A p a r t n e r s h i p t o c a r e f o r t h e C l y d e : i t s e n v i r o n m e n t , i t s p e o p l e a n d i t s v i s i t o r s

Autumn 2008 Issue 9

Inside

• Scotland’s first Community Marine Reserve given the go-ahead!

• Giving Clyde Fisheries a Future

• Ailsa Craig: Seabird City

• Dolphin Strandings: what would you do?

2Contents

3 Firth of Clyde Forum Events and News• Enjoy Wildlife on the Clyde Estuary• The Forum Celebrates Scotland’s Seas• Scotland’s First Community Marine Reserve given the

go-ahead!

6 Education Focus• Clyde in the Classroom• The Clyde as a Classroom• BBC box leaves Greenock

10 Recreation Focus• Glasgow River Festival 2008• Sail Clyde Launches in Largs• A call on Owners to Teach Dogs New Tricks• Ailsa Craig: Seabird City• The Crown Estate Purchases Rhu Marina

• Are You a Responsible Camper?

17 Fishing Focus• Giving Clyde fisheries a future: quality & sustainability

are the key

18 National Marine and Coastal Updates• Scotland’s Seas:Towards Understanding their State• A New Future for Scotland’s Seas• Further Protection for Ailsa Craig’s Internationally

Important Seabirds

22 Community Focus• What would you do if you found a stranded whale or

dolphin?

23 Firth Photography• Your photos...

24 A Day in the Life...• Gone Sailing

Welcome to the Autumn 2008edition of Clyde Breakers! It hasbeen a busy time for the marineand coastal environment since ourlast edition of Clyde Breakers. Wehave seen the launch of theconsultation on Scotland’s firstMarine Bill; the publication of anumber of new leaflets focussing onthe Clyde including the Forum’sown ‘Enjoy Wildlife on the ClydeEstuary’ leaflet produced inpartnership with the RSPB; ourKintyre Marine Awareness weekendin Campbeltown, and; our AyrScottish Marine Bill Event whichbrought Scottish Governmentofficials to the Clyde to tell usabout the forthcoming Marine Billand to hear our local views.

We are particularly delighted thatScotland’s first community marinereserve in part of Lamlash Bay on theIsle of Arran has been given the go-aheadby Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairsand the Environment Richard Lochhead.The Forum’s involvement with theLamlash Bay Working Group does notstop here and we look forward tofurther work with our partners on thisunique project.

Organisation for our 2008 AnnualConference on climate change is wellunderway and we hope to see many ofyou there. Thanks to Glasgow CityCouncil the conference will again be heldin the spectacular Banqueting Hall of theGlasgow City Chambers, and due to itspopularity last year we will again berunning an accompanying exhibition forbusinesses, community groups andorganisations to showcase their work.Do get in touch if you would like toexhibit at this year’s event.

Finally, don’t forget to keep an eye onour website where we will continue tokeep you informed of discussions,consultations and local news fromaround the Firth.

Best wishes,

Isabel GlasgowFirth of Clyde Forum Chair, and

Claire PescodFirth of Clyde Forum Project ManagerFront cover photo: Gannet © SNH Printed on recycled paper

Firth of Clyde ForumUpdate

Firth of Clyde Forum Events and News

Enjoy Wildlife on the Clyde Estuary

The Clyde Estuary is wonderfullyrich in natural history and is hometo many different species of wildlife.For a long time the Clyde wasassociated with shipbuilding and formore than 200 years was a busyshipping lane that carried grain,cattle, timber, coal, salt and tobaccoto and from industrial Glasgow.However, with the decline of heavyindustry and increasedenvironmental measures, waterquality has improved and wildlife isnow thriving.

To promote the wildlife of the ClydeEstuary, illustrate what you might see andwhen you might see it, as well as tohighlight the threats facing the Clyde andits wildlife, the Forum in partnership withRSPB produced the ‘Enjoy Wildlife on theClyde Estuary’ leaflet.

Look out for our new leaflets in touristinformation centres and at display standsaround the Estuary. Alternatively contactus at the Forum onclyde@clydeforum.org or 0141 951 0820for a copy to be posted out to you.

Grey seal © SNH

Goldeneye © M Langman (rspb-images.com)

Greenshank © M Langman (rspb-images.com)

Red Admiral © C Gomersall (rspb-images.com)

3

The Clyde Estuary

An estuary is defined as the stretch ofwater where sea water mixes with, and isdiluted by, freshwater supplied by landrun-off. Within the Firth of Clyde thereare five defined estuaries including theGarnock/Irvine Estuary, the Ayr Estuary,the Girvan Estuary and the StincharEstuary as well as the Clyde Estuary.TheClyde Estuary extends 42 km westwardfrom the Tidal Weir in the centre ofGlasgow to an administrative boundarybetween Barons Point and Cloch Point.This large area of almost 90 km2?includes the Gare Loch.

The Clyde Estuary is a complexhydrodynamic area where freshwaterfrom the River Clyde and its tributariesmixes with seawater from the Firth ofClyde.

4Firth of Clyde Forum Events and News

The Forum Celebrates Scotland’s Seas

In a year described as ‘a Celebration of Scotland’s Seas’and with a high level of political focus on the marineenvironment, the Forum has continued to promote theFirth of Clyde and Scotland’s marine and coastalenvironment through its ever popular InformationEvents.

In March the Forum joined up with the Argyll and Bute BeachForum, with support from Highlands and Islands Enterprise, tohold a Marine Awareness Weekend in Kintyre. The weekendincluded a full programme of events with some very interestingpresentations on aquaculture, life under the sea and the largestsand dune complex in mainland Argyll at Machrihanish, given at

the Campbeltown HeritageCentre. Running alongsidethe presentations were‘make your own seacreature’ workshops and anexhibition of materials frommarine and natural heritageorganisations.Campbeltown LifeboatStation opened its doorsand tours of theCampbeltown Lifeboatwere available.

Day two of the event kickedoff with a beach clean atWestport Beach. With an

excellent turn outof around 40 keenvolunteers and theCoastguard fortransportingcollected rubbish, alarge amount ofblack bags werefilled ready to bedisposed ofproperly by theCouncil. After abreak for lunch theMachrihanishResearch laboratory opened its doors with a tour of thefacilities and a chance to feed the many fish kept at the lab.

Later in the year the Forum held another Information Event,this time in Ayr on the Ayrshire coast. The event gave anopportunity to discuss and hear about the upcoming ScottishMarine Bill and input ideas and views to the consultation. Moreinformation on the Marine Bill consultation can be foundfurther on in this edition of Clyde Breakers.

Further information on the Argyll and Bute Beach Forum canbe found at www.grab.org.uk/beachforum.htm or by contactingAisa Nebrada on Aisa.Nebreda@argyll-bute.gov.uk.

