Some of you may have seen todays BBC Welsh news in which the WUF are calling on farmers to be made to comply with proper land use to prevent run off during heavy periods of rainfall especially in the winter. Amen to that,.
It was also stated that phosphate levels are rising and that the problem of siltation has trebled since 1980 and that this was causing damage to invertebrates and destruction of fish eggs.

Whilst I'm all for more control of doubtful farming practices, ( we were highlighting this more than a decade ago although no one took any notice) resulting in the loss of land to the river I have to say that so far I cannot see nowhere has anyone has been able to demonstrate that this is the cause of a decline of our  fish stocks.  Common sense dictates that of course it may well be a factor but to what extent?   If 'juveniles' are absent from some sites on the middle and lower river in particular it may well be that there are not enough adults, perhaps none at all, available to provide the eggs required.  Easy enough to blame siltation, or even the barbel perhaps,but has it been shown that this is the reason?

Interestingly the young lady from WUF, a miz Adams if I recall correctly, who was on the programme told us that stocks of trout and salmon were declining across the catchments.  Rather at odds is it not to the propaganda usually promoted by WUF that stocks of 'juveniles' are in fact increasing across the Wye catchment.!

LATEST.  The above item was repeated on this evenings BBC Welsh  news -in fact a slightly longer version.
 Coincidentally -or perhaps not,  the quote by miz Adams that 'stocks of trour and salmon are decreasing across the catchment" was left out this time? I know that thats what she said, I re ran it a couple of times to make sure. Are they controlling the news media spin now too I wonder.

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>
> AST Newsletter November 2014
>
> The purpose of AST's newsletters is to update our supporters and
> enable them to challenge the AST team on the direction and content of
> our work. During the summer there has been a lot of action:
>
> The 2014 Season - Impressions of a Poor Fishing Season
>
> Early reports from the four big rivers of Scotland indicate that 2014
> has been a year of exceptionally low rod catches of wild Atlantic
> salmon. No-one can deny that it has been a difficult year.
>
> We should remember that rod catches often fail to tell the whole
> story. That point was well made when Rick Rosenthal, the Lost at Sea
> cinematographer (and Blue Planet cameraman), filmed upwards of 25
> maturing MSW salmon in early July in a South Esk middle river holding
> pool, in which it had been thought there were no fish. Before we
> despair we should count our returning adult salmon!
>
> Sea Trout
>
> Catches on some rivers, for example the Spey, Kyle of Sutherland and
> the Esks, show signs of recovery and indications from tributaries show
> that sea trout spawning has been exceptionally good in some parts of
> the Spey catchment. Average weights of one sea winter sea trout are
> above 1Kg, indicating good availability of prey species in intertidal
> and coastal zones. Interest in sea trout will be focussed on the
> international symposium being held at Dundalk in Ireland from 20 to 22
> October 2015, which AST is helping to organise. We will report further
> on sea trout on Facebook and in website blogs.
>
> Pelagic By-Catch
>
> AST is now a member of the Pelagic Advisory Council (PELAC) which
> gives us opportunities to work with our pelagic fishermen colleagues.
> Members of the AST team were in The Hague in September for our third
> meeting with PELAC. The SALSEA-merge project confirmed the wild
> Atlantic salmon is a pelagic species of marine fish (with an
> anadromous life strategy). Salmon therefore swim alongside and within
> shoals of marine species, such as herring, blue whiting and mackerel.
> When salmon post-smolts samples were taken, it was found that both
> mackerel and herring were present in the catches.
>
> Since completion of SALSEA surveys, it has been confirmed that both
> species feed in the same areas of the sea as wild salmon do. There is
> therefore no doubt that some salmon are being caught up in pelagic
> nets.
>
> The question is, "what is the extent of this accidental 'by-catch'?"
> If we can identify locations, times and numbers of salmon, we can
> start a discussion with our PELAC colleagues on how best to reduce any
> damage. It is early days, but AST rates this as an important line of
> research, and ultimately of conservation management of salmon stocks
> at sea.
>
> Sea trout. Planning for the Second International Sea Trout Symposium
> in Dundalk, Ireland 20 - 22 October 2015
>
> Sea trout are a priority for AST. These complex and polymorphic fish
> have to a large extent been neglected. Indeed, in some rivers they
> were until only recently regarded as a nuisance! Now it is different:
> Salmo Trutta. L is a Biodiversity Action Plan species and, as such,
> their true worth as biological indicators of freshwater and intertidal
> environments is recognised.
>
> In the period 1952 - 2013 angling catches of sea trout fell by 80% +.
> While the culture of night fishing has declined in popularity, there
> is no doubt that stocks have diminished. Mean length and weights of
> sea trout have changed, while the impacts of freshwater and marine
> aquaculture have had a profound impact on viability of stocks and
> component populations. There may well be other problems, as yet
> undiscovered.
>
> Issues such as impacts of climate change on habitats, salmon farming,
> anadromy (why do some trout go to sea?), forestry, upland & smalls
> streams habitats management, marine feeding, growth trends, predation,
> and exploitation will all be discussed as we move towards a more
> integrated approach to managing this important species.
>
> Stock dynamics and assessment. New tools for managers
>
> It was reassuring to note the emphasis placed on improving stock
> assessment in the recently published Scottish Fisheries Review.
>
> There is general support among fishery managers and biologists for
> more accurate ways of assessing stocks. The two aspects - stock
> structure and numbers of fish - can only be dealt with if managers
> understand the makeup of the stock of wild Atlantic salmon in a given
> river catchment. Run timings, spawning and juvenile habitat locations
> within the catchment and smolt age, as well as marine feeding
> locations, migration routes and attribution of marine samples to
> specific regions or rivers, are all part of understanding how
> genetically distinct populations define stock structure.
>
> AST with the IFM and scientific colleagues has been working on a tool
> for non scientists to raise awareness of the complexities of wild
> Atlantic salmon stock structure, and the drivers of population
> abundance or otherwise. By giving the layman a better understanding of
> the whole life of the fish we hope to encourage a better informed
> debate on measures to conserve stocks.
>
> AST - November 2014
>
> Atlantic Salmon Trust, Suite 3/11, King James VI Business Centre,
> Friarton Road, Perth PH2 8DG
>
> Tel: 01738 472032 - Email: info@atlanticsalmontrust.org
> <mailto:info@atlanticsalmontrust.org>
> - http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org