Ayrshire farmer John Forsyth pled guilty to polluting a burn in Ayrshire and fined £1000 at Ayr Sheriff Court on 24 October 2001. The prosecution was the result of a report submitted to the Procurator Fiscal by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).

In June, last year, Mr Forsyth, allowed farm wastes including animal slurry and dairy washes to enter the Glenside Burn, a tributary of the Abbeymill Burn in Ayrshire, which result in the death of 6 brown trout.

SEPA Environmental Protection Officer, Stephen Field said of the case: “SEPA had previously visited the farm and had issued a warning letter and advice to the farmer following an earlier slurry pollution incident traced to Glenside farm. The regrettable thing about this incident was that it could have been avoided. I would urge all farmers to take care when washing down collection yards and dungsteads, making sure that all washing are channelled to a slurry storage collection tank within the steading, in line with the requirements of the Control of Pollution (Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil)(Scotland) Regulations 2001.”

This type of incident reflects the problems being experienced in South West Scotland by agricultural activities. The Scottish South West represents the most densely populated and intensively farmed region in Scotland, with many of the farms being in Ayrshire. High numbers of stock and the high rainfall pattern encountered in the area means the potential for agricultural pollution is high, particularly with respect to the management of slurry and silage effluent. Over the last few years, SEPA officers have been working with farmers on measures necessary to minimise agricultural pollution. Close liaison with farmers and agricultural organisations has lead to a successful, partnership based approach, to solving pollution problems relating to agricultural activity. *

ENDS

* Information taken from Scottish Agricultural Pollution Group Pollution Review August 2001.

Copies of the 14th Scottish Agricultural Pollution Review can be obtained free of charge from all the offices of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the Scottish Agricultural College and the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department; downloaded from the SEPA website: click here; or by telephoning 01786 457700.