Assynt is one of the best-recorded parishes in Highland Scotland, at least for terrestrial and freshwater animals, fungi and plants. However, our knowledge of its marine biodiversity is very patchy, with the notable exception of its cetaceans. This is almost certainly true for all of the Sutherland coast, which stretches for over 190 km.
Some seventeen years ago it was thought that an audit of the available information might be useful. This Pilot Study focussed on the 15km stretch of the West Sutherland coast from Inverkirkaig to Point of Stoer (NC0719-0235), the west coast of Assynt.
The Study was carried out in 2008 for the Sutherland Partnership Biodiversity Group, with financial assistance from the Highland Biodiversity Partnership. The authors were Dr Duncan May and Ian M. Evans and the final Report was produced in May 2009 (see cover in photo 1).
The Report was made available to interested parties, but never formally published, so may not be known to those currently interested in the subject. Although there have been some changes in the intervening period, it still makes a good starting point, hence this posting on the AFC website (click here to access the full report).
Background and summary
Duncan was an experienced marine biologist, then living at Rientraid, and Ian the Chair of the Assynt Field Club and member of the Biodiversity Group. Duncan concentrated on sources of information available on the Internet, and Ian on local sources.
National data sources located included the National Biodiversity Network, Marine Life Information Network, Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Marine Conservation Society (SeaSearch), Marine Strandings network and the British Phycological Society (seaweeds). There was also a review of published reports on regional surveys from West Sutherland as a whole, many of them including sites in the pilot area.
Finally, the Pilot Study looked at local data sources. These included: Andy Summers, Highland Council Ranger (basking shark, whale and dolphin sightings); Shona Marshall, West Sutherland Fisheries Trust (salmonids); sea angler Howard Grey; divers Russell and Bridie Pursey; photographers Chris and Helen Pellant; and members of the Assynt Field Club.
Examples of pages relating to particular sources are shown in photos 2-7.
Way forward
The Report concluded that ‘the authors believe that public awareness of local marine biodiversity is low, as are perceptions of its importance, and that a primary cause is the inaccessibility of relevant information.’ They recommended that ‘further initiatives in this field should be community-based and geographically-limited, focussing on those stretches of coast that are significant to particular communities. This Pilot Study could form the basis for such an initiative’. Up to us, then!
Ian M. Evans