Nessletter - No 116 - 1993

Magazine Overview

Title: NESSLETTER
Issue: 116
Date: April 1993 (Jan.'94)
Publisher: HESS INFORMATION SERVICE
ISSN: 0264-7001

This issue of the Nessletter focuses on fish populations in various lakes and recent sightings in Loch Ness, alongside information about eels and a new submarine project. The content is derived from letters and reports from members and publications.

Fish Population

The article begins by addressing references to fish counts and weights in recent Nessletters. A letter from Max Coventry, an angler from Caerwys, Wales, describes Lake Bala in North Wales. He likens it to a miniature Loch Ness, noting its steep underwater sides and an average depth of 100-150 feet. While large numbers of salmon used to inhabit the lake (estimated at 15,000 per year), this population has drastically reduced. The lake also contains brown trout, pike, perch, eels, and the unique gwyniad, a freshwater whitefish that feeds on plankton.

Coventry explains his pike fishing technique, using a boat and trolling baits around the margins at a depth of 20-30 feet. He mentions the challenge of seeing the bottom due to water depth and clarity, often leading to his bait getting caught. He recently purchased an 'American Eagle' Fish Finder, which provides a graphic display of the bottom and bleeps when a fish is detected. He observes that fish are more numerous near the bottom, with a ratio of about 1:25 in the mid/upper water column compared to the bottom. He suggests this is because smaller fish feed on insects and plant life at the bottom, while larger fish like pike, trout, and eels prey on them.

Coventry estimates that the whitefish population in Loch Ness might be largely inaccessible to sampling methods. He proposes that a figure of 3 to 4 fish per hectare for open water (upper/middle water column) is reasonable for lakes like Ness or Bala, but to determine total fish weight, this figure needs to be multiplied. He suggests a multiplier of x25, which would yield a figure of 425 metric tonnes for Loch Ness, a more realistic estimate than 30 tonnes.

He also notes that salmon tend to swim around the margins, which might exclude them from open water counts. Data from 'Trout and Salmon' magazine indicates rod and line catches for salmon in the River Ness were 404 in 1992 and 356 in 1993. Coventry states that anglers catch only a small proportion of fish, and that the remarkable thing is that any are caught at all, as many do not feed in freshwater. He estimates that the catch rate could be as low as one salmon caught for every 100 that pass upstream.

He concludes by estimating the average weight of salmon caught at 5kg and suggests that adding 100 metric tonnes of salmon, plus eels and whitefish, to the estimated 425 tonnes for the water column would give a substantial total weight for Loch Ness. He acknowledges that there have been estimates of Loch Ness salmon populations far exceeding this, but he believes his estimate is more in tune with reality, based on his limited information but extensive study of fish behavior.

Eels

Another NIS member, Ted Garside, shares information from a 'Roving report' column by Viking in 'Salmon, Trout & Sea-Trout' (Feb '93) concerning eels. The report highlights that little was known about the life history of eels until recently. Young eels undergo a complete transformation, changing shape and were once thought to be a separate species called leptocephalus. In 1904, Johannes Schmidt, a Danish oceanographer, traced eel larvae across the North Atlantic to find their oceanic spawning grounds. Elvers spend eight to twenty years growing in freshwater, reaching an average weight of 31lbs, before migrating back to the sea to spawn. Males tend to stay in brackish estuarial waters, while females migrate.

The report mentions that eels in some Scottish lochs seem to forget to return to the sea, growing larger. A story is recounted of a mine sweeper in Loch Ness that detonated a charge, bringing up two gigantic eels, one 10 feet long and the other 8 feet. Viking suggests this is a true story, though difficult to verify officially.

Viking also shares a personal account of an incident where his friend, while trapping salmon on the River Garry, found a chunk of eel blocking a pipe from a hydro-electric generating station. The pipe was 5 inches in diameter, suggesting an eel at least 10 feet long.

Steve Feltham's Sightings

Steve Feltham, an NIS member, has produced copies of old LNI sighting report forms to help gather written accounts. He notes that while people are willing to share their experiences, they are often reluctant to provide written accounts. Feltham himself had three sightings:

1. A local chap from Foyers saw a neck on the same night as Edna Mcinnes.
2. A person living in Dores saw two objects on the surface at dusk near the Clansman.
3. Roland O'Brian had an excellent sighting on August 10th, 1993, of a back standing about four feet out of the water in Dores Bay.

Feltham believes Roland's sighting is significant because Roland fishes every night and has been doing so for about ten years, knowing the water well. Roland described seeing a large dark hump about 500 yards out from the shore, heading towards the Dores Bay buoy. The hump was estimated to be between eight and ten feet long and was visible for about five minutes, moving rapidly with splashing. It then stopped, turned, and headed back before sinking. It reappeared and moved slowly back towards Roland at a 60-degree angle. He noted a large splash beside the hump during the second sighting. Roland described the creature as having a lighter underside.

Feltham was disappointed to miss this sighting as he was in Fort Augustus at the time. He is awaiting further information from Roland.

Feltham also notes that most sightings during 1993 were in the Dores area. He has inquired extensively in Fort Augustus and Drumnadrochit but has not found evidence of sightings being missed. He wonders if the presence of fish cages in Dores Bay might be a factor in the increased sightings.

Submarine Project

Doug Macfarlane sent an article about a submarine to be used in Loch Ness, featured in 'Diver Magazine' (December 1993). The submarine is a 34-foot Canadian-built vessel capable of diving to depths of 1000 feet, equipped with observation domes, forward search sonar, cameras, and floodlights. It is scheduled to be based at the Clansman Marina from March 1994 for research work. The operators plan to offer pre-dive briefings and hour-long dives to the loch floor (210-230 meters), accommodating up to six passengers and a pilot. The cost is approximately £70, described as a Christmas present reduction offer, equivalent to a hot air balloon trip.

Andreas Trottmann has booked a trip for May 12th. Doug Macfarlane reported a quiet year at the loch, with 20 visits totaling 99 hours of camera watch and 8 hours with the echo sounder. He teamed up with Andreas for two days in May 1993.

Correspondence and Contact Information

The issue includes a brief reference to W.W.1 mines mentioned in NIS116, noting that Hugh Gray was on board H.M.S. Welbeck. The editor, R.R. Hepple, reminds readers to send in their news and views, providing his address and contact details for subscriptions.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The Nessletter consistently features reports from its members, focusing on eyewitness accounts of unexplained phenomena, particularly related to Loch Ness. There is a strong emphasis on gathering detailed information and personal testimonies. The publication appears to maintain an open-minded but evidence-based approach, encouraging readers to share their experiences and contribute to the ongoing investigation of mysteries. The recurring themes include cryptid sightings, unusual animal behavior, and the exploration of potential scientific or technological contributions to understanding these phenomena, as seen with the fish finder and the new submarine project.