Taking Biosecurity forward in the Forth District Ben Tyser River Forth Fisheries Trust

Contents 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 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 powers ‘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 salmon c)The stocking of the waters of the District with salmon

The Forth District* *catchment

The 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 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 relationship

RFFT & Biosecurity Planning KEY OUTPUTS AND ACTIONS: Biosecurity Plan Template Biosecurity Plans for 20 Trusts DURATION: October 2008 to May 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 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 PlantsAquatic Plants & AlgaeInvertebratesVertebrates Rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum & hybrids) Water primrose (Ludwigia grandiflora) Gyrodactylus salarisAmerican 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 waterweed Lagarosiphon major Wireweed (Sargassum muticum) TARGET ‘Invasive Non Native Species (INNS)’

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 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: LINKS TO LOCAL EXISTING PLANS The Biosecurity plans also recognise and build on existing elements of: Wireweed

Mission 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 Plan

KEY 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 PRESENTATION of ACTIONS ACTIONLEADPARTNERS TIMEFRAME 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 RFFTSNH, RAFTS Train RFFT as trainers RFFTSNH, RAFTS Work with user and interest groups to identify “eyes” RFFT Interest groups Training of “eyes” RFFTSNH, SEPA Produce database to record and manage INNS sightings RFFTRAFTS Establish, test and refine communication mechanisms within surveillance system RFFTRAFTS Monitor and periodically evaluate efficacy of surveillance system RFFTRAFTS

INNS reported by “eyes” Verification by trained FFT Staff Verified sighting reported to NNSS Portal Appropriate rapid response activated RFFT BIOECURITY PLAN: Early Warning

RAPID RESPONSE INVASIVE SPECIES & BIOSECURITY PROGRAMME GB ResponseLocal High Priority ResponseLocal 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 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? 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.

Summary 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:

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