Outer Hebrides

Map of Outer Hebrides

Courtesy of Fisheries Research Services

Key to GIS Map Symbols

Includes Research Facilities.
Information sourced from Fisheries Research Services Fish Farm Register.

Introduction to the Region

The Outer Hebrides region for the Tripartite Working Group covers the following Islands Lewis, Harris, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist and Barra and the catchment areas for the freshwater systems, lochs and rivers which flow into the seas around the Outer Hebrides.

Currently there are 4 Area Management Agreements (AMAs) for the Outer Hebrides; 3 are signed (West Loch Tarbert, East Lewis and Harris and Loch Roag) and there is currently one unsigned AMA (Uist and Barra).

Angling, fishing and Aquaculture have played an important role in the economy of the Outer Hebrides.

The Outer Hebrides have approximately 2000 lochs and 80 catchments which contain salmon, sea trout, brown trout, eels, lamprey and pearl mussels and of these systems there are 24 rivers and Lochs with significant importance. There are 3 Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) incorporated around the Outer Hebrides including one designated for Atlantic Salmon in Loch Roag.

Aquaculture has increased in the Outer Hebrides throughout the last 20 years and currently there are 45 marine sites, which range from conventional salmon farming to organic salmon farming.

Western Isles Fisheries Trust Economic Survey attached below

http://www.cne-siar.gov.uk/factfile/socioeconomicoverview.htm

RDO Biography

Diane Mackay is originally from Stornoway. Diane graduated in 2001 from University of Strathclyde with a MSc. in Environment Science. After graduating Diane moved to Leeds where she worked for the Environment Agency as a Water Quality Chemist, carrying out analysis on water samples from agriculture, fish farms and trade effluents. Following this Diane took up the post of Environment and Risk scientist with Yorkshire Water where she was responsible for designing the catchment Drinking Water Safety Plans and for compiling the Yorkshire Water Article 7 return for the Water Framework Directive (WFD). She was involved with the Voluntary Initiative and Catchment Sensitive Farming projects, projects that promoted best practice techniques in agriculture. In August 2008 Diane started in the post of Regional Development Officer at the OHFT. She has extensive knowledge of freshwater chemistry, the WFD and GIS.