Winter Talk: 70+ Years of Hydro Operations - Impacts on Salmon & Other Species with Alastair Stephen
Gairloch Museum, Gairloch, IV21 2BH
Friday 11th December 2026 7:00PM
Date: Friday 11th December
Time: 7pm-8pm
Place: Gairloch Museum
Age: 14+
Cost: £5
Booking is advised for this event
For more than 70 years, hydro schemes have been a feature of the Highland landscape and rivers. Drawing on his 26 years as an environmental advisor for Scottish Hydro Electric and SSE, Dr Alastair Stephen will look at what has been learned about the effects of hydro operations on Atlantic salmon and other aquatic species.
The talk will explore the environmental challenges associated with hydro developments and the work undertaken over the years to better understand and reduce their impacts on the aquatic environment.
Dr Alastair Stephen
Dr Alastair Stephen did his first degree in zoology at Aberdeen University in the late 1970s. He then learnt how not to be a fish farm manager in Knoydart. He followed that with a PhD on the subject of Brown Trout genetics at Stirling University in the 1980s, before establishing the first Scottish fisheries trust in Galloway in the early 1990s. He then spent the next 26 years working for Scottish Hydro Electric (which morphed into Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE)) as their environmental advisor attempting to reduce the problems caused by hydro developments on the aquatic environments across the highlands, concentrating on the impacts on the Atlantic salmon. Alastair retired from SSE 4 years ago and now amongst other voluntary activities is chair of the Cromarty Firth Watershed Environmental Trust based in Dingwall.
What to expect:
Accessibility:
Time: 7pm-8pm
Place: Gairloch Museum
Age: 14+
Cost: £5
Booking is advised for this event
For more than 70 years, hydro schemes have been a feature of the Highland landscape and rivers. Drawing on his 26 years as an environmental advisor for Scottish Hydro Electric and SSE, Dr Alastair Stephen will look at what has been learned about the effects of hydro operations on Atlantic salmon and other aquatic species.
The talk will explore the environmental challenges associated with hydro developments and the work undertaken over the years to better understand and reduce their impacts on the aquatic environment.
Dr Alastair Stephen
Dr Alastair Stephen did his first degree in zoology at Aberdeen University in the late 1970s. He then learnt how not to be a fish farm manager in Knoydart. He followed that with a PhD on the subject of Brown Trout genetics at Stirling University in the 1980s, before establishing the first Scottish fisheries trust in Galloway in the early 1990s. He then spent the next 26 years working for Scottish Hydro Electric (which morphed into Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE)) as their environmental advisor attempting to reduce the problems caused by hydro developments on the aquatic environments across the highlands, concentrating on the impacts on the Atlantic salmon. Alastair retired from SSE 4 years ago and now amongst other voluntary activities is chair of the Cromarty Firth Watershed Environmental Trust based in Dingwall.
What to expect:
- Join us in person at the Museum or online via Zoom.
- Talks normally last approx 45mins followed by a Q&A session.
- Teas & coffees will be served at the end of the event.
- The Zoom recording will be shared after the event.
Accessibility:
- Hearing loops compatible with hearing aids with the T-bar setting or provided headphones will be available to request.
- Please share with us on booking if you have any accessibility requirements you would like us to know about.
- Our accessibility guide can be found on our website under the Visit tab.
Event Details
Doors Open at 6:30PM
From 7:00PM to 8:00PM
