Salmon and others killed the Spey.

[Bighit]

Two pollution incidents now .

https://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/salmon-and-other-species-killed-after-chemical-spills-into-river-spey-tributary-8486146

A pollution incident has killed a significant number of fish and other wildlife including eels and birds on a tributary of the River Spey in Moray.

A chemical, thought to be caustic soda, is understood to have entered the water and “destroyed” a number of species at the Knockando burn in recent days.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) says it is investigating a potential pollution incident on the burn.

Fly fishers say the salmon population at the burn has been wiped out and could take years to recover.

Duncan Ferguson, director of the Spey Fishery Board, said the pollution incident was one of the largest he had seen in 36 years of working on the river, with a two-kilometre stretch of the Knockando burn affected.

He said: “It’s a tragic event.

“It’s a really bad outcome and it didn’t have to happen.”

He said the salmon population could face a five-year period of recovery, with a two-kilometre stretch of the burn “destroyed”.

The chemical is thought to be industrially linked, he said. The pollution incident comes at the peak period for fly fishing on the Spey, and just 10 days after another pollution incident at Spey tributary.

Earlier, a number of salmon died after white paint was spilled into the Burn of Carron.

A spokesman for Sepa said: “Sepa are investigating a potential pollution incident in a tributary of the River Spey and are working to identify the source and impacts.”

 

[SmellyYeti]

As you say - second time now in as many months!

Utterly ridiculous & SEPA absolutely need to be holding those responsible for both incidents to account…… but I won’t be holding my breath!

 

[Titanist]

If found, after a lengthy prison sentence they should be band from the countryside let alone near an ecologically important water way like the Spey. Disgraceful and disgraceful, what could they have been thinking of

 

[Mark E Smith]

Diabolical ! Hope they catch them and lock them up but, if SEPA are anything like our Environment Agency they will probably do jack sh*t !

 

[zakdingel]

The second case ? could that point to the same person-people are responsible ?

 

[Titanist]

Apparently different substances and different attributarys

 

[Bighit]

The earlier one was traced to a layby.

Quote

Last month an investigation was launched after a number of dead fish were discovered in the Burn of Carron near Aberlour.

SEPA described that as a “pollution incident” having received a report of white discolouration in the water.

Initial investigations traced the pollution back to a layby on the A95.”

This recent one has apparently claimed a Raptor too.


Of the Knockando incident a SEPA spokesperson is reported to have said: "We are investigating a potential pollution incident in a tributary of the River Spey and are working to identify the source and impacts."

The Scottish Gamekeepers Fishing Group has called for accountability in the wake of the incident saying thousands of salmon, eels and birds were killed.


The group, which represents ghillies and river workers, says it understands one of the poisoned birds was a raptor which either drank the water or fed on poisoned fish.

“There needs to be accountability,” group member Duncan Ferguson. said. “What chance have salmon got when you see incidents like this?

“There are no invertebrates left, thousands of fish have died. This part of the river is now basically inert. It’s a tragedy and it can’t be repeated.”

The group said it has been estimated that it may take five or more years for the 2km stretch of water to recover.




Caustic soda is used to clean pipes though distilleries and breweries are supposedly turning away from. It is also used to in the wool industry .

 

[zakdingel]

The earlier one was traced to a layby.

Quote

Last month an investigation was launched after a number of dead fish were discovered in the Burn of Carron near Aberlour.

SEPA described that as a “pollution incident” having received a report of white discolouration in the water.

Initial investigations traced the pollution back to a layby on the A95.”

This recent one has apparently claimed a Raptor too.


Of the Knockando incident a SEPA spokesperson is reported to have said: "We are investigating a potential pollution incident in a tributary of the River Spey and are working to identify the source and impacts."

The Scottish Gamekeepers Fishing Group has called for accountability in the wake of the incident saying thousands of salmon, eels and birds were killed.


The group, which represents ghillies and river workers, says it understands one of the poisoned birds was a raptor which either drank the water or fed on poisoned fish.

“There needs to be accountability,” group member Duncan Ferguson. said. “What chance have salmon got when you see incidents like this?

“There are no invertebrates left, thousands of fish have died. This part of the river is now basically inert. It’s a tragedy and it can’t be repeated.”

The group said it has been estimated that it may take five or more years for the 2km stretch of water to recover.




Caustic soda is used to clean pipes though distilleries and breweries are supposedly turning away from. It is also used to in the wool industry .

Any distilleries and breweries near by ? you will think for that amount needed to poison a river it will need to be concentrated so if it had travelled any distance it ill be watered down?

 

[Bighit]

Any distilleries and breweries near by ? you will think for that amount needed to poison a river it will need to be concentrated so if it had travelled any distance it ill be watered down?

There is a few in the general area but in not sure if they are near where the incident happened.



Several distilleries are located near the Knockando area in Speyside, close to the Knockando Burn and the River Spey tributary.
The only one i can see close to the knockando burn is below

Tamdhu Distillery: Located very close to Knockando, with its visitor center housed in the former Knockando railway station.

There is a wool mill near the burn also.

I wonder if they are the two places that some of the people commenting are hinting at . It could have come from another source altogether .

 

[TimD81]

it must be a substantial amount of chemicals poured into the river to cause this much damage, not going to be some handy man emptying a bucket full, its obviously on an industrial scale

 

[Ratman72]

Hello, Both pollution instances are appalling and will set the rivers back years to get it to some fishing normality, Not only that taking the river Spey into account it brings a lot of money into the local community , I hope they catch who ever did this but it will never amount to the loss of a wonderful river and wild life

 

[Bighit]

Some pics supposedly from the area.

 

[Ratman72]

Hello, Have they located when they think it started and what caused the pollution ??

 

[martin st ledger]

In Japan poisoning a public water source is a capital offence, possible execution or life imprisonment.
Thats how seriously they take environmental stuff, especially the industrial related crimes.
I hope that this river recovers.