Evening all
It’s me again from a wet and decidedly chilly Elgin, I suspect you did not expect to hear from me before February 2026 but als no.
This is not an update on a winter fishing league on the river but rather a request from the Board and also the Directors of the Spey Foundation.
As I mentioned in my last few reports during the season that the Spey Foundation was holding its annual Fund Raising Auction towards the end of the season.
As a reminder the Auction is being used to raise funds for the following purpose:-
The River Spey and its tributaries constitute a keystone component of the ecological network of northeast Scotland, supporting numerous red-listed species and providing a vital water resource for the Cairngorms National Park. However, rising water temperatures, diminished flow, and deteriorating water quality pose substantial and long-term risks to the cold-water ecosystems upon which much of this biodiversity depends. Without targeted, evidence-based mitigation, these pressures are likely to precipitate significant declines in the ecological integrity of the Spey catchment.
The Spey Foundation is raising money through an auction to undertake a two-phase research initiative to assess and mitigate threats to water quality and stability within the River Spey catchment.
Phase 1 will comprise the systematic measurement of water temperature at 12-14 points throughout the catchment. This will enable the identification of thermal “pressure points” where ecological communities are most susceptible to environmental stress.
Phase 2 will focus on those identified sites, conducting detailed analyses – including measurements of oxygen, pH, nutrient concentrations, and other relevant parameters – to develop a comprehensive assessment of the catchment’s ecological condition.
The overarching objective is to use these results alongside other available resources produce a scientifically robust and transferable monitoring framework that can shape actions to then be taken by the Foundation and other stakeholders as well as serve as a blueprint for other catchments across the United Kingdom, thereby advancing the restoration and long-term protection of national freshwater ecosystems.
The Auction is now live and I have included the link to the site where you can place your bids for the lots on offer. Click on the link below and follow the website address that pops up.
Please support the Foundation in its efforts
Right I will sign off now for the remainder of the winter and will be back in Touch in February
Tight lines
Sandy