For more information on the RNLI or any Lifeboat Stationaround the Firth go to www.rnli.org.uk or visit your localLifeboat Station.Sea creature © Claire Pescod

Beach cleaning © Claire Pescod

Beach cleaning © Claire Pescod

A closer look at the Research Lab © Claire Pescod

5

John Dory © COAST

The Holy Isle in Lamlash Bay © Claire Pescod

Star fish and anemones © SNH

Scotland’s First Community Marine Reserve has beengiven the go-ahead by Cabinet Secretary for RuralAffairs and the Environment Richard Lochhead.TheOrder for the reserve was laid before the ScottishParliament on the 19th September and came intoforce on Saturday 20th September.

The Forum is delighted that the Community MarineReserve, which has the backing of bothenvironmentalists and the fishing industry, has beenestablished and looks forward to seeing the benefits itwill bring to the local community, the fishing industryand the marine environment.

The reserve in part of Lamlash Bay on the Isle of Arran will seethe waters become a protected area, helping to conserve animportant marine habitat. It is also anticipated that as a resultscallop beds in adjacent areas will become more productive,benefiting local fishermen.

This unique project shows what can be achieved when differentinterests put their heads together and find common, mutuallybeneficial ground. The project, the first of its kind in Scotland,will be watched closely by the Scottish Government to seewhat lessons can be learned for the future.

Howard Wood, Chairman of the Community of Arran SeabedTrust (COAST), said:“COAST and our many supporters onArran and beyond are very excited by what we see as a newbeginning for conservation in Lamlash Bay.After many years weat last have our Marine Reserve.We are now looking forwardto the benefits it will bring and to working with a range ofpeople over the months and years ahead.“

Kenneth McNab, Chairman of the Clyde Fishermen’sAssociation, said:“The Clyde Fishermen’s Association issupportive of the efforts being made in Lamlash Bay.We believethat it is important to take responsibility for our seas and theresources they represent.We also believe that there is a need

Scotland’s First Community Marine Reserve given the go-ahead!

to continue towards a better understanding of the importanceof our marine environment.”

Isabel Glasgow, Chair of the Firth of Clyde Forum, said:“I amvery pleased that the efforts made by the Lamlash Bay WorkingGroup have resulted in success. I am convinced that the marinereserve will bring benefits both to fishing and to the marineenvironment. I look forward to those benefits being realisedwith the ongoing support of the Firth of Clyde Forum.”

Ian Jardine, Chief Executive of Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH),said:“We very much welcome this news and applaud the effortput in by COAST and the Clyde Fishermen’s Association.Working together we have found a way to balance conservationof the bay’s marine life with fishing. From now on our role willbe to monitor sea life in the bay, along with the FisheriesResearch Services. In the long term we hope this project willraise awareness of Scotland’s magnificent marine wildlife andmake a valuable contribution to the development of asustainable scallop fishing industry in the Clyde.”

All 675 responses to the Lamlash Bay consultation wereanalysed and examined by Government. A summary of theanalysis of responses is available on the Scottish Governmentwebsite at www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/09/18104700.Call the Freephone number 0800 77 1234 to help you find outwhere your nearest public internet access point is.

To view The Inshore Fishing (Prohibition on Fishing) (LamlashBay) (Scotland) Order 2008 on the Office of Public SectorInformation website go towww.opsi.gov.uk/legislation/scotland/ssi2008/ssi_20080317_en_1

6

fashion, with tangibleenthusiasm and a will tosucceed.

The concept for Clydein the Classroom wasdeveloped in the USA,and was imported,ruggedized, anddeveloped into anaward-winning projectby the WGFT in theearly 1990s.Variationson the theme are nowup and running acrossthe UK, usually calledsomething along thelines of “Salmon in theClassroom”,“Trout inthe Classroom” or (ourout-of-Clyde project)“Fish go to School”.Theorigin of the name“Clyde in theClassroom” predatesme but I rather like it,

although a former Chairman of the CRF voiced misgivingsabout its appropriateness given the frequency of flooding insome areas of our catchment! We liked the name so much thatwe trademarked it in 2003, to prevent confusion withpotentially similar projects in our catchment.

The project aim

The aim of Clyde in the Classroom is straightforward; we seekto inform and educate children about the importance of aquaticecosystems, using the life cycle of the brown/sea trout as aparticular theme.We provide a self-contained, well-focused,hands-on biological case study, complete with supportingdocumentation and regular interaction between primary schoolchildren and working scientists.We want to leave the childrenwith a lasting memory of the importance of ecology, and maybeencourage them to look at their local rivers and burns as morethan just a repository for litter. Our unique selling point whencompared to other organizations undertaking similar projects isthat we undertake the enterprise on a grand scale. In a typicalyear, around 45 schools will be accommodated in theprogramme (we started with five in 2001) garnering first handexperience of trout development and ecology for some 1300children. Due to an exceptional effort, 2007 was not a typicalyear, and we found ourselves juggling 88 classes from 81 schoolsacross the Central Belt of Scotland.

Our principal partners are Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH),which has provided significant funding annually from theinception of the project, the Scottish Executive, which has alsoprovided significant funding, and the Glasgow Science Centre(GSC), which provides an excellent, subsidised venue for thelaunch days as well as considerable staff assistance. In a nutshell,SNH and the Scottish Executive financially support a well-established environmental education project and the GSC is

Since 2001 25% of all primaryschools within the River Clydecatchment, that's 6614 childrenmainly from primary school butalso from six special needs schoolsand four secondaries, haveparticipated in the Clyde RiverFoundation's (CRF's) 'Clyde in theClassroom' project. Here DrWillie Yeomans from theFoundation talks about the CRFand this very successful project.

The statistics tell the story.The Clyde,at 106 miles, is the third longest riverin Scotland, and its catchment containsin excess of 40% of the country’shuman population. Glasgow, the largestcity in Scotland with a population ofsome 588 000, sits squarely at the headof tide.The Clyde catchment is largelycovered by eight local authorities andcontains 599 primary schools.We areextremely proud of the fact that 252classes from 196 different schools haveparticipated in Clyde in theClassroom/Fish go to School since 2001. Clyde in theClassroom is also now responsible for about 3% of all of theschoolchildren visiting the Glasgow Science Centre annually.The most telling figure, however, is that we have put live browntrout into more than 7% of all primary schools in Scotland.

Where do you start?

The east end (or indeed any end) of Glasgow is perhaps notthe typical stamping ground of a fishery scientist.There’s littlesurface water in the area, other than the lower reaches of theRiver Clyde, which although recovering from decades of seriouspollution and disturbance, remains largely ignored by most citydwellers.The question facing a freshwater biologist working fora scientific and educational charity in the east end is “Where doyou start?” How do you engage with the community in an areawhere burns have disappeared under tarmac and concrete, andwhere the main river is daunting and tens of meters wide?

Well, thanks to the pioneering work of the redoubtable AlistairStephen at the then West Galloway Fisheries Trust (WGFT),now the Galloway Fisheries Trust, and the efforts of our formerproject officer John Bray, the Clyde River Foundation inheritedan ideal tool.The project is, like all the best ideas, devastatinglysimple; introduce children to freshwater ecology and fisheriesscience by using the salmonid life–cycle as a teaching tool.Theintrinsically interesting nature of the project, coupled with thefirst hand experience of wild animals, has made it a hugesuccess across Scotland and elsewhere. In the central belt ofScotland, we have taken a biological process that very fewpeople have witnessed in the wild (hatching and emergence oftrout fry) into classrooms in ten local authority areas to date.One recurring experience is that, wherever the childrenoriginate, urban or rural, large or small school, affluent or lesswell-off areas, they all approach the project in exactly the same

Clyde in the Classroom

Education Focus

Salmon © SNH

7

excellent at handling large crowds of small people.

