Taking Biosecurity forward in Taking Biosecurity forward in the Forth Districtthe Forth District

Ben Tyser

River Forth Fisheries Trust

ContentsContents

• Who are the River Forth Fisheries Trust and River Forth District Salmon Fisheries Board

• Biosecurity planning and implementation in Scotland

• Biosecurity planning in the Forth District

The Forth DSFBThe Forth DSFB

• One of 42 District Salmon Fishery Boards in Scotland

• Statutory powers: covers migratory salmonids.

• Managed and run by local salmon fishing proprietors/anglers

• Funded by a mandatory tax raised from local proprietors

• Ultimately based on number of fish caught’

The Forth DSFB: Statutory The Forth DSFB: Statutory powerspowers• ‘A District Salmon Fishery board may do

such acts, execute such works and incur such expenses as may appear to them expedient for –

a)the protection or improvement of the fisheries within their District

b)The increase of salmonc)The stocking of the waters of the District

with salmon

The Forth District*The Forth District*

*catchment

The River Forth Fisheries TrustThe River Forth Fisheries Trust

• One of 25 Rivers and Fisheries Trusts covering 90% of Scotland

• Is affiliated to the Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland (RAFTS)

• The 25 Trusts have over 40 professional staff working on a broad range of water bodies

The River Forth Fisheries TrustThe River Forth Fisheries Trust

• The RFFT is charity that advances environmental protection of all species of freshwater fish and their environments primarily but not limited to the inland and coastal waters of the River Forth catchment including all waters which enter the Forth Estuary and Firth of Forth.

• Managed and run by a Board of Trustees made up of representatives from Fisheries Proprietors, Board employees and angling representatives.

• Promotes and implements ‘Evidence based catchment management’

Board/Trust relationshipBoard/Trust relationship

RFFT & Biosecurity Planning RFFT & Biosecurity Planning

KEY OUTPUTS AND ACTIONS:

Biosecurity Plan Template

Biosecurity Plans for 20 Trusts

DURATION: October 2008 to May 2011.

Australian Stonecrop

STEERING GROUP: Scottish Government INNS Policy Lead SNH SEPA GB Non Native Species Secretariat

RFFT is one of 20 Trusts producing Biosecurity Plans

IDENTIFICATION OF TARGET IDENTIFICATION OF TARGET SPECIES SPECIES

Target Species are a compilation of selected high impact invasive species found in river, loch or transitional water habitats from:

the Water Framework Directive UK Technical Advisory Group INNS lists,

the Species Action Framework,

non-native or translocated fish species identified by the Trusts, and

the fish parasites Gyrodactylis salaris and Anasakis sp.

Slipper Limpet

Terrestrial Plants Aquatic Plants & Algae Invertebrates VertebratesRhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum & hybrids)

Water primrose(Ludwigia grandiflora)

Gyrodactylus salaris American Mink (Mustela vison)

Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica)

Fanwort(Cabomba caroliniana)

North American signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus)

Asian Topmouth Gudgeon(Pseudorasbora parva)

Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera)

Large flowered waterweed(Egeria densa)

Zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha).

Ruddy Duck(Oxyura jamaicensis)

Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)

Floating pennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides)

Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis).

Minnows (Phoxinus phoxinus)

Common cord-grass (Spartina anglica)

Australian swamp stonecrop (Crassula helmsii)

Slipper limpet (Crepidula fornicata)

Ruffe(Gymnocephalus cernuus)

Parrot’s feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum)

Didemnum (Didemnum vexillum)

Orfe(Leuciscus idus)

Water fern (Azolla filiculoides)

Bullhead(Cotus gobio)

Nuttall’s pondweed (Elodea nutallii)Canadian pondweed (Elodea canadensis)Curly waterweedLagarosiphon majorWireweed (Sargassum muticum)

TARGET TARGET ‘‘Invasive Non Native Species Invasive Non Native Species (INNS)’(INNS)’

WHAT ARE BIOSECURITY PLANS? WHAT ARE BIOSECURITY PLANS?

Regional level plans

Link national policies and strategies and local priorities

Action orientated

Living documents part of an adaptive management cycle

Participatory and build partnerships for identified action

Linked to the existing planning framework

A tool and stimulus for coordinated local action

Ruffe

LINKS TO NATIONAL STRATEGIESLINKS TO NATIONAL STRATEGIES

Invasive Non Native Species Framework Strategy for Great Britain:

Prevention;Early detection, surveillance, monitoring and rapid response;Mitigation, control and eradication.

