200 Scottish lochs polluted by acid rain – Fisheries Management Scotland

TWO hundred lochs, reservoirs and streams across upland Scotland have been polluted by acid rain in breach of safety limits, harming fish, frogs, insects and plants, according to the latest monitoring for the Scottish Government.

Sulphur, nitrogen and ammonia spewed out by power stations, factories, vehicles and farms have badly contaminated waters in Galloway, the Cairngorms, the Trossachs and north-west Scotland.

This has damaged populations of brown trout, Atlantic salmon and other fish, as well amphibians such as frogs and insects, including mayflies. There are also fears for birds and mammals that depend on waterways for food, including dippers, grey wagtails and otters.