Running the project

We launch the project every year in the third week of January,with several days of events at the Glasgow Science Centre.Theexcellent facilities at the GSC allow us an economy of scale –we can handle maybe 12 classes simultaneously, which isextremely efficient in manpower terms. During interactivelectures we tell the children about the history of the RiverClyde and its fisheries, then introduce them to the concepts ofpredation and aquatic food webs, water quality and riverpollution, habitat requirements and the introduction of alienspecies to aquatic ecosystems.The relative aridity of thesesubjects to the average 10 year old is leavened greatly by agreat deal of shouting, hand waving and brain teasing.

The introductory lecture over, the real focus of the project isthen demonstrated to the children and their teachers. In amore intimate setting than the lecture theatre, the children aregiven a presentation on the environmental requirements oftrout eggs, alevins (tiny fish carrying a sac of egg yolk as a foodsupply) and fry (food, shelter, low temperature and high oxygenlevels feature prominently!) They are then shown a simpleclassroom hatchery with some trout eggs and newly hatchedalevins. Sight of the animals generates a real buzz from thechildren, and we have found during other events that thepresence of a tank of mixed fish from the river can create ahoney pot to encourage children and adults to engage with ourorganisation. By any means necessary…

A hatchery in the classroom

We then inform the children that we will be installing ahatchery in their classroom the following week. Experience hasshown that the most efficient method of getting the projectstarted in school is to talk to the children and staff as thehatchery is being set up, then provide precise instruction onhow to look after the system.The hatchery is resolutely low-tech, comprising a couple of small aquaria, an air pump, a smallwater filter, some pebbles and two pieces of pipe.The hook toengage the children is the means of keeping it habitable for

trout – the cooling system comprises small soft drinks bottlesfilled with ice which the children change two or three times perday (and record the temperature of the tanks simultaneously).There are technologically more advanced coolers out there butthey can turn the hatchery into something of an aquarium, andwe feel that our hands-on approach is better.This is the pointwhere the children tend to take the project by the scruff of theneck, and the various “uses” for Clyde in the Classroombecome apparent – enterprise project, arithmetic lesson,biology lesson, history lesson – depending upon thepredilection of the class teacher. From the educationalists pointof view, the biggest attraction seems to be that the project fitsinto the appropriate curriculum; it doesn’t appear like a bolt-onor a requirement for extra work or resources.

We leave the aquarium running for one week before weintroduce 250 eggs (this figure for no other reason than oursupplier has an egg counting device with 250 dimples in it!) Thisperiod allows the children to become familiar with the hatcheryand confident in its operation. For the following six or sevenweeks, a member of CRF staff or a trained volunteer will visitthe school weekly to ensure that all is well, to give the childrenthe opportunity to ask questions and solve problems, and tosupport the class teacher, many of whom are initiallyapprehensive about the thing generating a dull noise in thecorner of their classroom. Universally, we watch the confidenceof both class and teacher growing as the eggs develop andhatch.

The eggs

The eggs themselves, we purchase from a commercial fish farm.We buy brown trout eggs from a well-established supplierbecause we can be absolutely sure of obtaining the number ofeggs we require, at the stage of development we require (eyed-ova), at the time we require them.The eggs are in thehatcheries for 5-7 weeks, depending upon how cool thechildren can keep the hatcheries.When the alevins reach theswim-up or first-feeding stage (i.e. when they would be leaving

Research: Fish counting by snorkelling © Colin Bean

© Clyde River Foundation

8

the gravel in nature) we complete the project by walking thechildren to their nearest safe surface water and releasing thefish. Each child is given a sandwich bag with a few of “their” fishand achieves closure by hand releasing the fish into their localriver or burn.We think this is a most powerful experience –survival rates to release can be very high, and we have hadmany requests to leave the bags with the children as souvenirs.

We complete the project by asking every participating school

to complete a detailed feedback form. Feedback has beenoverwhelmingly positive since 2001, which suggests the projectfulfils its objectives fully. Interestingly, we have encountered nodecrease in demand for the project since 2001 – it seems tohave a long shelf life.

What about the trout?

As for the trout, Clyde in the Classroom is very firmly aneducation project; we make no pretence of it being a stockingexercise. Malcolm Elliot’s work has shown that the naturalwastage of trout at this stage is very high in the wild. Match-mismatch compounds that by lowering opportunities forsuccessful recruitment in trout looking for a first meal in Marchin central Scotland. Ecologically, we feel that the small numbersof fish likely to survive will have a negligible effect on any nativefish populations in the stocked watercourses.

CRF is a small operation – it employs five fulltime scientists(who do their own administration) and is based in grace-and-favour accommodation at the University of Glasgow; we couldnot possibly work on this scale without considerable assistance.Firstly, funding is provided for Caroline McGillivray, our

Education Outreach Officer by Scottish Natural Heritage(SNH), the Ernest Cook Trust and a large number of othergenerous donors (see www.clyderiverfoundation.org).

Clyde in the Classroom has several collateral benefits for oursmall charity. Firstly, it allows working scientists to interact withchildren old enough to understand what we’re trying toillustrate but young enough to retain their innate curiosity andwonder. The current level of dislocation between young people

and the natural world isworrying, and we hope Clydein the Classroom goes a littleway to putting practicalscience into their particularorbits; it certainly allows ourmessage to reach areaswhere perhaps our scientificwork wouldn’t take it.

One of the strengths of theCRF is that freshwaterbiology and fisheries scienceon the Clyde are its wholebusiness and have been forthe past five years; unlike, say,governmental organisations,which may have competingpriorities, or consultancies,which tend to work onshort-term studies, thenmove on.Although we arepermanently under the coshfor funding and the timeconstraints generated byfinding funded work, the riveris the customer, and ouractivities are entirely gearedtoward protecting, improving

and communicating our understanding of the resource.

In summary, we have much to be grateful for, and much to beproud of.We inherited a great educational idea, and were ableto make it work to the benefit of our establishment andfreshwater conservation in general.The project itself isn’t aboutthe Clyde River Foundation, of course. If we can engagesufficiently to leave the odd memory with the youngermembers of our communities, especially where the rivers arelarge or underground, then we’ll have achieved what we set outto do in 2001. Our ultimate measure of success will be whenthe first undergraduate at the University can tell us about Clydein their Classroom; we reckon that could happen within thenext couple of years.

