No real change in river conditions but a little cooler.

Latest.  Two fish recorded today    Give you two guesses where from!.
Wyesham  John Braithwaite on fly 15lbs and of course -
The Rectory by a trout fisherman approx 7lbs to Magnus Phillips.

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If you feel like hanging yourself read below.  Seems we have been here before. Especially this one;

" Commissioning a set of plans for the restoration of river habitats " ????????
 And this one;

PG updated on Fisheries enforcement, and made following points:

-          No update on how enforcement will be done, as till unclear.

-          The Environmental Crime Unit will disband on 01/07/19, and will be split into 6 teams. The Wye will fall into South east and Mid wales.

-          Powys/Ceredigion will have 3 staff covering the Wye, Severn and Usk upper catchments/spawning gravels. Historically there were 50 staff.

PG updated on Salmon Stock Managemeng    Following points made:

-          A mid July outcome was expected for the minister’s decision on new Byelaws.

-          The Byelaw is based on 2016 assessment, and 2018 was considerably worse notably for Sea Trout.

-          The Index River (River Dee) on long term average.

-          Local enquiry concluded that anglers were not the cause, but were part of the solution.

-          Other causes include Agricultural nutrients, predatory birds, Initiatives gone to Welsh Govt.

-          Welsh Govt have confirmed the general licence is a very sensitive issue.

-          Severn estuary Fisheries – NRW want urgent protective measures.

-          Important that nets/Rods treated equitably until minister acts.

1.       WUF update.

SE provided the following update:

-          From 24/06/19 WUF are starting fish pass on Ballsgate weir. Gilwern damn is also being removed.

-          More gravel is being introduced to Elan, but needs a spate to spread down river.

-          Liming ongoing with 264 tons put in.

-          However, after highwater in the Upper Irfon in March a PH of 3.94 was recorded. There is a suspicion it is from forestry work. This was however, alleviated downstream. Monitoring this year will see if any damage resulted. It was reported to NRW as a pollution event.

-          Habitat restoration is ongoing, with the Ennig and two further tribs.

-          Farm work ongoing covering all of Herefordshire. Some farmers are still to come on board.

-          Lugg phosphate levels have lifted recently and the Ithon is now worse than the Lugg. The Llynfi is also suffering from High Phosphate.

-          WUF now putting a project in place to deal with the Phosphate which is coming in from Poultry farming, which is being done legally. Working with Tesco, the farmers and Dwr Cymru.

-          A water environment grant will have 10 advisors working, 2 of which will be on Ithon and Ennig in Wales.

-          Working to ensure that dairy farmers get more for milk where they look after the environment, particularly regarding slurry/silage.

-          Invasive weed spraying ongoing for Japanese Knotweed and Giant Hogweed.

-          Rust Fungus is being brought in for Himalayan Balsam.

Monitoring:

-          Salmon numbers good in Upper Wye, Ithon and Duhonw. Poor in Lugg and Monnow.

-          2015 - 402 salmon caught (juveniles)

-          2016 - 344 salmon caught

-          2017 - 623 salmon caught

-          2018 - 797 salmon caught

-          EA coarse fish survey unsurprisingly showed that biggest factor was number of rods. However, biggest driver was amount of Ranunculus present.

-          WUF now looking to reintroduce Ranunculus in and around Winforton/Whitney.

-          Temp Monitoring to now go on website to help manage fishing effort in hot weather. Locations – Llanstephan, Hereford, Ross/Monmouth.

-          SE stated Wye salmon die at 27 Deg C, but depends on circumstances. Advisory is not to fish above water temp of 20 Deg c.

-          On monitoring and farm work, one farmer had sequestered 47,000 tons of organic material by changing farming methods. Now getting a good picture of organic material in catchment.

-          Most grants post 2020 will be for Carbon and Climate.

-          WUF have employed a fundraiser.

NEW 2019 SALMON AND SEA TROUT STOCK ASSESSMENTS

Please find attached latest stock assessments for salmon and sea trout in Wales which have just been published. The evidence, based on fish catches in 2018, indicate that stocks are now performing at their worst levels on record.

All salmon stocks and about half of our sea trout stocks are below safe biological levels and at risk of ongoing decline.

The new assessments are of great concern and indicate a deeply worrying trend of ongoing decline. We all want to improve stocks, and much work is underway by NRW, Afonydd Cymru and the rivers trusts and others to achieve this. Some of the issues are very difficult to resolve, notably the record low levels of survival of salmon during the marine phase of their life cycle. However closer to home we can resolve issues that are damaging rivers and our fish and it is essential that we all focus on these.”

NRW is: -

•            Working with WG on a new more protective regime for agriculture

•            Commissioning a set of plans for the restoration of river habitats

•            Considering a report from its external advisory group on fish-eating birds and its recommendation for a policy review by WG.

It’s important to note that increases in spawning stocks as a result of these and other initiatives are particularly valuable when stocks are at low levels. Even relatively small numbers of fish are crucial to recover stocks in as short a time as possible. Every spawning fish matters.

Couldn't make it up really could you!!!!!!!!!!!!