News

In 2019, an Environment Agency report on pollution from farms on the River Axe in east Devon painted a damning picture, describing a river “abandoned” to polluting farms 

Now, another Environment Agency report, this time from North Devon, paints an equally grim picture of illegal pollution and a lack of policing of the dairy industry, with farmers making “business” decisions to expand production at the expense of the environment, safe in the knowledge that they will be extremely unlucky to face any sanctions from regulators. This appears not to be an issue of the odd rogue farmer – it’s widespread - see also this even more recent investigation from Wales

There’s a common theme: little or no policing by Govt agencies.In August 2021, Defra announced increased funding for farm inspections in England, then, according to its CEO, Sir James Bevan, told the EA and its new team of inspectors not to enforce the very rules it had introduced to protect our rivers. 

Recent research has tagged eels in the Azores and, for the first time, tracked them on the oceanic part of their migration to the Sargasso Sea. Since the early 20th Century it has been thought that eels spawned in the Sargasso Sea, but there has been no direct evidence.

European eel are critically endangered – populations have declined by 95% since the 1980s – so a better understanding of their lifecycle will hopefully aid conservation efforts.

More on this story on the BBC website.

WTT Conservation Officer Rob Mungovan is interviewed for Radio Cambridgeshire about the River Cam and the River Shep. He talks about the recent project to improve habitat at Byron's Pool Nature Reserve in Cambridge and the impacts of abstraction on our chalkstreams, particularly during the current drought. He spots plenty of wildlife as he walks the with presenter, Thordis Fridriksson.

There will be more about the Byron's Pool project in our Autumn Newsletter, which will be sent to members in early November. Lots more information about chalkstreams on our chalkstream web page. 

Update: the interview also appeared on BBC Look North

WTT Conservation Officer Jonny Grey was interviewed by the BBC about the removal of Scotton weir on the River Nidd at Knaresborough. The interview was broadcast on Farming Today this morning (28/7) at 7.07 minutes into the programme. At 75m wide and 4m high, it is thought to be the largest weir removal project so far in the UK. Removing the weir will open up 18km of river to migratory fish such as the salmon, sea trout and European eel. Including the Nidd’s tributaries, this is extended to 35km of rivers that removing the weir will potentially make available for salmon and sea trout spawning. 

The project is funded by the European Open Rivers Programme.

Defra and NRW have today released their assessment of salmon and sea trout stocks in England and Wales.

The NRW Press Release is available as a PDF, and the Defra Press Release is on their website. Both contain links to the reports, background information and action plans.

For salmon in England: In 2020, 20 salmon rivers (48%) were thought to be ‘at risk’ – meaning salmon stocks are no longer at sustainable levels - but in the latest report this has now risen to 31 (74%) with rivers in the South-West, North-West and Wales considered to be the worst affected.

To raise funds for the Rosemary Foundation (Hospice at Home) in Petersfield, WTT supporter & rod craftsman, Chris Ward, has made 8 bespoke travel fly rods to sell at £285 each, with £125 from each rod going the Foundation. The rods are 7 piece, 9’, 5wt on a Batson Enterprises blank, with wood insert reel seat, luxury half wells cork grip with the Foundation’s logo and a spare, matching tip section. 

Fantastic cause. If interested, contact Chris through www.rodcraftsman.com

The EA in England have published their report on water company environmental performance for 2021.

Emma Howard Boyd, the outgoing Chair of the EA, sounded a strong warning to the water industry, making these comments (amongst others) in the Foreward:

‘In 2021, the environmental performance of England’s 9 water and sewerage companies was the worst we have seen for years.’

From 1 October 2022, beavers will have Protected Status in England. They will be listed on Schedule 2 to the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017. This will make it an offence to deliberately capture, kill, disturb, or injure beavers, or damage their breeding sites or resting places. See below for more details .

It is the WTT’s view that protected status, combined with the proposed licensing regime will make beaver management difficult, slow and ineffective, for example in responding to blockage to smolt migration downstream caused by beaver dams. See WTT Director, Shaun Leonard’s email to Defra below.

It is an apparent peculiarity that grayling and Atlantic salmon do not have Protected Status in the UK, although they are listed in the same EU convention (Bern Convention Appendix III) used to protect beavers.

This now seems to be an annual event - a request not to fish in those rivers that are suffering low flows and high water temperatures. 

For cold water species such as trout, water temperatures over 18°C, with the associated low oxygen levels, causes stress. Left alone, the fish can usually survive but with the additional exertion of being caught and handled, it can be fatal. Even if the fish swim away, they can succumb later. For this reason, we strongly advise everyone thinking of angling in bright, hot conditions to consider fish welfare and rethink plans when water temperatures are expected to reach or exceed 18°C. Bear in mind it is the water temperature rather than air temperature that matters. The evenings may feel pleasantly cool after a hot day but water temperatures can still be high. 

We had planned to run a members fishing weekend 16-17 July on the Haddon Estate waters of the Derbyshire Wye.  Due to the high temperatures, this has now been postponed to 10-11 September. Contact Christina in the Office (office@wildtrout.org) to book; cost is £75 per rod, per day and you may book either or both days for yourself and any guests (guests do not need to be WTT members).

Update 24 June 2022

The guidance on Farming Rules for Water issued by Defra in March 2022 has been updated following a challenge by Salmon and Trout Conservation UK, who questioned the legality of the guidance. S&TC say: (the guidance) would have encouraged farmers unlawfully to apply slurries and manures to their land, in excess of the needs of the soil or crops on that land. Such excessive application is prohibited under The Reduction and Prevention of Agricultural Diffuse Pollution (England) Regulations 2018, otherwise known as the Farming Rules for Water.

The revised guidance from Defra is here