Still fish in the lower river of course and Geoff Handley was off the mark again yesterday seemingly single handed in adding to the rivers total. Two yesterday evening before the tide 10 and 12lbs, no sea lice and another lost whilst spinning. A trout and some shad on the fly too.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------From the Brecon and Radnor Express. Strange isn't it that those charged with preservation of the river are the ones complaining here. Have they not been telling us for years the work they have done has been a success in almost all aspects. Seems not. Get your own house in order first it seems to me before complaining about those ypu haveworked hand in glove with.
The nation’s ‘favourite’ river is facing ecological disaster
The normally clear waters of River Wye turned green this week due to a proliferation of microscopic plants known as algae. Over the past three or four years the river’s previously mild algal blooms have become significantly more intense and prolonged. There are now serious concerns over the permanently damaging effects these severe blooms are having on the ecology of this highly protected river, along with the people and businesses that rely on it.
Discolouration of the water by algal blooms prevents essential sunlight reaching essential aquatic plants such as ranunculus, killing them off. These plants play a vital role in the river’s ecology, providing food and habitat for a range of invertebrate, fish and bird species. In addition, excessive algae reduces the availability of oxygen in the water at nighttime which, when combined with high temperatures, can kill fish such as Atlantic salmon, barbel and brown trout.
Algal blooms are caused by a combination of factors, including levels of light and flow. However, a large increase in the amount of phosphate, which acts as a fertilizer, entering the Wye is thought to be the principal reason for the recent increase in the blooms’ severity.
The geographical location of this extra phosphate is also believed to be a factor. The upper river in Wales is now a significant source following a large expansion of the poultry industry over the last decade. Since 2008 the catchment of one of the river’s tributaries in Powys now hosts an extra ten million chickens. This has produced massive amounts of highly reactive phosphates from their manures.
The proportion of phosphate in the Wye from agriculture has doubled in the past six years. The river is now failing its permitted levels of phosphate under the EU Habitats Directive.
Simon Evans, CEO of the Wye and Usk Foundation said: “The ecological deterioration of the Welsh Wye continues. Both Powys County Council and Natural Resources Wales have a legal responsibility to protect Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) like the Wye, but apparently have been unwilling to use the existing laws to protect the river from the nation’s desire to eat more free range eggs. In the case of Powys County Council, this includes considering the impact of new poultry developments individually and cumulatively. Evidently, this is something that is not happening.”
He added: “The result is a river, once voted the UK’s favourite, turning a putrid green every summer and having its ecology destroyed. Despite Welsh Government’s outward desire for sustainability and the protection of Future Generations, not to mention their legal obligations, there is little appetite to curb the planning excesses and environmental damage arising: this is a disgrace.”
Liz Price, the Wye & Usk Foundation’s Head of Landuse (Wales), said: “All the farmers I know in Powys want to operate in an environmentally responsible way. They have been let down by the council planners who they assumed would be processing their applications with the correct environmental assessments.”
Dr Stephen Marsh-Smith OBE, Executive Director of Afonydd Cymru, the umbrella organisation for Wales’s river trusts said: “The situation on the Wye mirrors the situation across much of Wales. There have been algal blooms in other Welsh rivers including the Usk, Tywi and Cleddau. Special Areas of Conservation are adversely affected by uncontrolled agricultural intensification, especially of the dairy industry in the south west. In 2018 Afonydd Cymru lodged a formal complaint to the European Commission about the lack of regulation in Wales, inappropriate planning and lack of Water Protection Zones”.
Adam Fisher, owner of Fishers, an angling and clothing store in Ross-on-Wye commented: “For the past three or four years the river has turned a sickly colour and appeared lifeless just as the tourist season starts. For the large number visitor-reliant businesses up and down the Wye Valley preparing to resume after the COVID-19 crisis, this is nothing short of a disaster.”
Maurice Hudson, a local salmon angler who has fished the Wye for over seventy years said: “In the last six years I have noticed a deterioration in the river’s health. The part of the river where I fish was always best in low water levels in the spring and summer. Now the river is thick with algae at these times meaning it is impossible to fish. You can’t even find small creatures in the shallows like bullhead anymore.”
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RESERVOIRS
Under the current conditions reservoir trout might just be the answer to our salmon drought although we are still hampered in Wales with travel restrictions. In England however the large reservoirs will be a major target and in spite of what some people say about stocked fish an overwintered large rainbow is a great fighting fish at least on a par with sea trout in my opinion.
Was a big enthusiast of the large reservoirs years ago and each of them had a different appeal. However Chew Valley and Blagdon lakes were favourite's and Draycote too could always produce good fish. Grafham and Rutland were further away but on their day they could all produce great sport. Have to say I was never a fan of Llandegfed but had some good days at Clewedog, a very well run fishery. Usk reservoir was ok though hampered by wormers and Talybont was always a challenge but a very pleasent place to fish.
Must mention the Elan valley lakes which gave many happy days, not with big fish but with moderate brownies in great surroundings.
Many of these lakes however hold coarse fish too including pike and perch. Chew produces huge pike and Blagdon too now has them . I did get a pike of about 7lbs from |Blagdon years ago on a small buzzer but by accident of course.
However it was Chew that had some fish I was interested in as I was well into taxidermy at that time.
It contained, and I am sure still does, some really nice perch to specimen size and someone asked me to try and get a couple for him. They took the buzzers and nymphs we always fished for trout and if you could find a shoal good sport was on the cards. Great looking fish when set up but no great shakes in the fighting stakes but filled in many a happy hour. Must get back there and find out whats going on there these days.
Fish to 2 1/2 lbs were fairly common and below is a case of fish I did for someone heaven knows when ,everything seems a long time ago these days!!! .
Mentioned the first Wye Beaver some time ago. Took these pics of the beast in the back seat of the car having just been collected from the Taxidermist and on its way to Painscastle
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