Alastair Stephen

Senior Research Associate content

Senior Research Associate

Retired and currently Chair of Cromarty Firth Watershed Trust

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND

  • BSc 2.1 Zoology Aberdeen Uni 1981
  • PhD Stirling Uni 1987 Genetics of Scottish Brown Trout
  • FIFM - Fellow of the Institute of Fisheries Management
  • CEnv – Chartered Environmentalist

RESEARCH INTEREST:

  • Atlantic salmon research, smolt migration, use of PIT tag technology, acoustic tagging, results of research to inform effective mitigations to reduce effects of hydro generation operations in Scottish rivers
  • Freshwater Pearl Mussels - research into the effect of low flows – special reference to River kerry
  • Common Scoter research – work with WWT, RSPB and NS on West Inverness-shire SPA
  • Arctic Charr and Brown Trout Genetics
  • Fish counting at Hydro facilities.
  • Powan and their conservation.
  • Holistic catchment management – rewilding, river restoration, riparian woodland management

RESEARCH PROJECTS HIGHLIGHTS (Current and recent projects)

  • Common Scoter research when working with SSE. Collaboration with RSPB, WWT, NS and FLS Investigation into breeding behaviour and over wintering location. Work done to identify the problems causing decline and mitigations sought to rectify situation. Key issue of maintaining island integrity in the hydro lochs to prevent mammalian predation – required significant change in water management
  • Upper Garry Salmon Restoration Project – involving SSE Renewables, Mowi. Ness District Salmon Fishery Board, SEPA and FLS. Involved catching salmon smolts, growing them on to maturity having identified their genetics, producing 250,000 eggs annually and kick starting the population by planting eggs out in suitable habitat
  • Rewatering of the River Garry in Perthshire to enable the salmon population to re-establish. Project driven by the Water Framework Directive and delivered in partnership by SSE Renewables, the Tay District Salmon Fishery Board and SEPA. The use of genetics and the identification of stocked versus wild juvenile salmon has shown the work has been successful
  • Establishment of 4 refuge populations of Powan in Argyll. This work has been successful with at least three of the recipient reservoirs now with breeding populations. The work in partnership with SSE Renewables, Glasgow University and Nature Scot is part on a mitigation necessary if a pumped storage capacity is to be added to the existing conventional Sloy hydro scheme on Loch Lomond, which will endanger the existing refuge population of Powan in Loch Sloy with the likely introduction of Ruffe.

PUBLICATIONS:

Newton M., Barry J., Lothian A., Main R., Honkanen H., McKelvey S., Thompson P., Davies I., Brockie N., Stephen A., O’Harra Murry R., Gardiner R., Campbell L., Stainer P., Adams C. (2021) Counterintuitive active directional swimming behaviour by Atlantic salmon during seaward migration in the coastal zone. ICES Journal of Marine Science 78 (5), 1730-1743

Honkanen H.M., Orrell D.L., Newton M., McKelvey S., Stephen A.B., Duguid A., Adams C.E. (2021) The downstream migration success of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) smolts through natural and impounded study waters. Ecological Engineering Vol 161 March 2021 106161

Curley E.A.M., Thomas R., Adams C.E., Stephen A. (2021a) Behavioural and metabolic responses of Unionida mussels to stress. Aquatic Conserv: Mar Freshw Ecosyt 2021;1-17

Curley E.A.M., Thomas R., Adams C.E., Stephen A. (2021b) Adaptive responses of freshwater pearl mussels (Margaritifera margaritifera) to managed drawdowns. Aquatic Conserv: Mar Freshw Ecosyst 2021:1-18

Honkanen H.M., Rodger J.R., Stephen A.B., Adam K., Freeman J., and Adams C.E. (2020) Summer survival and activity patterns of estuary feeding anadromous Salmo trutta. Ecol Freshw Fish 29: 31-39

Hancock M., Robson H.J., Smith T.D., Stephen A.B., Byrne P., Maclennan A., Klein D., Mitchell C., Griffin L.R., Hilton G., Dobson H., Douse A. (2020) From a research study to a conservation partnership: Developing approaches to restoring common scoter populations. Aquatic conserve: Mar Freshw Ecosyst 30:1770-1774

Honkanen H.M., Rodger J.R., Stephen A.B., Adam K., Freeman J., and Adams C.E. (2018) Counterintuitive migration patterns by Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) smolts in a large lake. J. Fish Biol 93: 159-162

