A MAJOR project to protect wild salmon habitats near Helensburgh is getting fresh support.
The Loch Lomond Fisheries Trust has been awarded £17,361 from Salmon Scotland’s wild fisheries fund for habitat restoration work at Glen Fruin.
The project will focus on a stretch of the Fruin Water that is prone to drying out during low flows, which restricts fish movement and reduces available habitat.
Work will include measures to retain water in the channel and ongoing monitoring to inform future improvements.
Joanna Girvan, manager at the Loch Lomond Fisheries Trust, said: "Our project, Habitat Restoration of Glen Fruin, aims to increase the Fruin Water’s resilience in the face of climate change and biodiversity loss.
"The project brings together expertise from the public, private and charitable sectors, with each playing their part in restoring water quality and quantity, improving fish habitat and planting trees to regulate temperature and hydrological interactions."
This is one of nine conservation projects across Scotland sharing nearly £230,000 from the fund this year.
Since its launch in 2021, the wild fisheries fund has provided £1.5 million for practical conservation and restoration work, supporting 30 local projects.
Salmon farmers have now pledged a further £460,000 over the next two years, bringing total investment through the fund to £1.96 million.
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Tavish Scott, chief executive of Salmon Scotland, said: "Wild salmon face serious pressures, and our members are committed to playing their part in protecting this iconic species.
"By continuing this investment, we can help local organisations turn good ideas into practical action that makes a lasting difference for wild salmon and sea trout."
Jon Gibb, co-ordinator of the Salmon Scotland wild fisheries fund, said: “What stands out about these projects is the local knowledge behind them.
"They are shaped by people who understand their rivers and know where investment can have the greatest impact.
“Several build on work we have supported in previous years, allowing successful projects to develop rather than stopping after one round of funding.
“That continuity is hugely important when you are trying to deliver lasting improvements to rivers and wild fish populations.”
Wild salmon and sea trout numbers across the UK have been in decline for decades due to habitat loss, rising temperatures, and migration barriers.
Other projects receiving support from Salmon Scotland are located in Cowal, Kintyre, Stornoway, Ayrshire, Lochaber and Galloway.
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