Awe smolt survival project (2025-2035)

As part of our Smolt Tracking Project, AFT have been trapping and tagging smolts as they leave the River Orchy on their journey to the sea. The tracking work has shown that losses of smolts in Loch Awe can be significant with up to 50 % of smolts entering Loch Awe not making it to sea in some years. To help optimise the decreasing number of smolts going to sea, AFT are trapping smolts in the River Orchy to give them a ride around Loch Awe and returning them downstream of the loch into the River Awe using a 'trap n truck' approach.

Removing smolts from the traps in the lower reach of the River Orchy

In 2025, AFT trapped and gave a ride to nearly 1,000 smolts. Before being moved, these smolts were measured, weighed and a few scales taken to assess their condition, age and receiving a PIT tag which provides a unique life-long identifying marker to each individual smolt.

Recording the PIT tag code inside the smolt before being trucked to the River Awe

When these tagged smolts return to the River Awe as adult salmon they will need to pass the Awe Barrage via the Boreland fish pass on their journey back to the River Orchy. The fish pass provides opportunity for the PIT tag code to be recorded giving vital information on the proportion of smolts surviving the marine phase of their lifecycle and educate us about the type of smolts surviving at sea in terms of their condition and run timing as smolts.

Returning adults with a PIT tag will be recorded at the Awe Barrage fish pass

Combined with the acoustic tracking project, the cost of the work is considerable (£50-65,000 per year) which has been generously supported by Scottish & Southern Energy, the Drax Group, Mowi Scotland, with support from Atlantic Salmon Trust, Glasgow University and the Marine Directorate.