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New weir built by Diageo to boost fish numbers in Moray


By Alistair Whitfield

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Diageo has completed a £550,000 weir and fish pass near Dufftown to help boost the sustainability of salmon and trout stocks in Moray.

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The structure on the River Dullan, which is a tributary of the Spey, took three and a half years to design and construct.

Diageo’s Mortlach Distillery and Dufftown Distillery currently use water from the Dullan for cooling in the distilling process.

But the new weir aims to bring environmental benefits to the whole Spey catchment area which is home to 11 Diageo single malt distilleries.

Lee Oliver, the company's environmental manager, said: "The design of the new fish pass is a vast improvement on the old, damaged weir at Dufftown and takes into account free passage for all fish species as well as different flow conditions.

"We have worked closely with the Spey Fishery Board to develop a weir system that will benefit all river users and, in turn, the local community.

"I am delighted to see the project complete and look forward to monitoring the results on fish populations over the next few years."

The aim of the new weir is to significantly improve upstream biodiversity and increase the opportunity for spawning trout and salmon.

The Spey Fishery Board says it has already noted an increase in spawning salmonids.

'We like it and, more importantly, so do the fish.'

Brian Shaw, the board's senior biologist, added: "We were very happy to be able to work with Diageo and their team to bring about this inspiring renovation of the weir and fish pass.

"We like it and, more importantly, so do the fish.

"The number of spawning redds counted above the weir last autumn was the highest we have recorded.

"The fish pass allows a range of species to migrate upstream, and downstream, including eels.

"It represents the gold standard for fish passage in the catchment.

"We look forward to the Dullan Water fulfilling its potential to become one of the most productive rivers in the Spey catchment."

Diageo recently put in place a similar, smaller scale project beside the Linkwood Distillery in Elgin, in the neighbouring River Lossie catchment.

It also has plans to make fish pass improvements at its Glen Ord distillery near Inverness later this year.


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