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Fish, Birds Wiped Out in Knockando Burn Tragedy
4 May
Summary
- Chemical spill devastated Knockando burn, a River Spey tributary.
- Significant fish, eel, and bird populations were wiped out.
- Recovery for salmon population could take up to five years.
A serious pollution incident has devastated the Knockando burn, a vital tributary of the River Spey in Moray. Caustic soda is suspected to have entered the water, leading to the catastrophic loss of numerous fish, eels, and birds. This event has impacted a two-kilometre section of the burn, significantly harming its ecosystem.
Duncan Ferguson, director of the Spey Fishery Board, described the incident as one of the worst he has witnessed in 36 years, estimating that the salmon population might require up to five years to recover. The pollution occurred during the prime fly-fishing period for the Spey.
This incident follows another pollution event just ten days prior in a different Spey tributary, where white paint spill caused salmon deaths. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has confirmed it is investigating the current pollution incident to determine its source and full impact.
