River Carron Catchment Scale Restoration Programme Phase IIc: Origin of 2016-2018 Carron Smolts

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Background

Starting in 1994, the River Carron Improvement/ Conservation Association (RCCA) has been undertaking a programme of supplementary stocking with the aim of supporting the Atlantic salmon population in the river. To monitor the impacts of this programme, the RCCA has collected a rich dataset that includes detailed cross and stocking records, results of electrofishing surveys, smolt trapping, adult rod catches and coded wire tagging of stocked juveniles, and thousands of genetic samples taken from broodstock fish, juveniles, smolts and returning adults. This dataset provides the opportunity to understand of how stocking aimed to support and restore a small population of native Scottish salmon has actually impacted that population, and in turn to shape future conservation stocking efforts.