Following our request for volunteers for fin-clipping at the Sandbank Hatchery yesterday, we had another successful evening with assistance from the Spey Ghillies and Spey Fishery Board staff.

The Spey Fishery Board’s Stocking Sub-Committee agreed that as many as possible of the 230,000 fed fry currently in the hatchery would have their adipose fin removed prior to the Autumn stocking, to facilitate identification, either during monitoring, or if caught in the future.

So far, this season we have received a few reports of salmon caught with their adipose fins removed from previous hatchery stockings which included a grilse caught earlier this week at Beat 3 on the Brae Water weighing 4.5 lbs and two multi-sea winter fish weighing 8 lbs and 11 lbs.

We are extremely grateful to Steve Brand and the Spey Ghillies for their tremendous effort in giving up their evenings to assist with this project, and also to Hatchery Manager, Jimmy Woods for producing fry in excellent condition.

The photos below show the adipose fin removal process before the fry are carefully placed back into the tanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If anyone is interested in helping to facilitate this year’s autumn fry fin-clipping, you are very welcome to join us at the Sandbank Hatchery, Glenlivet from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm. Further information is available from our Hatchery Manager, Jimmy Woods on 01807 590467.

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Spey Fishery Board