Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Fisheries Report October - December 2014

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1 Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Fisheries Report October - December 2014 Title here in 8pt Arial (change text colour to black) i

2 We are the Environment Agency. We protect and improve the environment and make it a better place for people and wildlife. We operate at the place where environmental change has its greatest impact on people s lives. We reduce the risks to people and properties from flooding; make sure there is enough water for people and wildlife; protect and improve air, land and water quality and apply the environmental standards within which industry can operate. Acting to reduce climate change and helping people and wildlife adapt to its consequences are at the heart of all that we do. We cannot do this alone. We work closely with a wide range of partners including government, business, local authorities, other agencies, civil society groups and the communities we serve. Published by: Environment Agency Horizon house, Deanery Road Bristol BS1 5AH enquiries@environmentagency.gov.uk Environment Agency 2011 All rights reserved. This document may be reproduced with prior permission of the Environment Agency. ii Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Fisheries Report October December 2014

3 Contents Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Fisheries Report: Oct Dec Key Issues 1 2 Fisheries Management 2 Fisheries Consents 3 Improving Fish Passage 4 Angling Event Kelham Hall, Nottinghamshire 5 Fish Refuge Cossington Meadows Nature Reserve 6 Fish Stocking 7 Saundby Ponds, Gainsborough 7 Rivers Soar and Sence, Leicestershire 8 Stillwater Netting Surveys 8 Whitwell Pools 8 Leicestershire Stillwater 9 Heatherton Pond, Derbyshire 10 Muskham Lakes 11 Grantham Canal Fish Population Survey 12 Soar Brook Fish Relocation 13 Angling Improvements 14 3 DNL Fish Monitoring Programme 2014 / Project Programme 19 Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Fisheries Report October December 2014 iii

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5 1 Key Issues Autumn is typically a quieter time of year with regards to incidents, which enables us to address our stillwater netting programme and site advisory visits. Lower water temperatures give rise to an increase in fish movement applications, which are addressed through our Live Fish Movements Database (LFMD). However, DEFRA are introducing new live fish movement regulations in January 2015, which will supersede LFMD, reducing paperwork for fishery managers, fish suppliers and us, while enhancing protection of fish stocks, the fisheries they support and the wider environment. We have already been talking to fish suppliers, the angling and fisheries communities about the scheme and we are now writing to fish suppliers to tell them about the detail. We will also inform fishery owners through a number of routes, including factsheets, which will be available to share with fisheries from January If you have any queries in the meantime, please contact the Fish Movements Authorisation Team on (01480) or by at fmapplications@environmentagency.gov.uk. Progress is continuing with work generated through the Eel Regulations 2009 and by working closely with owners of priority structures, industry and our colleagues, the team are providing consistent advice and guidance, ensuring appropriate compliance measures are in place and the right outcomes are achieved. High priority intakes are required to have either compliant screening or an exemption in place by 1 st January 2015, so with this mind, it is important that time is taken to undertake any assessments and where necessary, issue our exemption notices by this date. Fish passage and habitat restoration remains a priority and continues to draw on resource across the team. As can be seen in the Fisheries Management section, the final quarter of the financial year is an exciting time, as we see all the hard work in developing projects in the earlier months come to fruition. Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Fisheries Report October December

6 2 Fisheries Management The Fisheries team is able to deliver much of its work thanks to income generated through rod licence sales. This includes reactive incident response to fish in distress and fish mortalities and enables us to develop, improve and maintain your fisheries. If you see any signs of fish in distress or gasping at the water s surface, please call our 24 hour incident hotline on: You will also find our incident hotline number on your Environment Agency Rod Licence. 2 Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Fisheries Report October December 2014

