Session D2: Reconnecting the Rivers
Location
Groningen, The Netherlands
Event Website
http://fishpassage.umass.edu/
Start Date
22-6-2015 2:00 PM
End Date
22-6-2015 2:15 PM
Description
Abstract:
The Wye and Usk Foundation (WUF) is a registered charity set up to restore the fisheries and ecology of the Wye and Usk which flow from mid Wales to the Severn estuary. Both rivers and the Severn estuary are EU designated Special Areas of Conservation and the designation includes Atlantic salmon, Twaite shad, sea and river lamprey. Both have substantial runs of European eel.
The two rivers have suffered significant declines of migratory fish, especially Atlantic salmon (Wye) shad (Usk) and eel (both). The presentation describes the 18 year effort to re-establish fish access and the problems involved: apathy, historical poor understanding of fish biology, conflicting interests (historic weirs and ancient bridges) and differing overall strategy. By 1995, <50% of the Wye’s salmonid habitat was inaccessible, including the Wye’s biggest tributaries, Lugg and Monnow. Nonetheless the WUF and partners, the Environment Agency have completed over 81 fish passes or easements, 24 weir and 120 other barrier removals, re-establishing access to over 834km of previously inaccessible stream. Funders include EU fisheries fund, ERDF, Defra and private funding.
Monitoring has been by electrofishing, redd counting, counters and egg surveys (shad) and an in-depth study of the recolonization by salmon has been made on the river Arrow a stream of some 35km. This tributary flows from Wales to England and has had over 14 pass or easements fitted. Electrofishing fishing and redd counting has plotted the extent of recolonisation by salmon.
As a subsidiary benefit, monitoring has shown a substantial rise in the number of adult trout found upstream of the former barriers.
The proposed presentation will demonstrate the historic loss of habitat (mapping) the methods deployed to correct, monitoring results in a highly photographic PowerPoint. It was previous shown to a wide audience on World fish Migration Day, May 2014.
Session D2: Reconnecting the Rivers
Groningen, The Netherlands
Abstract:
The Wye and Usk Foundation (WUF) is a registered charity set up to restore the fisheries and ecology of the Wye and Usk which flow from mid Wales to the Severn estuary. Both rivers and the Severn estuary are EU designated Special Areas of Conservation and the designation includes Atlantic salmon, Twaite shad, sea and river lamprey. Both have substantial runs of European eel.
The two rivers have suffered significant declines of migratory fish, especially Atlantic salmon (Wye) shad (Usk) and eel (both). The presentation describes the 18 year effort to re-establish fish access and the problems involved: apathy, historical poor understanding of fish biology, conflicting interests (historic weirs and ancient bridges) and differing overall strategy. By 1995, <50% of the Wye’s salmonid habitat was inaccessible, including the Wye’s biggest tributaries, Lugg and Monnow. Nonetheless the WUF and partners, the Environment Agency have completed over 81 fish passes or easements, 24 weir and 120 other barrier removals, re-establishing access to over 834km of previously inaccessible stream. Funders include EU fisheries fund, ERDF, Defra and private funding.
Monitoring has been by electrofishing, redd counting, counters and egg surveys (shad) and an in-depth study of the recolonization by salmon has been made on the river Arrow a stream of some 35km. This tributary flows from Wales to England and has had over 14 pass or easements fitted. Electrofishing fishing and redd counting has plotted the extent of recolonisation by salmon.
As a subsidiary benefit, monitoring has shown a substantial rise in the number of adult trout found upstream of the former barriers.
The proposed presentation will demonstrate the historic loss of habitat (mapping) the methods deployed to correct, monitoring results in a highly photographic PowerPoint. It was previous shown to a wide audience on World fish Migration Day, May 2014.
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/fishpassage_conference/2015/June22/88
Comments
Presenting Author Bio: Dr Stephen Marsh-Smith OBE Biog. Following a successful career in dental surgery, both in practice and teaching at university (Bristol), SM-S became founder, chairman and later chief executive of the Wye and Usk Foundation which was formed in response to declining salmon numbers, the organisation has developed into one of the UKs largest charitable river and fisheries trusts now with a staff of 26. The focus has been the delivery of sustainable restoration of salmon but has extended into wider catchment management and ecosystem service repair. This ranged from (2000) commercial net buy outs in the Severn estuary, 1000km of riparian habitat restoration to the largest ever successful acid waters project in the UK. In 2011, he was honored with an OBE for Services to the Environment. He lives in Powys, Wales with artist wife Seren on the banks of the Wye.