Summer flows at last

September 16, 2009

I’m guessing my glee at the river running at summer low will not be matched by the salmon anglers out there.  However, it is certainly giving me the chance to get plenty of surveys done.  These surveys really help us to identify long running problems and being out on the river bank helps us to pick up pollution incidents.  This means we can get these thing rectified and increase the number of salmon (and trout) that anglers can catch.  I should apologise for not getting my blog done monday but these summer levels are meaning that the surveys are non stop!

Monday we did 5 fry surveys, Kirk beck at Bolton by Bowland, and Pan & Hellifield beck.  Our most surprising survey of last year couldn’t be surveyed this year as the bankside vegetation and macrophytes have grown across the beck.  This is a natural occurence and to be expected, but a bit disappointing that it means there is less fish habitat.  In the evening Eddie the Baliff for Ribble Valley borough council’s fishing popped into the office to talk about various ways that he might be able to help the trust to improve the river and/or education.  We hope to move forward with Eddie by installing another Trout-in-the-Classroom tank in a school in Clitheroe.

Tuesday we undertook 3 surveys on Stock Beck and 2 on a tributary of Stock Beck.  The most positive find was that salmon are now spawning in Barnoldswick itself!  What a result!  This is a result of all the work we have done in conjunction with the EA, in improving habitat, access and water quality.  I headed back to the office to have a meeting with our Chairman, Stephen, and the new Fisheries Team leader, Area Manager and Fisheries Technical specialist all from the EA.  What a positive meeting, a really good team that are keen to not just work with us but make a real difference to the river, I hope we can all work together as we discussed as the Ribble will continue to go from strength to strength.

Wednesday we had a meeting with Ribble Valley Borough Council to discuss a proposal for change of use of Primrose lodge in Clitheroe, this was a great meeting and a great scheme, that will, if we’re lucky, mean that salmon can ascend Mearly brook to spawn all the way through Clitheroe itself and into the great becks above the Town!  In the Evening it was the Calder Catchment Fisheries Consultative meeting.  This was a good meeting where we talked and informed each other of the various things going on in the Calder catchment.  It was a shame that attendance was low, but I hope that perhaps wit the work that is going on more people will be willing to get involved in this group and the work it’s doing.

Thursday we were back onto surveys and we undertook 5 surveys on the Skirden catchment, some mixed results and interesting finds, including 2 pollution incidents that we reported to Fred Higham (Pollution officer of the RFCA) who passed on the details to the EA, who have followed up the discoveries.

Friday we undertook a quantitative survey on Wigglesworth, this was the first survey being done this year as part of the monitoring for potential impacts from the Settle Hydro scheme.  We also undertook 2 5 minute fry surveys which were really useful.  Our surprise of the day was the Game Keeper for the lower section of the popping up and asking us to check a Mink trap located on the far bank of our survey site.  When I asked whether he caught many he held up the biggest mink I have ever seen!

 

A small mink!

Saturday we went out to finish off the surveys on Skirden.  Which we achieved!  Another couple of weeks we will get pretty good coverage of the Catchment, long may the dry whether hold!

Posted by Charles Edward Poate | Filed Under Uncategorized 

Comments

No Comments Yet.

Got something to say?





Recent blog posts

RCCT Angling Passport Scheme

Visit the link below to get details on our angling passport scheme, including where we have water, how to buy tickets and when you can fish. Angling Passport website

Staff Update

The trustees are pleased to announce that Jack Spees has been appointed the Director of the Ribble Catchment Conservation Trust as from the 12th July 2010. We are very pleased with the progress that has been made this year and thank all the staff for their endeavours. Philip Lord, Chairman.