The West of Scotland Herring Hunt (WOSHH) 2023 field work season has begun with shore-based environmental (e)DNA sampling. Environmental DNA (eDNA) is the DNA, shed by an organism (e.g., scales, excrement, etc.) or whole microorganisms, present in the environment. eDNA from water samples can be extracted, sequenced and linked back to species that were in the area. This makes it a potentially powerful, non-invasive tool to detect elusive spawning herring shoals through shore-based sampling.

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Great news – herring were back in Wester Ross! In spring this year, a feasibility study was conducted by WOSHH, involving shore-based environmental (e)DNA sampling, over a 6-week period, to find out if the method can detect the presence of herring in nearshore waters, at 3 different locations off Wester Ross. Environmental DNA (eDNA) is […]