Meeting of the Parliament 21 September 2023
I am pleased to have secured this members’ business debate to celebrate world rivers day 2023. I thank all the members who supported my motion and all the organisations that have got in touch and provided helpful briefings in advance of the debate. I also declare my interest as the nature champion for sea trout.
World rivers day is a celebration of the world’s waterways that is held on the fourth Sunday of September each year, which means that this year’s celebration will take place this coming Sunday, 24 September. World rivers day is especially relevant to us because Scotland is renowned worldwide for the environmental quality of our rivers, lochs, seas and waterways, which attract visitors and support our key industries. Scotland’s landscape is shaped by its rivers, which provide fresh water to sustain us, support our farms, drive industry and power our homes.
Scotland as a whole has more than 125,000km of waterways that range from small burns to wide, deep rivers. Every major city has grown up around them and they have benefited our populations hugely, not only economically as the gateway to trade and transport goods in the past but for the health and wellbeing of our citizens. Edinburgh has the Forth, Glasgow has the Clyde, Dundee has the Tay and Aberdeen has the benefit of two rivers, the Dee and the Don.
The River Don runs through my constituency of Aberdeen Donside, hence the reason I was delighted to become the champion of the sea trout, as it leaves the North Sea to travel up the River Don to spawn each year. One of my favourite walks is a dander along the riverbank, where wildlife roam freely right on my doorstep. Last time, I was lucky enough to see a heron standing on a large stone in the river. I just hoped that it was not on the prowl for one of my sea trout on its way upstream.
Folk have lived and worked along the River Don for centuries. We can still see the relics of Aberdeen’s industrial past and some of the better-known mills on the lower reaches of the Don. The river has been used as a power source to drive processes and machines for hundreds of years, which really developed in the 1700s when there were several mills along the river. Many became large concerns and household names such as the inventor of the Crombie coat, John Crombie at Grandholm Mills. The textile mills have all closed, but you will still find machinery and buildings along the river, which stands testament to that fine part of the city’s history.
Let us have a wee look at the history of world rivers day. The United Nations launched the water for life decade in 2005 to create greater awareness of the need to better care for water resources. That led to Mark Angelo, an internationally renowned river advocate, establishing world rivers day. The proposal for a worldwide event to celebrate rivers followed the success of British Columbia rivers day, which Mark founded and led in western Canada in 1980. The annual event has grown a fair bit since then. It has continued to grow annually and was celebrated last year by several million folk in up to 100 countries.
Our rivers and waterways face challenges, whether that be the effects of climate change, or the impact that we have on our planet and its environment. The likes of water temperature, extreme flow events, nutrient enrichment and pollution can have a substantial and cumulative effect on our waters as well as the living creatures within them. For example, Atlantic salmon and sea trout play a vital role in the complex life cycle of the freshwater pearl mussel, as they act as a host in the larval stage. That is just one example of how we cannot afford to lose a link in our ecosystems. I know that the champion for the freshwater pearl mussel, Audrey Nicoll, is taking part in the debate and I am sure that she will be able to expand on that further.
Without trees and foliage on the riverbanks, river temperatures rise, which in turn means that there is no shade for trout or salmon to rest in as they make their way upstream to spawn. Riverwoods is a partnership initiative that is being led by the Scottish Wildlife Trust and is one example of how co-ordinated actions help to create thriving riverbank woodlands and healthy river systems, which help to keep river temperatures where they should be. I thank the organisation and its partners for their work, as well as the landowners and communities who are taking part in landscape-scale restoration projects, such as remeandering to combat the loss of spawning gravel habitat in the rivers.
On the important point about the impact that our waterways have on the species that live within them, this is a good opportunity to highlight the Scottish Government’s wild salmon strategy, which also benefits sea trout and brown trout as they have similar life histories, while all species would benefit from improved river and riverbank conditions. It is appropriate that we acknowledge the work that the Scottish Government is doing in Scotland but also that we recognise the commitment in the strategy to support and push forward collective action in the international arena, particularly to assist the young salmon and sea trout that depart our rivers in surviving the challenges that they face on the high seas and returning to their home rivers to spawn the next generation.
The health of our river basins is a key commitment of our Scottish Government, and I was pleased to see the previous environment minister, in partnership with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, introduce “The River Basin Management Plan for Scotland 2021-2027”. It sets out ambitious targets to improve water quality in Scotland’s waterways by 15 per cent, to ensure that 81 per cent of Scotland’s water environment is in a good condition by 2027. The plan aims to work with land managers to reduce diffuse pollution from agriculture and to support the passage of migratory fish such as salmon.
I thank the members who supported my motion and the members in the chamber for their attendance, and I look forward to listening to contributions during the debate on this important issue.
12:55