For more information on the Clyde River Foundation visitwww.clyderiverfoundation.org

For further information on the history of the ‘Salmon in theClassroom’ project with Galloway Fisheries Trust visitwww.snh.org.uk/salmonintheclassroom/index.shtml

Dr Willie Yeomans can be contacted onwyeom001@udcf.gla.ac.uk

Education Focus

Research:Watching fish spawn in situ with mini ROV © Colin Bean

9

The Clyde as a ClassroomThe regeneration of the River Clydeis helping turn the river into aunique education resource andclassroom for thousands of pupilsunder a new project launched byClyde Waterfront, the strategicpartnership responsible forcoordinating and promoting the£5.6 billion revival of the river.

The Clyde Waterfront CurriculumResources for Schools project involves anew website offering teachers speciallyprepared lesson plans linked to aspectsof the river’s development andcomplemented by the opportunity tobring it all to life with a Classroom onthe Clyde boat trip on board a floatingclassroom,The Kenilworth.

A bank of 200 lesson plans written bylocal teachers for Clyde Waterfrontlinked to the eight curricular areas andthemed around 12 aspects of activityrelevant to the regeneration of the riverhas been developed for teachers to use.

This is the first time a nationalregeneration project has been used tocreate a comprehensive teachingresource linked to the ScottishGovernment’s Enterprise in Educationprogramme in which business andeducation work together to give childrenand young people positive attitudes towork and life.

The River Clyde is synonymous withshipbuilding, and historically is renownedas the world’s greatest engineeringpower house. This innovative project isoffering young people the opportunity tolearn in a truly exciting and engaging way,linking what they hear in the classroomto life beyond school and encouragingthem to become enterprising citizens.

Hosting the launch event CouncillorSteven Purcell, Chair of the ClydeWaterfront Strategic Partnership Boardand Leader of Glasgow City Council,said:“The project brings the river to lifeas a source of knowledge and learning ina way never before undertaken. It adds a

new dimension to the river’s value. TheRiver Clyde is more than a powerfuleconomic asset. It flows through thecentre of our communities helping shapeour history, culture and most importantlyour future. Communities are at the heartof the river’s regeneration and our youngpeople are their future.This project willhelp ensure a new generation isknowledgeable of the changes takingplace and is aware of the important role

of the river in providing a sustainableenvironment, job opportunities, andleisure activities.”

The Clyde Waterfront CurriculumResources for Schools can be found onthe Clyde Waterfront Education websiteatwww.clydewaterfront.com/educationhome.aspx

The SECC and the Clydeport Crane by night © John Eddie Donnelly

Glasgow Harbour Development © Glasgow City Council

10Recreation FocusEducation Focus

Glasgow River Festival 2008Thousands of people spent the weekend in July on thebanks of the Clyde at the fifth annual Glasgow RiverFestival.

The free event was situated in and around the SECC, GlasgowScience Centre and the Tall Ship Glenlee and featured a packedprogram including jet-ski acrobatic displays, beach volleyball andthe landing of the seaplane in front of the Science Centre.TheForum had a well placed stand alongside the MarineConservation Society and next to the beach volleyball pitch.The Forum’s new ‘Enjoy Wildlife on the Clyde Estuary’ leafletwas extremely popular and the ‘colour a sea creature’ table wasa great success with children and parents. Thanks to everyonewho visited us and took away leaflets or just came in for a chat,we hope to see you again next year.

BBC box leaves GreenockThe BBC is charting the growth in world trade with a speciallymarked cargo container,The Box, which will criss-cross theglobe over the next year. BBC News is following The Boxaround world to tell the story of globalisation and worldeconomy. The Box received its first cargo of Scotch whisky inmid September and was placed on a container ship at the portof Greenock bound for China via Southampton.

A satellite tracking unit is being used to plot the container’sroute on a live updating map which can be viewed on the BBCwebsite. The website even shows you how to build your ownBox, courtesy of Box fan and card model designer DavidHathaway.

To keep track of The Box, for more information onglobalisation and for instructions on how to build your ownBox go to:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/business/2008/the_box/default.stm

Container ship © Claire Pescod

Seaplane © Claire Pescod

Jet-ski racing © Claire Pescod

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Sail Clyde is an industry bodyformed to boost the growthof the recreational boatingindustry in the Clyde, and itlaunched its new strategydocument at Largs in lateAugust, assisted by StuartMcMillan, Regional MSP forthe West of Scotland.

Recreational boating and marinetourism bring a benefit of at least£250m annually to the Scottisheconomy, with the Clydecontributing some £80m perannum. Over 2,500 people areemployed in the Clyde area alone.This industry has grown steadilyover the past couple of decades,but lack of berthing space and ‘sailto’ facilities, together with ashortage of skilled labour, areconstraining present and futuregrowth. Sail Clyde’s steering groupis made up of key public sectorand industry representatives.

Sail Clyde’s business development strategy is intended tocatalyse expansion of the marine leisure industry. Its target isto double the number of yachts and motor cruisers on theClyde from 5,000 to 10,000 in the next decade, and tosignificantly increase marine tourism and marine business of allkinds. Given the steady growth over the last decade, this iscertainly possible, but only in a favourable businessenvironment. Such growth will attract more sailing tourists andresident vessels, both of which have the potential to bringsubstantial revenue.

The strategy will concentrate on marketing the Clyde as aplace to do business, helping to capture national andinternational events, fostering business innovation, reviving theskills training needed for an expanding industry, and developingnew as well as preserving existing infrastructure, like pontoons,piers and jetties. Further information on Sail Clyde is availablefrom Annemarie Burns, Scottish Enterprise on 01563 545018.

Sail Clyde launches in Largs

Stuart McMillan,West of Scotland Regional MSP, Carolyn Elder, President AyrshireChamber of Commerce, and Mike Balmforth, Chairman Sail Clyde, launch the strategydocument for business development in the Firth of Clyde

Sailing on the Clyde © Mike Balmforth

12Recreation Focus

An awareness campaign aimed atdog walkers saw ‘smelly sheep’planted around Edinburgh’sHolyrood Park at the campaignlaunch. Scottish Natural Heritage(SNH) is calling on dog owners tohelp promote the spirit of theScottish Outdoor Access Codewhen they take their animalswalking in the countryside.

The campaign launched in June byEnvironment Minister Michael Russellaims to persuade hundreds of thousandsof dog owners across Scotland to ensurethey observe the Scottish OutdoorAccess Code guidelines for responsiblebehaviour when they take their dogs intorural areas.

For the campaign launch the ‘smellysheep’ models were impregnated with ascent that attracts dogs in the way a realsheep would. Suzanne Downey fromSNH explained that ‘smelly sheep’ wereused to grab the attention of dog ownerswhilst they were out with their dogs sothat members of the SNH campaigndidn’t miss the opportunity to speak todog owners. The models were designedto attract the dogs and highlight toowners the dangers of not having yourdogs under close control in rural areas.Dog’s going crazy for the scent of aposter was a new and very effective wayto catch owners’ attention.

The campaign, supported by the ScottishCanine Consultative Council and theScottish Kennel Club, promotes themessage to owners ‘Your dog doesn’tknow any better. Make sure you do’.The launch at Holyrood Park signalledthe start of a programme of events andactivities across the country to publicisethe Scottish Outdoor Access Code todog owners and promote best practice inthe outdoors.

