Launch of WTT advice for upland rivers

[tuniwes]

I attended a workshop at Tregaron on Saturday 27th, hosted jointly by the Environment agency, The Wild Trout Trust and Afonydd Cymru(Association of Welsh Rivers Trusts)
The purpose of the workshop was to launch the WTT'S advice on the management of upland rivers and to train delegates in the use of GPS and map reading techniques.

The EA in partnership with the rivers trusts are seeking to encourage angling clubs to "walk the rivers" particularly tributories and nursery areas, to identify chronic habitat problems that may be limiting the spawning potential of the system as a whole.

Typical problems include:
Overgrazing of livestock
Point source pollution
Pysical barriers to migration
Siltation
poor spawning gravel
Tunneling of woodland blocking sufficient light.
lack of cover for juvenile fish etc,etc

The scale of the project on an agricultural river like the Teifi, which flows around 50 miles and has numerous tributories is daunting.

I believe the Ogmore is different and has the potential to become once again one of the best migratory rivers in Wales, we have a relatively small catchment where it should be possible to make modest habitat improvements to bring about significant long term benefits.

I will be formulating a plan to survey our major tributories and to identify problems where they exist.

It will be very interesting to see to what extent the EA provide the backup and funding to act positively in resolving problems where they are identified.

Ian Finylas

OAA habitat and conservation officer

[goldhead]

I read the above post in amazement as yet again EAW want others to do a job that is surely THEIRS . Any self help is always advantageous but not so many years ago our headwaters were patrolled on a regular basis and potential problems of MANY kinds were identified by being proactive-not reactive or intelligence based. This is not a slur on those actual few EA staff doing the job but as in many other areas of EA remit we have often been told that unless they themselves witness any incidents they are not regarded as "reliable reports". so would they indeed listen to any reports or simply ignore them as any needs WILL have a cost implication!!! I am sorry but i really think the EA have lost their way and our rivers are sadly "neglected" at the coalface and these grand schemes always look great on paper but are often SIMPLY paper exercises -rant over -goldhead

[tuniwes]

I can understand your point of view Goldhead and I myself remain sceptical about how much real cash will be made available for improvements.(Remember the Salmon action plan)
The sad reality however, especially in the current economic climate, is that the EA will not be given sufficient funds to do the job properly which is why anglers are stuck with the task of carry out their own fly life monitoring, river watching and balifing etc.

Ian