Wuf Director keeps giving pearls of wisdom on the internet. This is his latest.

"Quote,

Where in the real would anyone think that the minuscule number of adult fish that might possibly (but probably not) have been derived from a very small stocking have any influence on the natural recolonisation of the Arrow from the relatively huge Wye population? David there are so many useful things to spend money on: More fish passes for eg NK

So there you have it.  From claiming categorically that the stocking or the Lugg and Arrow worked when they did it, he says now that 'probably' NO fish returned to the river from that stocking.
Seems too we have a HUGE population on the Wye anyway so the Arrow stocking numbers were insignificant (350,000). Spending money also comes into the equation of course.

Interestingly I found this today apparently from Dr Graeme Harris, who may still be a friend of WUF. who was once Chairman of the Fishery, Ecology and Recreation Advisory Committee in Wales.
Referring to data from studies at Burrishole (was that Dr McGinnity too) where all fish are trapped he apparently said that the figures from the Irish scientists proved that hatchery rearing could produce 60 adult grilse for every 3 that survived in the wild from the same number of eggs.  He also said that only 0.4% of salmon eggs survived in the wild to become smolts.

I wonder if Dr Harris still takes that view and what part if any did he play in the NRA consultation.  Wouldn't mind betting he is now sitting on the other side of the fence like many others.

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In case you thought my Wye report was a little brief this month please see below the one I sent and how it differs from the one that was published.   I'm not making any comment as to why - you may have an opinion of your own.

RIVER WYE REPORT  OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2014.

Final figures for the Wye are always problematic and depends which collection of catch statistics you look at but at the moment the final figure is somewhere between 550 and 570.  Fact is some of the catches materialise from nowhere with no names of captor or indeed any other details. Others seem to get an invite to fish a beat and put down a fish in the book as a thank you to the owner. I know this is true as it happened to me more than once. The EA catch was always the one most referred to as being the most accurate as it resulted from anglers and owners catch returns.  We shall have to wait for this.

The last two weeks of the season was on the high side for most and mercifully there were not too many caught on the spawning redds. The month produced around 60 fish but this included some late reports of fish caught earlier in the season.

Most fish were caught on the upper river from places such as Spreadeagle, Rectory, Ty-Newyyd, The Nyth, Abernant, Glanwye, Builth Town, Rhosferig and one at Rhayader on the last day of the season. They were a mix of sizes but no reports of any big fish. Wonder what happens to all the ‘twenties’ reported during the spring?

Whatever the total it’s less than half of last season total and whilst various theories are expressed to account for it no one really knows do they.  Sea survival seems to be the favourite and most likely suspect but again much of this is speculation.

In fact speculation seems to be the name of the game in many quarters.  At the recent WUF Annual meeting the Director indicated that he thought that the river was producing more smolts than ever. This was classic speculation as he has no way of estimating how many smolts the river is producing. He tried to do so by comparing returns of adults to the river, again speculation,  set against percentage of sea survival, again totally unknown.   So you have no real information to put in yet expect to get out an answer that everyone can believe in.  Not sure many did, though hard to believe that this year’s catch figures never got a mention at the meeting at all..  In 2012/13 with slightly improved numbers it was all down to the ‘work we did ‘in 2008/9.

Much of the meeting was taken up by a presentation by John Lawson who has attempted to improve flow rates on both rivers, and on the Wye by seeking compensation water from  the Elan Valley reservoirs to enhance/prolong a natural spates impact.  Lots of graphs but it would be good to see the full report in print after all the effort he has put in but like other WUF projects, the Irfon (ISSAC) one for instance, then we are still waiting and probably always will.  I asked the Director what would WUFs involvement be with NRW as a partnership seemed imminent between them. He replied that NRW would be the regulatory body and WUF would carry out some of the work.  A route to more funding no doubt so why would WUF not agree to the NRWs descision to close hatcheries made almost certainly way before the sham consultation took place. The Director also indicated that WUF will have soon done all they can on the Wye and we must hope that sea survival rates improve. How comforting is that.

The WSFOA meeting prior the WUF meeting was described by a couple present as bizarre and a shambles. I was not there of course but understand there was considerable unrest with the Chairman walking out on one occasion and another member being told to ‘shut up’.  Not much seemed to have been resolved and some issues were delayed to a later date. It was I understand agreed however that owners should be balloted as to whether the Association should object to the NRW  decision to close the Welsh hatcheries.  A little late in the day as this has already been done and despite the Committee decision not to support the SNR against the wishes of the majority of its members who had already signed up to it.
WUF even supported SNR through WSFOA (the owners), (some of the WUF people are also owners and one is the secretary). The director was on the SNR committee at the owners (WSFOA). WUF's involvement and support was so complete that donated funds specifically for SNR were held by WUF.

Clearly WUF supported SNR when it suited them to appear to do so. As soon as what looked like a better option for them, ie the potential for being NRW's favoured partner (stakeholder, isn't everyone in Wales a NRW stakeholder?) in the vast raft of habitat work across the whole of Wales, they jumped ship.  No doubt there will be much lobbying and persuasion taking place behind the scenes to get people to change their minds and come up with a result acceptable to the two or three people who dominate this seemingly meaningless organisation.  There was also I understand a move to rename the Association and to include ALL river riparian owners into it.  Does not take a crystal ball to see who will benefit from that.

Seems to me that most anglers on the river Wye are now in despair as to what has happened to their river and the state the salmon fishing is in.  A remote, already disgraced NRW who do not seem to have the wit or desire or the money to do anything to improve our fishing. A river trust that cosies up to them, seeming to have lost the main aim of the game and relentlessly enlarges it’s staff and the subsequent funding needed to keep it going with aspirations no doubt to extend its influence further into Wales. Engaging with no one and failing to publish most of the information required to assess its work or to have any of it peer reviewed.

A Wye Salmon Fishery Owners Association whose key members are WUF trustees and benefit from its passport letting scheme especially the coarse fishing side of things which in many cases compromises the salmon fishing beats, and who seem to fund WUF with no idea as to how the money is spent or indeed its effectiveness.  All three bodies have sought to snuff out any initiatives from third party activities with shameful displays of duplicity.   Does anyone really know where we go to from here because quite frankly I don’t?  Wye angler no longer have a voice anywhere it seems to me though, I do my best.

On a brighter note river levels have been good since the season ended and look likely to continue so most fish should be able to access wherever they wish.  Just how many there will be is again speculation.  The only sure thing is that there will not be enough and just a fraction of historical numbers.  No spawning has been reported at the moment but will probably be pretty much over when you read this.

Geoff Franks.