SFCC Committee Meeting Minutes, 19 th
September 2013, Marine Scotland Science Freshwater Laboratory
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*Actions denoted in red and summarised at end
SD briefly outlined the following training course vision:

To develop a high level of expertise and collaboration in data collection, storage and analysis across the member network

To disseminate and promote expertise in fisheries data collection out-with The SFCC

To raise the profile of fisheries research and management in Scotland

To increase income and be a self-sustaining core function of The SFCC

To utilise new technologies in the delivery of accessible learning resources
Committee drew attention to the coming review of fishery management in Scotland. SFCC should promote the requirement for a centralised hub for data collection and storage. The role of The SFCC should be conveyed in order to raise its profile and reinforce its place in encouraging evidence based fishery management. The value of our independent public-private interface and partnership must be clearly explained to Scottish Government. JG was suggested as the main contact during this review process.
The following 2 documents are required:
1.
2.
A 1 page synthesis of the role of The SFCC
A brief (~2page) 5-year training course vision statement
Course demand will be assessed each winter within the 5 year vision.
Committee highlighted the major change being that SFCC training provision will begin moving towards a self-sustaining funding structure.
SD summarised current course requests from members as being: Level II/ fisheries GIS, statistics (basic stats and specific r course), smolt counting, fish autopsy, diatom Assessment, experimental design, themed scale reading, EL database training, large water body survey
(including sweep netting and acoustics), and habitat.
Video tutorials were advised as a quick means to document many of these skills. Members discussed each at length summarising that themed workshop approaches could be successful in delivering many of these courses. Engagement with MS Lab expertise was also recommended. The need for a quality control mechanism through a revised protocol specifically in scale-reading was stressed with collaboration and calibration required between Trust biologists, Marine Scotland (MS) staff, ICES and SALSEA. The group acknowledged that besides taking into account feedback from members, The SFCC should be prescriptive on certain occasions in an effort to tighten protocols.
SD reported that future delivery of intro, team leader and refresher courses requires consideration. Firstly, future course providers are currently limited to: Bob, Jackie, Jamie, Keith and Nick + Inverness & Barony College Staff. SMK and DP kindly offered to assist with future course provision. While updates have been made to the Intro and TL manuals, further work is required.
Team Leader Refresher
JaG and SD reported on the successful first Team Leader Refresher Course trial kindly provided by Bob and Jackie. The group agreed that in June 2014 the first courses will be available to members only at a discounted fee , and will not be SVQ accredited. Although The
SFCC will discuss further with Inverness College, in order to be SVQ accredited, members will be required to sit the full course. Those who have passed the TL course before 2007 and the