The Scottish Outdoor Access Codepromotes dog walking for health andquality of life, however dog owners needto be aware of the special concerns ofother land users such as farmers, landmanagers and recreational visitors. Poorlycontrolled dogs can be disruptive,destructive and harmful to farm animals,

A call on owners toteach dogs newtricks

disturb wildlife and alarm other people.

SNH is asking dog owners to think inadvance about the impact their dogmight have on other users and wildlifespecies and apply common sense incontrolling their pets in the countryside.The Scottish Outdoor Access Coderequires owners to keep dogs underproper control at all times. Dogs scareand threaten many species of mammalsand birds - even at a distance - andowners must use leads wherever thereare ground-nesting birds around.

For the campaign SNH developed threeamusing dog characters, Daftie, Loopyand Dotty to appeal to all dog lovers toget the message across in a fun andentertaining way. It is hoped the campaignreaches a mass audience in both ruraland urban areas with the very serious

Further information:

The Scottish CanineConsultative Council:

Phone Roy Campbell on 01419426320 or emailjames.barnes1@ntlworld.com

The Scottish Kennel Club:www.scottishkennelclub.org oremail info@scottishkennelclub.org

messages of responsible behaviour,consideration for nature and other usersas well as awareness of access legislation.

SNH has also published a new guidanceleaflet setting out the mainresponsibilities for dog owners andadvice on control in everyday situationsin the countryside.

Since its launch he campaign has beensupported by outdoor advertising,concourse posters in Glasgowunderground and nationwide leafletdistribution at various tourist and publiclocations.

Free supplies of literature and dogbags are available from SuzanneDowney, Strategy andCommunication Officer, ScottishNatural Heritage onSuzanne.downey@snh.gov.uk or0141 951 0833.

Environment Minister Michael Russell at the campaign launch with greyhounds and a 'smelly sheep' © SNH

Good dog! © Claire Pescod

13

14Recreation Focus

Ailsa Craig: Seabird City

The island of Ailsa Craig in theFirth of Clyde lies nine milesoffshore and rises to 1,109 feet.Theisland’s dramatic seacliffs are hometo the third largest gannetry in theUK, comprising 36,000 pairs, with asupporting cast of razorbills, blackguillemots, kittiwakes, an increasingnumbers of puffins and even anoccasional peregrine swooping past.

A new RSPB leaflet ‘Ailsa Craig naturereserve: Seabird City’ providesinformation on Ailsa Craig, one of theRSPB’s nature reserves around the Firth,and encourages people to visitthe island’sfantasticseabirdcolonies.The leafletdescribessome of theimpressive birdlife you mayencounter andexplains why visitorsare encouraged to viewthe island from a boatrather than trying to land onthe island, as landing is bothdifficult and dangerous.

Look out for this leaflet at touristinformation centres and other similardisplay sites, or phone the regional RSPBoffice on 0141 331 0993 to get your freecopy.

Look out for:

Gannet

Look for stunning gannets cruisingaround at the base of the cliffs andfishing out to sea by rising up intothe air before plunging in headfirstwith their wings closed.

GuillemotGuillemots lookungainly whentheyshuffle

around on their nesting ledges onthe cliffs, but underwater theirstreamlined shape comes into itsown and they become agile andmanoeuvrable.

KittiwakeIn spring and early summer your earswill be filled with the unmistakable‘kitti-wake’ calls of this dainty gull.Look along the cliffs to see thempacked onto their tiny nesting ledges

PuffinEnjoy the comical antics of puffins in

spring and early summer.Watchthe adults returning from

fishing forays at sea withsandeels hanging

from theircolourful beaks.

RazorbillVery

similar toguillemots,

razorbills spendmost of their lives at

sea in the Atlantic, onlycoming to land to breed

between March and July.For more information on Ailsa Craig

and its seasonal visitors go towww.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/a/ailsacraig/index.asp

Ailsa Craig isbest viewed

from the sea.Tours aroundthe island runfrom Girvan

andCampbeltown

during thesummer and

are dependenton calm seaconditions.

Ailsa Craig © Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)

Puffin © SNH

15

Earlier in the year one of Scotland’sbest known marinas was bought byThe Crown Estate in a deal worthan initial £4 million.The acquisitionof the 175-berth marina withrelated facilities on a 2.6 ha (6.5acre) site on the Firth of Clyderepresents a major boost to thegrowing marine leisure market inScotland.

Rhu marina is one of the best knownnames in the marine leisure industry inScotland and The Crown Estate believe itis fitting that this is their first purchase ofa Scottish marina. Rhu marina is in awonderful location as The Firth of Clydeis recognised as one of the finest sailingareas in the world.

The purchase of Rhu Marina is anexcellent opportunity for The CrownEstate to invest in the growing marineleisure industry in Scotland and is thefirst of a number of investments theyhope to make as part of a new marineinvestment strategy.

The marine leisure industry makes asignificant contribution to Scottishtourism. It is estimated to be worthalmost £3 billion in the UK and isgrowing in Scotland at a rate of morethan 10% a year.

The site purchased includes themoorings, boat storage areas, marineworkshops and chandlery as well as theRNLI station with slipway and HMCoastguard.The marina is fully let in the

The Crown Estate Purchase Rhu Marina

summer and the site is earmarked in thelocal plan for development.

A master plan for the site, to include anexpanded marina and related business aswell as high quality apartments, is nowbeing drawn up for The Crown Estate bywell known Scottish architects, RMJM.The new plans will see the number ofberths almost doubled and will includeincreased car parking and a newrestaurant. Under the new arrangement,the marina will be leased to QuayMarinas who also lease Deganwy marinain north Wales from The Crown Estate.

Tarbert Harbour

Around the Firth of Clyde,The CrownEstate is also involved with improving anddeveloping Tarbert Harbour in Kintyre.Working with the Board of TarbertHarbour Authority,The Crown Estate hasagreed to provide an initial £30,000towards harbour improvements. Thejoint venture has supported the village’sefforts to provide improved facilitiesduring the Bell Lawrie Scottish Series2008, Scotland’s most important annualyachting event providing the onlyinternational standard competition foryachts in Scotland.

For more information on the work ofThe Crown Estate visit their website atwww.thecrownestate.co.uk

Guillemot © rspb-images.com

Gannets © rspb-images.com

Tarbet harbour © Claire Pescod

16

Over the summer Scottish NaturalHeritage (SNH) promotedresponsible camping using two verydifferent campaign styles. HereEleanor MacGregor from SNHexplains the thinking behind thecampaigns.

We’ve probably all been camping at somepoint in our lives and where better thana place with the backdrop of the Firth ofClyde coastline.The perfect camp spotcan differ from one person to the next.One certainty is that Scotland’s accesslegislation means everyone can gocamping, pretty much anywhere (with afew reasonable exceptions) as long as itis done responsibly.

