Large trout in the R Deveron - resident or migratory ?

The River Deveron in north east Scotland has some very large trout. These fish have historically been thought of as sea trout; however, analysis of scales suggests that they are more likely to be fast growing brown trout. A collaborative project between Marine Scotland Science (MSS) and the Deveron Bogie and Isla Rivers Trust (DBIRT), and coordinated by the Moray Firth Trout Initiative (MFTI) involved using acoustic tags to track a sample of trout. 

The results from this initial study show that trout migrate up and down the river over a much wider range than was expected — one 55cm female trout recorded a remarkable track; migrating 84km from the Blackwater to Montcoffer nearly at the mouth of the Deveron within a month of release.

More research is needed, but this study shows the importance of considering habitats throughout the entire catchment and the need for enabling fish passage for resident brown trout as well as sea trout and salmon. 

For more details, read the MFTI newsletter here.