ANGLERS in Musselburgh are calling for urgent short-term action to safeguard the future of the fish population on the River Esk amidst pollution concerns.

Steve Dalgleish, spokesman for Musselburgh & District Angling Association (MDAA), said a recent survey by the Fish Rivers Trust had realised their “worst fears”, highlighting that mine water discharge from Junkies Adit below Woodburn was having “a negative effect on the fish and invertebrate communities in the South Esk”.

He claimed the main salmon and sea trout spawning areas of the South Esk below the “pollution source” were now “devoid” of fish, with the juvenile populations and liveable habitat “effectively extinct”.

Mr Dalgleish said the multi-million-pound action schemes proposed were going to arrive too late for this year’s and possibly next year’s spawning run.

He claimed that without these adult fish being able to spawn, the whole species was “possibly at risk”, adding that anglers would like to see fish ladders installed to give them access to “clean areas” of the river.

Mr Dalgleish alleged: “It is likely that the MDAA may well wish to see action taken to open the impassable weirs at Dalkeith and upstream on the South Esk and on the North Esk in Dalkeith Country Park and upstream, in order to mitigate the drastic impact on the salmon and trout populations. It took decades to get the fish to return to the river. It is likely that much of this year’s run of salmon, sea trout and trout will be spawning on dead and poisoned grounds on the South Esk.

“There is therefore a window to open up clean areas of the river above the impassable weirs by constructing fish passes. This would safeguard the future of the salmon, sea trout and brown trout by providing new spawning grounds and habitat for their young and thereby increase the number of adult fish returning to the river in the future, and safeguard them from future pollution incidents downstream.”

The anglers plan to raise their calls for emergency weir alteration works with the Esk River Improvement Group (ERIG), formed after anglers voiced concern about “pollution incidents” in the River Esk upstream from Musselburgh, as previously reported in the Courier.

They alleged that untreated sewage and iron ore deposits from old mine workings were entering the water, claiming the present situation was “an environmental disaster for the Esk and local community”.

Nathan Critchlow-Watton, senior manager for the Water and Land Unit at the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) said: “As part of the Esk River Improvement Group, SEPA is actively working with partners and those we regulate to address the pollution issues facing the Esk catchment. We understand the areas of community concern and improvements required.

“There are a number of historic weirs in the Esk catchment that reduce fish access to valuable spawning areas upstream. We had planned further investigations at Dalkeith weir this year, alongside detailed studies on the Montague and Ironmills weirs on the South Esk. Unfortunately, due to Covid-19 restrictions, this work has been delayed. The target objective for enabling fish to pass these weirs remains 2021.”

The Coal Authority previously said rising water levels in the mine workings had been monitored since mining at Bilston ended in 1989 and, until recently, there was some uncertainty on the location that the mine water would reach the surface.

Mine water contained naturally occurring metals, such as iron, from the mined rocks.

The Coal Authority, in conjunction with SEPA, were undertaking comprehensive monitoring and planned to install a £1 million temporary treatment scheme that would clean the mine water before it entered the river.

A spokesman said recently: “We did attend the first meeting of the Esk River Improvement Group and we look forward to working with the all the stakeholders involved.”

A Scottish Water spokeswoman said: “We are working with a variety of stakeholders and are aware of community concerns about water quality in the South Esk river.

“We have a number of licenced storm overflows along the river from the combined sewer system. These act as vital relief points at times of heavy rainfall to help minimise flooding elsewhere.

“We are looking at our network to identify any assets which could be improved to minimise the impact on rivers from items that are incorrectly flushed down the toilet.”

A spokesperson for East Lothian Council said the main issues discussed at the first meeting of ERIG related to Midlothian.

She said: “There is not a direct impact on the Esk in East Lothian at this time and there was subsequently no agreement or need for signage to be erected within Musselburgh.”