Sadly over the last years a number ofhigh profile cases of antisocial andcareless behaviour at wild camping siteshave raised concerns after somelocations have been affected byvandalism, out of control fires, rubbish,abandoned equipment and pollution fromunburied human waste. SNH are nowtaking action to help campers avoidcausing the impacts of human waste,litter and damage to the environment.Their call is especially targeted at casualand occasional campers who pitch besideaccessible roads or lochs withoutconsidering the good practice guidancein the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

Responsible wild camping can be a great

Are you aresponsiblecamper?

way of getting out into the countryside.But while the majority of campersobserve the ‘leave no trace’ principles ofwild camping some inexperienced orless thoughtful campers can be lessconsiderate.Access rights depend onresponsible behaviour, and it’s vital thatpeople think about the effects of theiractions on others and on theenvironment.

The key things to remember are beingpromoted through two styles ofcampaign. Recreational managers areasked to assess the audience they wantto influence and pick the mostappropriate campaign style to suit.Choosing the style and correctly placingit is very important in the process ofactually influencing behaviour.

Recreation Focus

The two styles include:

‘Be a responsible camper’ - aimed atgenuine light weight campers.

‘Don’t Mess with Nature’ - a slightlyharder hitting campaign launched toappeal to less amenable audiences. It is amore creative way than SNH wouldnormally use as it aims to attract theattention of audiences congregating todrink and party which are thought likelyto be causing most of the problems.

Sets of posters and swing tags areavailable from SNH. For moreinformation visit www.outdooraccess-scotland.com or contact EleanorMacGregor, SNH, on 01463 725000 orEleanor.macgregor@snh.gov.uk

17Fishing Focus

In the Spring 2007 issue of Clyde Breakers we gave anupdate on the Clyde Fisheries Development Project, aproject bringing together fishing and environmentalinterests to ensure that a prosperous sustainableindustry will be handed on to future generations.

The project has recently launched a ‘Review and Report’ whichbrings together new information on issues to address andreduce the environmental impact of the Clyde fisheries withexisting data to map out a practical and sustainable wayforward for the fisheries and their management.

The Clyde Environment and Fisheries Review identifies some ofthe key issues that need to be addressed for sustainablemanagement purposes and in doing so could pave the way for asustainable future for Clyde fisheries. The Review tracks thehistory of the Clyde fisheries from their heyday of mixed whitefish fisheries alongside a vibrant herring fishery, to the presentsituation in which the industry depends heavily on one species,the Scottish Langoustine (Nephrops norwegicus, also known asDublin Bay prawn, scampi or Norway lobster).There are nowtrawl and creel fisheries for langoustine and also some vesselspursuing scallop and razor clam fisheries.

The Sustainable Supply Chain Project Report presents thefindings of a year long survey of the fleet. Information wasgathered on the vessels, their crews and gear as well asassessment of catches and their temperature from capture toarrival at the processor. Effective temperature control is oneof the key issues identified for maintaining a high qualityproduct whether targeting live langoustines or landing tails. For

Giving Clyde fisheries a future: quality & sustainability are the keynon-live produce, effective icing helps maintain consistentlylow temperature, which results in a high quality product

reaching the market. Surveys onboard somevessels found that the temperature of catchesleft without ice could rise quickly to levelslikely to dramatically reduce the quality of thefinal product.

Guidelines for maintaining the quality ofcatches have been agreed; such as how totreat and store langoustine once caught, toensure that the best product gets to market.Ways of reducing the environmental impactsof the fisheries have also been explored andguidelines on how this can best be achievedare suggested.

The Review and Report indicate that a wayforward could be to market the “Clyde

Langoustine” as a high quality product sourced from asustainable fishery. Recognising this, a decision was taken tosubmit both creel and trawl fisheries for assessment forMarine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification.The Reviewand Report will help meet some of the key criteria forassessment.

When launched, the report received a warm welcome fromfisheries’ groups in the Clyde which formed part of theproject responsible for publishing the Review and Report.Kenneth MacNab, chairman of the Clyde Fishermen’sAssociation said:“For the future of our fishing industry andthe communities which depend upon it as well as for thehealth of the marine environment, it was essential that wehad an independent assessment that our fishery not only wassustainable but was being pursued in an environmentallyappropriate way. This report not only achieves that butprovides excellent advice as to how we might improve ourperformance.”

Hector Stewart, chairman of the Scottish Creelers andDivers added:“We welcome the Review and Report,hopefully they can help us with the future sustainablemanagement of the Clyde.”

A copy of the Review and Report can be found on theUniversity Marine Biological Station Millport website atwww.gla.ac.uk/Acad/Marine/CFDP/

The Clyde FisheriesDevelopment Group is made upof the Clyde Fishermen’sAssociation, Northern IrelandFishermen’s Federation, ScottishCreelers and Divers, Food andDrink Federation, SeafishIndustry Authority, UniversityMarine Biological StationMillport, Scottish NaturalHeritage and WWF Scotland.

Creel fishing © Scottish Creelers and Divers

Fish boxes © Claire Pescod

18National Marine and Coastal Updates

Scotland’s Seas: Towards Understanding their StateKnowledge about Scotland’s marine environment isimportant as preparation is made for a Scottish MarineBill. In summer 2007, the Scottish Government askedFisheries Research Services (FRS), the ScottishEnvironment Protection Agency (SEPA) and ScottishNatural Heritage (SNH) to start work on assessing thestate of Scotland’s seas.

The first ever report on the state of Scotland’s seas “Scotland’sSeas:Towards Understanding their State” was launched in Aprilthis year. This report paves the way for a more comprehensiveand detailed report on the state of the marine environment“State of Scotland’s Seas” to be published in 2010, arequirement of the recently completed EU Marine StrategyFramework Directive.

The main findings of the report that outlines the cleanliness,health and productivity of Scotland’s waters, are:

• Scotland’s seas are generally clean and safe, with a trend towards reduction of most pollutants over the past 20 years

• The seas are generally healthy and biologically diverse, with around 40,000 species of plants, animals and microbial formsliving in Scottish waters

• The seas are productive and generate around £2.2 billion of marine-industry activity (excluding oil and gas activity) and provide approximately 50,000 jobs in Scotland

At the launch of the report Richard Lochhead, CabinetSecretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment, commentedthat Scotland is fortunate to have a unique marine environmentthat everyone should be able to enjoy, and in order to protectthis resource it is imperative to establish a greaterunderstanding of the current state of the seas. He went on tosay that the Scotland’s Seas report is a great starting point andprovides a baseline against which to measure future progress.

This new report will help coordinate action for Scotland’s seas,and help work towards ensuring the future long-term health ofScottish seas, while maintaining the essential balance betweensustainable exploitation of marine resources and the protectionof wildlife and natural features.

A full copy of the report can be found on the ScottishGovernment website at www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Water/16440/SSTF

Alternatively contact Martyn Cox onmartyn.cox@scotland.gsi.gov.uk for a hard copy to be postedout.

Doggy paddle © Ian Boyter

19

A New Future for Scotland’s SeasThe consultation on a Marine Billfor Scotland, which aims to providea new future for Scotland’s seas bybalancing conservation andeconomic growth, was launchedduring the summer by RichardLochhead the Cabinet Secretary forRural Affairs and the Environment.

