17 Feb 2010

One of the rarest varieties of freshwater fish in Britain is being reared by children from primary schools around Loch Lomond. The Powan is an ancient relic species from the last ice age and is native in only two Lochs, Lomond and Eck, both of which lie within the National Park.  The population in Loch Lomond has come under increasing pressure from alien species such as the Ruffe.

An education programme is being led by Loch Lomond Fisheries Trust, funded by the National Park Natural Heritage Grant Scheme, in which local children are rearing Lomond powan from native eggs which are being incubated in a small classroom hatchery.

Each week staff from the Trust visit the schools to teach the children about the ecology of the fish they are rearing as well as the aquatic environment of Loch Lomond. The children look after the eggs for 6-7 weeks until they hatch, at which point it is time for them to release “their” young fish back into Loch Lomond.

Andy Burrows - Senior biologist with LLFT said “This project is firing the enthusiasm and imagination of the children taking part.  Not only will the children be helping to protect a rare native fish species but it is also helping to instill a fascination and respect for their local environment and ecology. We are grateful to LLTNP for helping us to inspire the next generation to learn about the special nature of Loch Lomond and it’s biodiversity”.

Speaking about the project, Scott Nisbett, National Park Natural Heritage Manager said:

“With our funding partner Scottish Natural Heritage, we’re delighted that our Natural Heritage Grant Scheme can be used to enable the Powan go to School project to happen. The project delivers really well against the two objectives of the scheme. Not only does it promote understanding of the Powan to young residents in the Park but it also helps conserve the natural heritage of the Park as the young Powan the children rear and release will help support the Loch Lomond population of this rare species.”

Powan Fact File

• Powan is a variety of the freshwater whitefish (Coregonus Lavaretus)
• Powan is a distinctive fish with a dark bluish or green back and pale silvery underside
• Powan is a protected species (schedule 5 of WACA) and must not be caught by anglers
• They can be seen spawning early January, with spawning taking place on certain gravelly shallows in the loch margins
• Eggs usually hatch about 60-70 days later,
• They can live up to 10 years old, in the right conditions
• Adult fish live in deep water and feed on zooplankton and crustaceans
• They undergo diurnal migrations following the zooplankton as it changes depth, particularly in summer when they move to the surface layers of the loch at dusk and descend to deeper water as it gets light