‘The loch is currently unfishable’ – angling group earn funding to test water in Clickimin Loch

The Shetland Angler’s Association (SAA) has been given £6,000 to sample water from the Clickimin Loch after branding it “unfishable”.

The group said the water in the loch had deteriorated over the last five years – with “no sign” of any trout, despite the SAA releasing 6,000 of the species there between 1995 and 2000.

It now wants to perform tests to see if fish and birds “can once again thrive in this popular Lerwick loch”.

The SAA applied to the Lerwick Community Council for the funding on Monday night.

Community councillor Amanda Hawick said, however, that they had provided “no evidence” for their claim that the quality of the water had deteriorated.

“It’s a fair old statement, I’d like to see some evidence,” she said.

She claimed the loch was “exactly the same” as it was 40 years ago.

But chairman Jim Anderson said there was a “lack of life in the loch today” and that was being blamed “rightly or wrongly on the water quality”.

After a long discussion Jonathan Williamson said he “didn’t want to go around in circles” and proposed the LCC provided the funds.

That motion was passed.

SSE Renewables has already committed to helping the SAA carry out an initial survey of the water, providing help from the independent water monitoring company who examine lochs around the Viking windfarm site.