Proposals in ‘Sustainable Seas For All - AConsultation On Scotland’s First MarineBill’ include:

• Improved conservation to ensure a healthy future for Scotland’s unique marine wildlife, including internationally important populations of seabirds

• A new marine planning system and a streamlined licensing system to encourage economic investment in areas such as renewable energy

• Measures to ensure a viable future forScotland’s traditional and new marine industries

• The creation of Marine Scotland, a new body combining the efforts of existing bodies to act as a champion for Scotland’s seas

At the consultation launch EnvironmentSecretary Richard Lochhead commentedthat “in the 21st century we need toensure that there are arrangements inplace to provide a sustainable future forthe marine environment and the manyindustries that depend on productive andhealthy seas.We need a new relationshipwith the seas to safeguard this uniqueand precious resource for futuregenerations.With increasing andcompeting demands being made on ourseas it is time to modernise andstreamline the management of ourmarine environment.”

Striking the right balance between thelong-term viability and growth ofindustries and the enhanced protectionof the marine environment is at the heartof the proposed Bill. Government alsocontinue to seek further devolution ofpowers on marine planning and natureconservation as they believe this willensure the Bill is as effective as possible.

In September the Clyde Forum held anInformation Event in Ayr in partnership

with the Scottish Government and theAyrshire Joint Structure Plan andTransportation Committee to bring theMarine Bill consultation to the Clyde.The event enabled delegates to hearabout the Bill and to input views andideas to the consultation. A report of

the Ayr event was written up andsubmitted to Government to aid theirconsiderations.

The consultation period for Scotland’sfirst Marine Bill is now underway and willrun until October 6 2008.

Loading logs in Campbeltown Harbour © Claire Pescod

20National Marine and Coastal Updates

Further Protection for Ailsa Craig’s Internationally Important Seabirds

Ailsa Craig’s huge and colourful seabird colony couldbe in line for additional protection if a number ofinternationally important wildlife sites aroundScotland’s coast are extended out to sea.

Scotland’s long rugged coastline and myriad of offshore islandsare ideal for breeding seabirds.These colonies and thesurrounding seas are a vital natural heritage resource, which isinternationally recognised and globally unsurpassed. Howeverseabird populations around the country have been declining inrecent years, and this decline is thought to be the result of anumber of factors - food supply, pollution, development,weather events such as severe storms and possibly evenclimate change. Some of these factors require investigationand action on a global scale but this has to be complementedby national conservation action.

Therefore, between June and September 2008 Scottish NaturalHeritage (SNH), on behalf of the Scottish Government,consulted on the proposal to extend 31 existing land-basedSpecial Protection Areas (SPAs) up to 4 km out to sea. Theproposal to extend these SPA sites will address local issuesthat could have an impact on seabird colonies.

Situated in the outer part of the Firth of Clyde, Ailsa Craig is acone-shaped granitic island that provides nesting sites for arange of seabird species, notably one of the largest gannetcolonies in the world. The island was classified as an SPA for itsseabird interests in 1990. The qualifying interests of the SPA areNorthern gannet and lesser black-backed gull, and theassemblage of seabirds including common guillemot, herring gulland kittiwake. In order to better recognise the ecologicalrequirements of some seabird species that make the site special,it is proposed that the SPA is extended into the marineenvironment. Due to the ecology of the Northern gannet a2km marine extension to the SPA is proposed to support AilsaCraig’s important breeding seabird populations.

Who will be affected?

Within the proposed marine extension to the Ailsa Craig SPAthere is no indication that current fishing activities are any riskto the birds or their habitats. Therefore there are no plans tointroduce restrictions to ongoing fisheries interests as a resultof the designation if the SPA is extended. Only if unanticipatedproblems arise would any action be required to address these.

There will be no access restrictions into the marine area as a

Gannets on Ailsa Craig © Paul Jones

21

result of the proposed extension to the SPA, though anyaccess should be exercised responsibly. There would beno effect on the day-to-day running of wildlife tour boatsas long as these do not cause significant disturbance tobirds. In the longer-term wildlife tour operators andthe tourism industry in general may benefit because theAilsa Craig SPA would protect the birds that visitorscome to see. And of course, wildlife tour operatorsshould follow the Marine Wildlife Watching Codewhether or not they are within a marine SPA so thatwildlife is not disturbed and can continue to be enjoyedby all.

Development proposals that could affect the SPA wouldneed to be considered in terms of whether the proposalis likely to have a significant effect on the seabirds thatare a qualifying interest of the SPA.

Apart from promoting good practice for currentactivities and consideration of new developmentproposals, it will not be necessary to actively manage theproposed marine extension for the seabirds.

Other sites to be consulted on include a number ofwell-known islands such as Bass Rock, Rum and St Kilda,as well as mainland sites running from the northern tipof Shetland to the Firth of Forth and the Borders.

Comments received during the consultation process willbe collated by SNH and reported to Scottish Ministers,who will then consider the comments along with thescientific case for extending these sites, before decidingwhether to approve the extensions.

More information on the consultation and Ailsa CraigSPA can be found on the SNH website atwww.snh.org.uk

Why extend out to sea?Research has shown that the sea in frontof land and cliffs used by breedingseabirds is essential to their survival.Birds such as puffins, gannets andguillemots use the water close to theirnests for a variety to purposes, includingpreening, bathing and display duringbreeding.

Puffin © SNH An Ailsa Craig gannet colony © Paul Jones

22Community Focus

After the recent sightings of a Risso's dolphin, rarelyfound in shallow water, swimming in the River Clydenear the city centre, we ask if you would know what todo if you found a stranded marine mammal.

An average of around 150 whales, dolphins and porpoises arefound stranded on the coast of Scotland each year. The ScottishGovernment and Defra have contracted the ScottishAgricultural College (SAC) Veterinary Services to record theseevents and carry out necropsies (an autopsy done on animals)on suitable carcases.This is part of a UK project, in operationsince 1990, to record strandings.Through this project the firstever records of Fraser's dolphin and pygmy sperm whalestrandings on Scotland's coast have been published.

Who do you contact about a stranding?

If you find a dead stranded whale, dolphin, seal, basking shark ormarine turtle, contact Bob Reid the Strandings Co-ordinator forScotland on 01463 243030 during office hours or on 07979245893 at any time.

If you find a live stranded whale, dolphin or porpoise contactScotland's Animal Welfare Charity the SSPCA on their AnimalHelpline 03000 999 999 or the British Divers Marine LifeRescue (BDMLR) on 01825 765546.

If you find a live seal watch it FROM A DISTANCE and do notapproach it. Seals regularly haul out on our coasts - it is part oftheir normal behaviour. Therefore, finding a seal on the beachdoes not mean there is necessarily a problem. A healthy sealshould be left well alone.

However, if you think that a seal may be abandoned, thin or ill,then call the BDMLR hotline on 01825 765546 for advice andassistance.

When reporting a stranding you will be asked thefollowing:

– Location - preferably with reference to landmarks

– Species - if possible, digital pictures are especially useful

– Size - an estimate of the size

– Condition

– Your contact details or those of the finder

What would you do if you found a stranded whale or dolphin?