SFCC Committee Meeting Minutes, 19 th
September 2013, Marine Scotland Science Freshwater Laboratory
P a g e | 2 intro before 2003 are not SVQ accredited. It was also agree that intro refresher courses will not be pursued as after three years electrofishers should move on to sit the team leader course.
BL, JaG and MB to lead on drafting a TL refresher document to promote the course to members and to outline the purpose and requirement to sit the refresher. The refresher will feature a written and verbal exam in addition to a habitat surveying aspect. BL to update PowerPoint to be delivered in the PM theory session. SD also relayed informal feedback received from MS staff requesting a tightening of our protocols to improve the value of data for national scale research. SD to enquire and invite further feedback.
Electrofishing Licensing and Accreditation
The value of attending refresher courses must be sold to members. One benefit is SFCC accreditation which expires after 3 years. Members suggested maintaining a public record of who is qualified on the new SFCC website, while stressing the importance of having at least one Team Leader qualified operator in each team. The group then drew attention to the electrofishing licensing procedure which is administered in Scotland by Alistair MacDonald at
Marine Scotland, and is a requirement when capturing any species other than salmonids or when operating outside the fishing season. DSFB’s can permit electrofishing only for salmonids during the fishing season which is the means by which most member Trusts operate. The following 2 key questions arose:
1. Can The SFCC make it a mandatory requirement for electrofishers to hold valid SFCC training accreditation?
2. Should this valid SFCC accreditation be required in order to be granted a license by Marine Scotland and/or The DSFB?
SD to seek further guidance from Marine Scotland.
Feedback from members often relates to electrofishing survey design and the appropriate methods required in answering a specific research question. While experimental design will be covered in the coming refresher course, the group suggested holding an experimental design session either at the coming biologists meeting, or in the form of a themed workshop with input from Jason Godfrey. MB also suggested holding a 2 –day TL refresher course incorporating this
½ day workshop on experimental design.
SD briefly reviewed the successful habitat training course run by AKW in July 2013. Members continue to widely use our protocol in varied forms. However, feedback from the course requested a new streamlined walkover assessment method. This will incorporate aspects of the
Hendry & Cragg-Hine protocol to provide data which can be directly related to fish densities.
The existing SFCC Habitat protocol is to be revised and updated providing a comprehensive assessment method in addition to the 1 page walkover method. It is suggested that the existing method be made available to members in a customisable form in order to be adapted to individual requirements. This is a specific matter requiring further discussion. Feedback from
Marine Scotland is suggested in order to enhance the value of our proposed new protocols, especially in relation to reach-scale versus catchment wide survey approaches.
Summary way forward:
1. Revise and update existing protocol, manual and recording sheets
2. Create new rapid walkover assessment method incorporating aspects of the H&C-H to better relate to fish densities.
Habitat course delivery
Future courses are to be delivered over 2 days with day 1 teaching the updated SFCC Protocol and day 2 the new swift walkover method. Input from CRES was highly valued and should be included in future course delivery. The requirement for a ½ day exam, and if so the related assessment criteria, is a matter requiring further discussion.
Dee Trust Rapid Assessment Device
MB informed committee that The Dee Trust have recently developed new software held on a tablet device for rapid riverine habitat assessment. Their developer provided the service as a donation to The Trust and is willing to share the software with other member Trusts free of charge. MB and SD to arrange a demo with Pamela Esson.

SFCC Committee Meeting Minutes, 19 th
September 2013, Marine Scotland Science Freshwater Laboratory
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A fair tendering process is required between The River’s Trust and Louise de Raad (UHI) for longterm and online GIS provision. River’s Trust to provide October 15 th -17 th course.
Cost recovery from courses is to be introduced from 2014 onwards for all SFCC courses.
Members to pay a relatively small fee for attendance which will be re-invested in course development, and will help to level the financial playing field for smaller Trusts who may only ever have 1 member attending. The SFCC 5 year training vision (as mentioned in AM minutes) must be laid down at the coming biologists meeting stating clearly the need to gain revenue.
Courses should be publicised to external non-members with discounted rates available to members.
Links with the IFM charter-ship scheme are to be discussed at the November 6 th meeting.
El courses delivered by the Colleges do not currently bring any revenue to The SFCC. This position is to be re-assessed with UHI before the 2014 season . The suggestion for the SFCC manager to administer EL course sign-ups was declined.
ACTION POINT DETAILS
Agreed actions for 12 th December 2013
AP2/11 Draft a 1-page summary of the role of The
UPDATE LEAD
Comm.
AP2/12
AP2/13
AP2/14
AP2/15
AP2/16
AP2/17
SFCC
Draft a brief 5 –year structured training course vision statement
Review scale reading protocols
Draft a TL refresher document, sell concept to members, and deliver TL Refresher courses in June 2014
Discuss EL course provision with Inverness
College. Specifically cost recovery and SVQ accreditation
Invite further feedback from MS specifically on EL and the proposed new habitat protocol
Publish a record of qualified electrofishers on new SFCC website
ONGOING
SD
MB
BL,JG, MB,
SMK
BL, JaG, SD,
JH
SD
SD
AP2/18
AP2/19
AP2/20
Liaise with MS Re. Electrofishing licensing
Hold experimental design workshop session either at biologists meeting or as a standalone workshop
Habitat: Revise & update existing protocol.
Draft a new walkover assessment method for consideration by members.
Decide whether future courses require an exam element.
Trial new Dee Trust tablet habitat device.
SD
Comm.
AKW, JaG, MB,
SD,
AP2/21 Hold tendering process between Louise de
Raad and The River’s Trust for GIS contract
SD,JH