As reported last year there was an opportunity to collect salmon from the main stem of the River Earn to establish data for Marine Scotland regarding their Fecundity Trial of back end hens versus spring hens. The target was for 30 fish to be removed by rod and line for this exercise. Unfortunately, consistently high river levels in the period designated for the broodstock fishing in 2023 meant that only a low number of salmon were caught. Nevertheless, that did result in some 4,920 fry planted out in artificial redds up tributaries with suitable juvenile habitat within the target area.
Conditions were more favourable in 2024, and 13 hen and 11 cock salmon were caught. 30,000 eggs have been stocked in the Dunning Burn and there are currently some 62,000 eyed ova at the TDSFB hatchery at Almondbank which will be stocked as fry around May.
The Association purchased keep nets to support the trial and we would take this opportunity to thank everyone involved in the programme. This is hopefully the start of something for the future and the licence will be applied for again for this season.