A fisheries management specialist has been charged with reversing the dramatic decline of salmon in the River Ness and its catchment area, which has seen a decrease of more than 1000% in some tributaries.
The Ness system's catchment area covers some 700 square miles and drains east and north through the Great Glen and Loch Ness into the sea at Inverness.
It includes the River Garry, which flows into Loch Oich, and has seen a 1400% decline in the stock of Atlantic salmon over a generation.
The Ness District Salmon Fishery Board (NDSFB), established under the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act of 2003, is an association of proprietors of salmon fisheries within the district who have now decided to appoint their first full-time chief executive to tackle the fall in salmon numbers.
It follows work the NDSFB board commissioned from Dr Eric Verspoor, of the Rivers and Lochs Institute of the University of the Highlands and Islands, whose findings presented evidence that a salmon stock restoration programme needed to be developed.
Dr Verspoor attributed the decline in stocks to a mix of loss of habitat due to flooding, increase in predators such as pike, environmental changes due to new forestry, interaction with escaped farm salmon, and poaching.
Chris Conroy, currently superintendent and biologist for the River Naver Fisheries, has been appointed the new chief executive and will move from Sutherland to Inverness to take up his new post on August 1.
The NDSFB see Conroy's role as pivotal to enhancing the salmon fishing of the Ness and its catchment, which creates or underpins more than 1000 jobs and is a valuable income generator to the Inverness and Great Glen economy.
Board chairman Andrew Duncan, of Inverness, said: "We've spent the last two to three years researching the system and its problems then developing a strategy to counter them.
"Now it's time to move forward with actions and we're delighted to make a significant investment in appointing Chris, who will also be River Director as well as chief executive for the board."
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