The Minch Project

West Coast Sea Loch Study
The Importance of Loch Torridon to the Local Community
A Report Prepared for the Minch Project
Project Officer: by Angus McHattie
February 1999

Prepared for the Web by Gavin Earons, IT Unit, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

CONTENTS

CONTENTS 1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2

INTRODUCTION 4

AREA PROFILES 5

SOCIAL PROFILE 5

ENVIRONMENTAL PROFILE 5

EMPLOYMENT PROFILE 6

ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE 6

WHAT IS THE ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE OF LOCH TORRIDON TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY? 6

FISHERIES 7

AQUACULTURE 8

TOURISM 10

OTHER EMPLOYMENT 11

Agriculture 12

Traditional Salmon and Sea Trout Fisheries 12

SUSTAINABILITY AND RECOMMENDATIONS 13

Is The Resource Being Used Sustainably? 13

Sustainability issues 13

The need for a baseline review. 13

Perception of the marine resource. 13

The impact of trawling in the loch 14

The conflict between fixed and mobile gear users 14

Capacity to sustain current fishery use 14

The decline in sea trout and salmon runs 14

Capacity of the loch for further aquacultural development 15

Impact of aquaculture on tourist interests 15

WHAT IS THE SCOPE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT? 15

CONCLUSION 17

RESOLVING SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES AND TAKING FORWARD SUSTAINABILITY OPPORTUNITIES 17

WIDER RELEVANCE OF THE FINDINGS OF THIS REPORT 17

LOCAL CONSULTATION 18

APPENDIX 1 19

SOCIO-ECONOMIC SUMMARY OF TORRIDON AREA WESTER ROSS 19

COMMUNITY 19

HOUSING 19

SERVICES 20

ECONOMY 20

ENVIRONMENT 22

MARINE DESIGNATIONS 22

AGRICULTURE 22

FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE 24

TOURISM 24

Loch Torridon Business Survey Summary 25

APPENDIX II 30

3 LITTORAL AND SUB-LITTORAL HABITAT SURVEY OF LOCH TORRIDON 30

MARINE SITE DESCRIPTIONS 31

SUBLITTORAL SITES 31

PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORDS 36

REFERENCE 36

APPENDIX 111 - FISHERY AUDIT AND ASSESSMENT FOR THE LOCH TORRIDON AREA 37