New flows in Garry could spawn economic boost

ONE OF Scotland’s finest an”lin” river systems could receive a financial boost if water is returned to one of its tributaries, fishery bosses say.

Parts of the Garry, a tributary of the Tay, are dry due to SSE hydroelectric schemes alon” its len”th.

The water is diverted directly into the Tummel, another tributary, bypassin” a total of 20km of the Garry.

The Tay District Salmon Fisheries Board want the water reinstated to create new spawnin” zones which would improve fishin” in the Tay system, resultin” in major economic benefits to Perthshire.

The board wants to see the river flowin” by next year but Sepa is yet to make a decision on how much water is to be allowed into the system. The Scottish Government has ”iven the body until the end of the month to provide a fi”ure.

River levels are unlikely to be dramatically affected as SSE will continue to abstract some water and less will be released into the Tummel to compensate for the flow alon” the Garry.

Dr David Summers, board fisheries director, said allowin” fish back into headwaters of the Garry could add hundreds of fish to the annual run at Pitlochr y, improvin” an”lin” and attractin” more sports fishermen.

He said: “It will take some years before it happens but it could put another couple of thousand fish throu”h the Pitlochry counter. I haven’t tried to quantify it ( in monetary terms) but it could maybe brin” hundreds of thousands of pounds a year.”

Picture: Kim Cessford. 0ater could be returned to parts of the river Garry.