Lochaber Fisheries Trust is a charity which has been working to conserve and protect fish and freshwater habitats since 1996.  We cover an area from the Sound of Mull up to Loch Nevis, from the west coast to Rannoch Moor in the South to Loch Laggan in the North. Our work involves rivers, lochs, estuaries and inshore coastal areas.

The Trust’s work is overseen by a board of directors. We employ two fish biologists and a peatland restoration officer.

Description of the role

Lochaber fisheries trust is looking for an experienced fish biologist to lead our team. The successful candidate will manage most of the day to day running of the Trust, deliver an extensive fieldwork programme, design projects and make funding applications to support these and be involved in responses to planning applications. They will manage the assistant biologist and peatland officer.

Projects planned for 2022 include

• monitoring of sea lice on wild salmonids, 
• extensive electrofishing programme to assess juvenile fish densities, monitor pearl mussel glochidia on salmonid gills and collect genetic samples.
• fish and freshwater pearl mussel rescues,
• Assist the peatland officer in delivering peatland restoration
• Tagging wild salmon smolts
• Salmonid habitat assessments

Responsibilities and duties

Identifying pressures on fish stocks and river habitats, and designing work programmes to research and mitigate these pressures.

Delivering monitoring, research and contract work of fish and other freshwater species, and freshwater habitats. This will include electrofishing, running smolt traps (mainly fyke nets), seine netting and coastal fyke nets, tagging fish, river habitat surveys, fish and freshwater pearl mussel rescues.

Identifying, designing and managing habitat improvement projects such as barrier easement and other habitat restoration projects.

Applying for funding to deliver research priorities where funding is not already in place.

Maintaining the Trusts health and safety policies, GDRP database and designing risk assessments for all fieldwork.

Liaising with regulatory and statutory authorities regarding local and national planning applications and consultation on relevant fishery policies.

Delivering reports on research and monitoring work

Feeding into the Trust’s Annual Report and website

Undertaking educational and public awareness projects about fisheries and the Trusts work.

Working with the assistant biologist to maintain databases of biological records.

Skills and background

The role involves significant amounts of time working outdoors in all weather conditions and often in remote locations. The work is often physically demanding and requires experience working in and around water, and the health and safety issues that can raise. Some weekend and evening work will be required.

Salary and Benefits

The starting salary will be £28-31,000, which will be reviewed annually. An employer’s pension contribution of up to 5% matched funding will be made. This role will be subject to an initial 6 month probationary period. You will be entitled to a holiday allowance of 20 days paid leave and 9 statutory days.

Applying

If you are passionate about conservation and the freshwater environment, please send a description of how your skills and competencies make you a suitable candidate for the role (extending to no more than two pages) along with your c.v. to lochaberfish@googlemail.com

Closing date for applications is 5pm, Monday 28th February 2022.

For more information or an informal conversation, please contact Lucy Ballantyne on 01397 703728 or lochaberfish@googlemail.com