Biosecurity is a key issue for the Ness and Beauly catchments. Most anglers are aware of the threat of Gyrodactylus salaris but fewer people are aware of the threats posed by other species. The Ness and Beauly catchments already contain many species that are not native to the Highlands such as Japanese knotweed, giant hogweed, pike, perch and minnows. To varying degrees these all have the potential to impact negatively on the aquatic environment. N&BFT maintain a stock of disinfectants to prevent the introduction of Gyrodactylus salaris etc and can offer advice on correct procedures to prevent the introduction of this and many other undesirable species.

During  2010 a plan has been drafted  by  N&BFT in an attempt to counter the many threats posed by invasive non-native species. This project has been funded by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and the Scottish Government and all major fisheries trusts in Scotland will eventually produce such plans.  The aim of the planning process is to put in place protocols to try and prevent new introductions of such species and to deal with those, where possible, that are already here. The Trust has drafted a plan and consulted local stakeholder groups. It is hoped that the final version of the plan will be available soon.

On a related theme, during 2009 N&BFT undertook on a contract basis, the trapping of American Signal Crayfish in the River Nairn catchment. This was undertaken as part of an SNH sponsored report aimed at mapping Crayfish distribution. Ordinarily, N&BFT does not seek to obtain work outside its boundaries. However, on this occasion the work was of strategic importance as it is vital to keep crayfish from encroaching into the Ness and Beauly districts. It is further hoped that the skills learnt in doing this work can be translated into the eventual establishment by N&BFT of early-warning monitoring sites in burns between the Nairn and Ness catchments.

The removal of some species, for example mink, is already underway with N&BFT being a key partner in the North West Highlands Mink Control Project. As with many of the projects undertaken by N&BFT this project is highly collaborative in nature and has input from numerous fishery trusts and boards, SNH,  Forestry Commission Scotland, Scottish Wildlife Trust, University of Aberdeen and Oxford University in addition to gamekeepers and members of the public. Mink have been showed to have negative effects on a broad range of wildlife species of both conservation and economic value including fish species. The project aims to record the presence of mink by using floating rafts developed by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust that have a clay section incorporated in them. Mink and other animals leave distinctive tracks on the clay and once the presence of mink have been identified traps are placed on the rafts and checked daily. N&BFT staff checked a number of rafts and traps during the year, largely in the Beauly area. A number of mink were successfully trapped in the Beauly and Ness systems and it is hoped that more will be caught once a better understanding is obtained in respect of the distribution and movement of the animals in our areas. It is hoped that the project will expand its remit in future years and will facilitate more concerted efforts to eradicate this species as much as is possible. More details of the project can be found at www.watervolescotland.org – follow the links to the North West Mink Control Project. N&BFT involvement in this project has been supported by financial contributions from the Scottish Government and RAFTS.