Risso’s Dolphin key facts:

Gaelic name: Deilf-risso

Latin name: Grampus griseus

Range: a deepwater species found in temperate and tropicalseas worldwide

Length: Up to 4 metres with males slightly longer than females

Weight: Up to 500 kg

Threats: Hunting, by-catch and pollution

The British Divers Marine Life Rescue provides thefollowing guidelines incase you find a live whale, dolphin orporpoise:

– Provide essential first aid.

– Support the animal in an upright position and dig trenches under the pectoral fins.

– Cover the animal with wet sheets or towels (even seaweed) and keep it moist by spraying or dousing with water.

– Do NOT cover, or let any water pass down the blowhole (nostril), sited on top of the animal's head.This will cause the animal great distress and could even kill it.

– Every movement around a stranded animal should be quiet,calm and gentle. Excessive noise and disturbance will only stress it further.

– Estimate the length of the animal and look for any distinguishing feature that may give clues as to the species you are dealing with.

– Look for any signs of injury and count the number of breaths (opening of the blowhole) that occur over a minute - this can give important clues as to how stressed the animal is.

– Take great care when handling a dolphin, porpoise or whale;keep away from the tail, as it can inflict serious injuries - this is particularly the case with whales and it is advisable to leave handling larger whales until experienced help has arrived. Avoid the animal's breath, as it may carry some potentially nasty bacteria.

Further information:

British Divers Marine Life Rescue - www.bdmlr.org.uk/

Scottish Agricultural College Veterinary Services - www.sac.ac.uk

Scottish SSPCA - www.scottishspca.org/

Risso's dolphin © David Maclennan

23Diary Dates

Your photos...

The Forum would like to thank Anne Renold forsending us a photo of a piece of work she recentlycompleted in her art class. Anne’s eye-catching collagewas inspired by a Clyde Breakers front cover (issue 8)showing a Cuckoo wrasse, which is found around theScottish coast, taken by photographer and author PaulNaylor.

Thanks to Anne, the Forum has decided to begin a ‘FirthPhotography’ section in Clyde Breakers. We would like to seewhat the Firth of Clyde and the marine environment mean toyou. Readers are invited to send in photos of any subjectrelating to the Firth – they can be of wildlife, industries,beaches, communities, people or any subject that has aconnection with the Firth.

For each future edition of Clyde Breakers we will select andpublish an interesting photo, we may even use your photo toillustrate our articles or put it on the front cover! In the futurewe hope to create a section within the Forum’s website toshow a selection of the submitted photos.

Photos must be sent digitally via email, in colour or black andwhite, to clyde@clydeforum.org. Emails should include contactdetails for the photographer and must be sent with a fullcaption describing the photo. Please put ‘Firth Photographysubmission’ in the subject line of your email. Ideally photosshould be at least 1MB in size (approx. 300dpi).

We look forward to seeing your pictures!

5th October 2008

QE2 visits Greenock

Venue: Ocean Terminal (restricted access)

Time: 1pm - 4pm, fireworks approx 9.45pm

6th October 2008

Close of Scottish Marine Bill Consultation

29th – 31st October 2008

SNH Conference 2008

Subject: Species Management: Challenges and Solutionsfor the 21st Century

Venue: Edinburgh Conference Centre, Heriot-WattUniversity

4th November 2008

The Green Blue Annual Conference

Venue: S.S. Great Britain, Bristol

11th November 2008

Firth of Clyde Forum Annual Conference andExhibition

Subject: Climate Change and the Clyde

Venue: Glasgow City Chambers

Visit our website for more information:www.clydeforum.org

18th - 20th November 2008

Institute of Ecology & EnvironmentalManagement Conference

Subject: Mitigation: Smoke & mirrors or biodiversityenhancement?

Venue: Quality Hotel, Glasgow

Late January 2009

Clyde in the Classroom

Venue: Glasgow Science Centre

Late February 2009

Launch of Consultative Draft Firth of ClydeMarine Spatial Plan

Further details available soon:www.clydeforum.org/SSMEI

Diary Dates

Firth Photography

A Clyde Breakers inspired collage © Anne Renold

24

Tell Us What You Think...Clyde Breakers is your newsletter; tell uswhat you think of this issue and what youwould like to see in the future. Manythanks to those of you who contributed tothis edition.

If you would like to become involved inthe Forum and its work, contact us at theaddress below.

The Firth of Clyde Forum would liketo thank the following organisations fortheir continued funding and support:

The Firth of Clyde Forum has a broadmembership base with representatives fromindustry, local authorities, community groupsand charities. The opinions expressed bymembers within this issue are not necessarilythe opinions of the Forum or its CoreGroup.

Project ManagerFirth of Clyde ForumCaspian House2 Mariner Court9 South AvenueClydebank Business ParkClydebank, G81 2NR

Tel: 0141 951 0820Fax: 0141 951 8948Email: clyde@clydeforum.org

Website: www.clydeforum.org

Gone Sailing

A day in the life...

Here we bring you thesecond in our series ofarticles allowing you aglimpse into a day inthe life of someoneworking in the marinefield. Julia Christie, theGreen Blue ProjectOfficer for Scotland has‘gone sailing’…

“.....but whilst out enjoyingyourself on the water,whether it be in a sail boat,motor boat, canal boat orcanoe, have you consideredwhat environmental impactyou are having and howbest you can minimise it?

.....as a recreational boatingclub, training centre or business on coastal or inland waters, have you considered whatyour legal duties are in relation to water quality, minimising pollution, waste and otherenvironmental issues?

The Green Blue is the environmental awareness initiative by the British MarineFederation and the Royal Yachting association and can point you in the right direction.My role is to help raise environmental awareness, to give advice and to encourage bestpractice amongst boaters and businesses. Key to this role is collaboration with allsectors of the boating community, partner organisations and research institutions. Asthe boating sector is growing throughout the UK and in Scotland, it is vitally importantto promote sustainable use and development and to safeguard the coastline,waterways and wildlife that make our waters so popular.

Hopefully you will all be familiar with our great range of posters, Guides and our CDROM which are packed full of environmental top tips and advice. So that you all knowwhat you can do to minimise your impact, I have been busy ensuring that these arefreely available at clubs, marinas, businesses, boat shows and major boating events. Ifyou have not received your copy, give me a call.

I am also in contact with clubs, marinas and businesses to raise awareness of theenvironmental issues and legislation that apply to their activities. The EnvironmentalCode of Practice and the RYA Planning and Environmental Handbook, which areavailable on our website, provide a good basis from which they can develop anenvironmental policy and ensure compliance. Currently, I am collating examples ofgood practice and promoting practical projects to tackle key impact areas. If you haveimplemented environmental measures or wish to undertake a practical environmentalproject at your club, marina or business then please get in contact so that we can givepractical guidance and use your experiences as a case study.”

For further information or advice visit: www.thegreenblue.org.uk

To contact Julia or to request a representative from The Green Blue to give a talkphone 0131 316 7388 or email Scotland@thegreenblue.org.uk

Julia sailing up the Sound of Mull past Duart Castle © C Christie