Highland Council consultation over water activity restriction guidance at Loch Ruthven in bid to protect Slavonian Grebe population as breeding numbers plummet
Plummeting rare bird numbers at a Highland beauty spot have sparked plans for voluntary water activity restrictions during the breeding season.
The UK’s entire population of rare Slavonian grebes can be found on lochs within 30 miles of Inverness.
And one traditional hot spot has been Loch Ruthven near Farr, on the south side of Loch Ness.
But the breeding population of the birds, which are some of the UK’s rarest, has nose-dived in recent years - from around 80 breeding pairs in the early 90s to just 15 in 2023.
At Loch Ruthven, the number of breeding pairs last year was only three.
The sharp fall comes amid increasing public activity on the water of Loch Ruthven, with a sharp rise in paddleboarders, canoeists and swimmers at the loch since 2020.
And Highland Council has now launched a public consultation to develop guidance that could help protect Loch Ruthven’s breeding population and hopefully reverse the sharp decline.
Supported by The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), NatureScot and the Local Access Forum, the consultation will run until Friday May 16 and invites feedback on potential guidance asking visitors not to canoe, paddleboard or swim at the east end of the loch between March 1 and August 31.
Since 2020, an increase in water sports on the loch - which is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) - has led to more incidents of disturbance during the breeding season, when Slavonian grebes build hidden nests in reeds and swim out onto the open water to find food.
It is hoped that by reducing noise and movement on the loch, the birds would be more likely to achieve a successful breeding season preventing a further decline in numbers.
The consultation is being hosted by Highland Council, the local access authority with duties and powers to help manage outdoor access rights in their area.
For more information on the consultation and to share your views, visit the consultation page on the council’s website.
