (PDF)

11:15 Michael Stratigos (Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity, @AnthropoceneBio @MjStratigos) – Freshwater restoration, climate change and the historic environment (PDF)

11:45 James Stead (Froglife, @froglifers) – Ponds against climate change (PDF)

12:15 Lunch Break (45 mins)

Afternoon session – Chaired by Sarah Halliday, with support from Kerr Adams

13:00 SFG Posters, Demonstrations and Drop-ins (Various Presenters) – 1 minute bite-size tasters to all and then moving into virtual breakout spaces for more knowledge-exchange interactions

  • François-Nicolas Robinne (Natural Resources Canada, @NRCan @UofA_FireWater) – Wildfire risks to freshwater supply: insights from Canada
  • Alessandro Gimona and Bethany Wilkins (James Hutton Institute, @JamesHuttonInst @AlesGim) – A web-based tool to support decisions on planting riparian woodlands
  • Rosie Walker and James Stead (Froglife, @froglifers) – Pond Doctor: learn how to create and maintain ponds for can-do practical climate action with members of the Froglife team
  • A mindfulness space for SFG members to relax and enjoy connecting with our underwater environment – Freshwater soundscapes courtesy of David de la Haye (Newcastle University, @DJCdelaHaye)
  • Bruce Eriksen (Scottish Environment Protection Agency, @ScottishEPA) – SEPA Timeseries Data Service

14:00 Stephen Addy (James Hutton Institute, @JamesHuttonInst) and Andrew McBride (Land and Habitats Consultancy) – The role of wetlands in Scotland mitigating hydrological extremes: perspectives and opportunities (PDF)

14:30 Faye Jackson (Marine Scotland Science, @marinescotland @Faye_L_Jackson) – Where to plant trees to protect rivers? (PDF)

15:00 Alan Bell (Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, @lomondtrossachs) – Delivering for water, nature and climate in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

15:30 Ronald Daalmans (Chivas Brothers, @ChivasNewsRoom) – Climate risks and actions in freshwater dependent industries: a Scotch Whisky example

16:00 SFG Action Team Updates – Enabling citizen science in and around freshwaters (PDF), led by Roger Owen on behalf of AT #2 project collaborators (10 mins), and launching SFG’s Innovation Hub (PDF), led by Martin Hughes on behalf of AT #3 project collaborators (5 mins)

16:15 SFG Reflections, Announcements & Meeting Close (PDF) – with latest updates from the SFG Team