Kemnay Academy pupils enjoy as the River Don Trust demonstrates electro-fishing.

On Thursday 20 June, Jamie Urquhart and Steve Murphy from the River Don Trust visited the academy to demonstrate to S1 pupils the work they carry out. Pupils headed to the river to watch as the two showed pupils the electro- fishing. The process which temporarily stuns juvenile fish with a small shock is used to calculate river populations and assists with water quality and pollution monitoring.  All captured fish are quickly returned to the river, unharmed.

Jamie Urquhart from the trust said, “Each year we carry out a regular survey at each village along the Don. We cover all 82 miles of the river and aim to enhance bio-diversity. We are a charity organisation based at Cluny Castle. I enjoy my job as I am a fisherman myself.”

 The trust focuses on different points from the start of the river to the finish, especially concentrating on places like sewage pipes. On the day, the pupils saw many types of fish, salmon, trout and lamprey just to name a few. All pupils who took part in the event enjoyed it thoroughly and some said the fish felt ‘smooth’ others saying ‘slimy’.

Mathematics teacher Peter Gibson said, “It was good to see pupils engaging directly with the environment and learning of the contribution that Mathematics and the Sciences make in understanding the natural world to which we belong. Many thanks to Jamie and Steven from the Don Trust, for running the event so well and whose expertise and enthusiasm were wonderful reward for the pupils’ hard work throughout S1.”

Lee Aitken

Well done to all involved 🙂