The following Press Release has just been issued by the River Don Trust
"The salmon population in the Aberdeenshire's River Don is already taking advantage of a new fish pass, allowing them far easier access to an important tributary for spawning. This follows the installation of a new pass in late summer through a vehicle ford over the Ernan Burn on Edinglassie Estate.
The pass should enable the river’s salmon to utilise to maximum extent over three miles of spawning and juvenile habitat.
The area in the upper part of the river’s catchment is believed to be particularly important for spring salmon, the most fragile component of the Don’s stocks of migratory fish.
Jamie Urquhart, Biologist for the River Don Trust, explained: “The ford in question was clearly a major obstacle for salmon to negotiate as they tried to migrate upstream. Having obtained the necessary consents from SEPA, we carried out the work ourselves, with support and private funding from the Don District Salmon Fishery Board and Edinglassie Estate respectively, using a low-tech, low-cost design employing locally sourced larch timber and locally won stone. This complied with the Estate’s wish for a low visual impact whilst maintaining the aesthetics of the upland terrain”.
Mr Urquhart continued: “It is pleasing that this month we have already seen several pairs of adult salmon upstream of the pass. Previously this tributary has been stocked with juvenile hatchery fish. Adult salmon homing back to this area should now be able to ascend through the fish pass at will and spawn naturally – a much more desirable situation than trying to replicate nature through the use of hatchery-bred fish. This exercise has established a skill set within the Trust which will serve us well in undertaking further similar works in the future”
Before 
and after