GB Awareness and Communication Strategy

GB Rapid response protocols

Gs contingency plans

Fish diseases protocols

American Signal Crayfish

Forth Fisheries Management Plan,

Forth Area and Scotland River Basin Catchment Management Plans,

Conservation objectives of SACs, SPAs, SSSIs within Forth District

The Local Biodiversity Action Plans.

Local INNS Strategies such the Community Green Initiative

RFFT BIOSECURITY PLAN: RFFT BIOSECURITY PLAN: LINKS TO LOCAL EXISTING LINKS TO LOCAL EXISTING

PLANSPLANS

The Biosecurity plans also recognise and build on existing elements of:

Wireweed

Mission statementMission statement

‘To establish a sustainable framework which will prevent, detect, control and eradicate invasive non-native species within the Forth Fisheries District through appropriate management, data collection, liaison, education and legislation ’

Why a biosecurity plan for the Forth?i) Provide a long term strategy for invasives.ii)Explores the feasibility of district wide

INNS control.iii)Increase coordination and facilitate

communication of control efforts.iv)Cost effective & value for money.v)Proven effectiveness.

RFFT Biosecurity PlanRFFT Biosecurity Plan

KEY OUTPUTS OF THE PLANSKEY OUTPUTS OF THE PLANS

Water Primrose

Key stakeholders aware of the impacts of INNS and measures required to prevent their introduction and spread

Early warning systems for surveillance, detection and monitoring of INNS (Rapid response mechanism RRM identified)

Effective sustainable and coordinated control/eradication programmes are established and fully functional

Feasibility of district wide INNS control confirmed through stakeholder consultation.

Enhanced Local Capacity

How does the plan actually work in practice?

RFFT BIOSECURITY PLAN RFFT BIOSECURITY PLAN PRESENTATION of ACTIONSPRESENTATION of ACTIONS

ACTION LEAD PARTNERSTIMEFRAME

2009 2009 2010 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Objective 2: Establish optimum early surveillance, detection, monitoring and rapid response systems for the identified INNS which pose significant threats to local biodiversity and economy

Output 2.1 Early warning systems for surveillance, detection and monitoring of new and existing INNS in the District established.

Train two RFFT personnel in the identification of INNS RFFT SNH, RAFTS

Train RFFT as trainers RFFT SNH, RAFTSWork with user and interest groups to identify “eyes” RFFT

Interest groups

Training of “eyes” RFFT SNH, SEPAProduce database to record and manage INNS sightings RFFT RAFTS

Establish, test and refine communication mechanisms within surveillance system

RFFT RAFTS

Monitor and periodically evaluate efficacy of surveillance system

RFFT RAFTS

RFFT BIOECURITY PLAN: RFFT BIOECURITY PLAN: Early WarningEarly Warning

RAPID RESPONSERAPID RESPONSE

INVASIVE SPECIES & BIOSECURITY PROGRAMME

GB Response Local High Priority Response Local Priority Response

-Report to local and GB institutions-Determine the extent of infestation-Isolate area where practicable

-Report to local and GB institutions-Determine the extent of infestation- Isolate area where practicable- Establish source and check related sites- Closure of all pathways-Decide on appropriate action eradication/containment.- Approve eradication methodology-Monitor

-Report to local and GB institutions-Determine the extent of infestation-Survey in course of normal work to establish and map distribution-Include new areas in existing eradication/control programmes- Identify and close all pathways- Monitor as part of planned catchment monitoring programme

WHAT ARE THE MAJOR WHAT ARE THE MAJOR CHALLENGES? CHALLENGES?

• The challenges:

9 District councils

11 major rivers & one major canal

At least 18 invasive species

• Potential opportunities? Is it feasible?

How can CGI become involved?How can CGI become involved?

1. Through consultation into the Biosecurity plan and it’s feasibility.

2. Become part of the monitoring network for INNS.

3. Become familiarized with reporting of INNS protocols.

4. Training of voluntary ‘recorders’ in CGI by the RFFT.

SummarySummary• The Forth Biosecurity Plan will complement, work with and enhance work undertaken by organizations such as CGI Scotland

• The long term economic and environmental costs of invasives far exceed the short term convenience of ignoring the problem.

• National and European legislation relating to invasives will get tougher, therefore the onus is increasing on pro actively addressing the issue at a local level:

Thank you for ListeningThank you for Listening

Questions? Questions?