Half past seven yesterday evening, and hardly enough wind to give this yacht legs, but the sun suddenly came out and caught its sails.
We went down to the Ormsaigbeg shore this afternoon to see if we could find the pool where the green 'olives' lived, and to take a picture of the 'toadstools' we'd noticed with them (see Tuesday's post
here). Mission successful - they're about 4cm across.
Walking further along the rocks we saw similar organisms out of the water. Could they be some sort of seaweed?
Beyond them, this big plastic drum was being washed up by the rising tide. Three seals were bobbing around in the water watching it. Perhaps it is that they are inquisitive animals, but it's also possible they were hoping it was Dochie Cameron returning to put his nets back in to provide them with the salmon larder they've been used to.
Dochie has had a terrible season with his salmon fishing, so bad he gave up a week ago and took his nets out. It was a poor season for fish anyway, but those that did find their way into his nets were promptly ravaged by the seals. Seals can no longer be shot to control their numbers, so their numbers are increasing while salmon stocks plummet.
Half past seven yesterday evening, and hardly enough wind to give this yacht legs, but the sun suddenly came out and caught its sails.
We went down to the Ormsaigbeg shore this afternoon to see if we could find the pool where the green 'olives' lived, and to take a picture of the 'toadstools' we'd noticed with them (see Tuesday's post here). Mission successful - they're about 4cm across.
Walking further along the rocks we saw similar organisms out of the water. Could they be some sort of seaweed?
Beyond them, this big plastic drum was being washed up by the rising tide. Three seals were bobbing around in the water watching it. Perhaps it is that they are inquisitive animals, but it's also possible they were hoping it was Dochie Cameron returning to put his nets back in to provide them with the salmon larder they've been used to.
Dochie has had a terrible season with his salmon fishing, so bad he gave up a week ago and took his nets out. It was a poor season for fish anyway, but those that did find their way into his nets were promptly ravaged by the seals. Seals can no longer be shot to control their numbers, so their numbers are increasing while salmon stocks plummet.
Yes, seals do take salmon from nets(they are a natural seal prey species after all) but manning the nets on a regular basis, in the correct way, helps. Seals only do what they do. That is nature tooth and claw. What a typical human trait to blame the dumb animal that can't answer back and reach for the gun. The seal rookery at Kilchoan is an benefit to the whole community. Rogue seals can still be taken out under licence if persistant damage is proved. Nuff said.
ReplyDeleteThe 'olives' or 'toadstools' in the photos are the buttons of thongweed (Himanthalia elongata). Very long 1cm wide single straps of weed (up to 1.5m long) grow out of the middle of the button. These buttons haven't grown their straps yet (Mike Burrows, SAMS, Oban).
ReplyDelete