Has anyone heard this: I was out fishing on Sunday and another angler up at my club water was telling me that North Coulter Reservoir, the big one up above North Third, has been wiped out by Blue /Green Algae. All fish dead and apparently, its in a burn leading down from the water too.
He said Stirling Environmental Health were investigating.
I think this water belongs to Larbert and Stenhousemuir Angling club but cannot find anything to verify the story? Is it true?

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As if reading my thoughts- this has just appeared on the Stirling Council website- seems to be true.Disruptions < My Pages | Stirling Council

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The same kind of story is circulating about Howietoun, the hatchery owned by Stirling university, something like 30k fish were reported lost to algae or toxins, it sits about a half mile above Swanswater fishery, which also had some algae a week or two ago, however as far as i know, samples have been taken by Sepa, and it's (at least for now) still open for business. It's tragic when this algae hits.

Let's hope Alisdair escapes this without any losses, and continues to provide a very nice fishery.

Best regards
Jim

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I was thinking Swanswater has to be downstream of it but had not looked on the OS. Also North Third is just down the road also. All a bit worrying round there right now I would guess. I was up Swanswater a few weeks back and it was very weedy then and the water was the colour of tea, so I had a few fruitless hours in the ponds.
Hopefully the issue does not migrate up to Pendreich, the water has been quite clear and not much algae at all up there- quite a bit weed but you need that for the bugs etc. I would imagine algae could transfer on anglers kit- or do the diatoms not live long out the water?

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North third isn't fed by the same water that the others are, i spoke to George on Saturday, and he confirmed this. I don't believe algae can thrive for long out of water for any time, but i'm not 100% sure.

I'm pretty sure i met you at the Swanswater fish-off i was the jammy ****** to your left who landed 4 and missed a fifth, and went on to Grafham, i didn't do too well on the day, took 2 fish in the morning session, and blanked in the afternoon, still was a great day, and i advise anyone who gets a chance to fish the final to go.

Best regards
Jim

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Howietown and Coulter are indeed wiped out by a suspected algae bloom.
Ian is devistated.
At Swanswater the top loch was closed due to the algae and tests are beng carried out. No report of a fish kill at Swanswater.

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Hi lads, it was on the news tonight that Coulter had blue algae, terrible news about Howieton. Sorry for you all in the Stirling area, hopefully this will be the last place that the algae appears in Stirlingshire, and anywhere else for that matter.
Billy.

I was speaking to a guy last night who was telling me more- but it sort of sounds like the story is growing arms and legs. Why have a crisis when you can have a total catastrophe!
He said- he had heard that the Earlsburn Reservoirs had been affected (so by inference this would affect the Earls Burn and again by inference this is the head water for the River Carron ). This is in addition to Coulter and the burn leading from it, (North Coulter Burn) and the Sauchie Burn - which ultimately feeds Swanswater.
I was having a look at the OS last night and can't for the life of me see the direct connection between Earlsburn and Coulter and the associated tail waters. They seem to run off different directions. Would be gutted if the Earls Burn was hit as it is a cracking wee wild trout burn.
He said that Swanswater had installed hay bales over the inflow from Sauchie Burn- presumably to act as some form of coarse filter. Certainly it still seems to be open. Stirling Council still only lists North Coulter and does not mention anything else.

Yep Jim 'twas me at Swanswater that day. Good to here you made it to Grafham. By current rates while I am having my best season ever in terms of fish caught- not been Rainbow fishing that much and when I have its a case of all or nothing- either hammering them ( 4 from Bristol Barrows last Monday night) or blanking- been to Swanswater four times since the official season started and blanked three times! Not good. I don't think I will be making the fish off in 2012 somehow! I am doing fine on the Brownies though over 100 taken (and returned) this season so far

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Had to join the forum after finding a link to this thread on the web

I am a member of the Larbert & Stenhousemuir club who run the Coulter and

Yes, blue-green algae has been found there
No- we haven't lost all our stock

A total of around 3000 fish have been affected, 80% of which are perch fry.
SEPA, Scottish Water(who own the Coulter) and Stirling Council are working together to resolve this but it is hoped that it will clear itself in time.
I have been told today (by another member) that Howietown(part of Stirling Uni) has been affected as the Coulter feeds it but, again, not a catastrophe

I fished there a couple of weeks ago and didn't see any algae myself although the water was very coloured and not many fish moving on the surface although the fly life was prolific(esp sedges).

We do have stock in reserve so stocking is not an issue
The Coulter will recover from this due to the large head of fish we have there and with selective stocking
I just can't wait to get back there and "get intae" the brownies again.

PS, I'm Jim from Grangemouth and I'm a newbie

Welcome to the forum JIm, good to know Coulter is not wiped out, i actually heard the same to-day, while i was at Swanswater.

I fished the main pond, and it's clearer than it was 2 or 3 weeks ago, they do however have a lot of filtering going on hay bales etc, the filtering appeared to be working very well.

We are due some wet spells, some heavy rain sunday and midweek, lets hope it refreshes the waters.

The fish are certainly still up for it at Swanswater i had 6 to-day, and they were certainly clean and fit, and do not appear to be affected at all.

Hope you're back and "intae" the brownies at Coulter real soon.

Best regards
Jim

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