Lyle A.A., Stephen A., and Adams C.E. (2015) Establishment of conservation refuge populations for the rare freshwater fish, powan (Coregonus lavaretus) Glasgow Naturalist 26 part 3, 3-10

Adams C.E., Lyle A.A., Dodd J.A., Bean C.W., Gowans A., Stephen A. and Maitland P.S. (2014). Translocation as a tool: case studies for rare freshwater fishes in Scotland Glasgow Naturalist 26,17-24

Eatherley, D.M.R., Thorley,J.L., Stephen A.B., Simpson,I., Maclean, J.C. and Youngson, A.F. (2005). Trends in Atlantic Salmon: the role of automatic fish counter data in their recording. Scottish Natural heritage Commissioned Report  No.100 (ROAME NoF01NB02)

Thorley J.L.; Eatherley D.M.R.; Stephen A.B.; Simpson I.; Maclean J.C. and Youngson A.F. (2005) Congruence between automatic fish counter data and rod catches of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in Scottish Rivers ICES Journal of Marine Science, 62: 809-817

Redeker M., Stephen A.B. (2003) Fischschleusen in Schottland Fish Locks in Scotland- Presentation given to fish pass conference in Germany

Stephen A.B. and Anderson H. (2003) The Scottish Fisheries Co-ordination Centre. In proceedings of the Institute of Fisheries Management 32nd Annual Study conference 11-13th Sept 2001

Hendry K. Cragg-Hine D, O’Grady M, Sambrook H, and Stephen A.B. (2003) Management of habitat for rehabilitation and enhancement of salmonid stocks. Fisheries Research 62, 171-192.

Forbes H.E, Smith G.W, Johnstone A.D.F and Stephen A.B. (2002) Testing the effectiveness of changes to operation of a Borland lift fish pass. Fisheries Research Services Report 05/02

Gilvear D.J, Heal K.V, and Stephen A.B. (2002) Hydrology and the ecological quality of Scottish river ecosystems. The Science of the Total Environment 294, 131-159

Puhr C.B, Donoghue N.M, Stephen A.B, Tervet D.J. and Sinclair C. (2000) Regional Patterns of Streamwater acidity and catchment afforestation in Galloway. S.W Scotland. Water, Air & Soil Pollution 120:47-70.

Forbes H.E, Smith G.W, Johnstone A.D.F and Stephen A.B. (2000a) An assessment of the performance of the resistivity fish counter in the Borland lift at Dundreggan Power Station on the River Moristn. Fisheries Research Services Report 02/00

Forbes H.E, Smith G.W, Johnstone A.D.F and Stephen A.B. (2000b) An assessment of the performance of the effectiveness of the Borland lift fish pass in permitting the passage of adult Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L): Year 2 of a three-year study. Fisheries Research Services Report 04/00

Forbes H.E, Smith G.W, Johnstone A.D.F and Stephen A.B. (1999a) An assessment of the performance of the resistivity fish counter in the Borland lift at Kilmorack Power Station on the River Beauly. Fisheries Research Services Report 05/99

Forbes H.E, Smith G.W, Johnstone A.D.F and Stephen A.B. (1999b) An assessment of the performance of the resistivity fish counter in the Borland lift at Lairg Power Station on the River Shin. Fisheries Research Services Report 06/99

Forbes H.E, Smith G.W, Johnstone A.D.F and Stephen A.B. (1999c) An assessment of the performance of the effectiveness of the Borland lift fish pass in permitting the passage of adult Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L). Fisheries Research Services Report 10/99

Scottish Fisheries Co-ordination Centre (1998) A Guide to the SFCC Electrofishing protocol Version 1.1 Joint Author

Scottish Fisheries Co-ordination Centre (1998) A guide to the SFCC Habitat assessment Protocol Version 1.1 Joint Author

Stephen A.B (1995) “Salmon in the Classroom” Education pack produced by Dumfries and Galloway Education Dept and West Galloway Fisheries Trust

Stephen A.B and McAndrew B.J. (1990) Distribution of genetic variation in brown trout (Salmo trutta L) in Scotland. Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, 21,47-66

Stephen A.B. (1987) Genetic studies in Scottish Brown Trout. PhD Thesis Stirling University