7 During the period of October to December the Fisheries team undertook 81 consultations, meetings and site visits. These included fish surveys, fisheries advisory visits and site visits. In addition, the team responded to land drainage consents, planning applications and information requests. The team processed a total of 61 Section 30 and 49 Section 28 fish movement consents during the period. Fisheries Consents The table below provides a breakdown of all the applications processed by the Fisheries team during the period of October December Month Section 30 s Section 28 s Consented Refused Withdrawn Consented Refused Withdrawn October November December Table 1: Fish movement applications October December 2014 Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Fisheries Report October December

8 Improving Fish Passage The Environment Agency has recently completed the construction of a fish pass adjacent to our hydrometric gauging weir at Whatstandwell, Derbyshire. The fish pass, a Larinier baffle type, enables the migration of coarse fish, trout and grayling. These fish need to access a varied range of habitats within the river for refuge, spawning and to find food. The project was delivered under the Water Framework Directive, which aims to protect and improve the quality of water environments. As further passage improvements are delivered downstream, our gauging weir will be ready and waiting to allow migratory salmon access into the upper Derwent catchment, which we have recently recorded upstream of Derby. Our Fisheries team will be monitoring the fish pass next autumn using underwater cameras. This data will be used to provide information on which fish species are using the fish pass. Hopefully one day a salmon will put in an appearance! Whatstandwell Fish Pass, Derbyshire 4 Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Fisheries Report October December 2014

9 Angling Event Kelham Hall, Nottinghamshire In November, Nottingham Piscatorial Society presented an evening with top Midlands anglers, Des Taylor and Dave Harrell. Both the Fisheries Officer for the patch and Fisheries Team Leader attended the event and along with approximately anglers, all were treated to excellent talks and demonstrations. EA Fisheries staff held a stand at the event, promoting our fisheries and biodiversity work, fisheries enforcement, River Basin Management Plan (RBMP) and Flood Risk Management Plan (FRMP) consultations. Other stands at the event included The Angling Trust, The Barbel Society, Nottingham Piscatorial Society and various fishing tackle retailers. Audience at Kelham Hall complete with Fisheries and Angling Trust stands Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Fisheries Report October December

10 Fish Refuge Cossington Meadows Nature Reserve, Leicestershire Work has recently been completed on the creation of a new fish refuge at Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trusts, Cossington Meadows. The new refuge is an extensive pool connected by a channel to the adjacent River Soar and will provide multiple benefits, including essential habitat for fish spawning, a safe-haven for juvenile (baby) fish and a resting area for fish of all sizes when the River Soar is swollen or in flood. At Cossington Meadows in 2012, a number of bream died after becoming stranded in a ditch when the level receded. It is highly likely the fish left the main river to escape the highly turbid, fast water. The fish refuge has been carefully designed to allow fish of all sizes to safely escape the main river flow and later re-join the river when water levels fall. The River Soar flows slowly by Cossington Meadows Nature Reserve and has been classed as failing under the European Water Framework Directive, which seeks to get all watercourses into good ecological condition. Now the fish refuge has been completed, it is hoped its associated benefits will lead to increased coarse fish numbers within the River Soar, contribute to an improvement in its ecological condition, provide increased sport for anglers and further encouragement for individuals to take up the sport. Cossington, before and after 6 Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Fisheries Report October December 2014

11 Fish Stocking Fish are stocked for a variety of reasons, including the creation of a new fishery, mitigation to overcome the impact of an activity and restoration following a fish mortality event, such as a pollution incident. In the interests of fish welfare, fish movements are generally undertaken during the autumn and winter when cooler water temperatures among other factors provide less stressful conditions for fish. All fish stocked were sourced from the Environment Agency s Calverton Fish Farm. A summary of stockings undertaken is provided in the following paragraphs. Saundby Ponds, Gainsborough, North Lincolnshire A total of 2,500 fish, comprising of Common Bream, Rudd and Roach, were stocked into Saundby Ponds, Gainsborough. The ponds are leased by Tidal Trent Angling Club and in response to the stocking, the club will be organising some fishing matches in 2015, which will provide useful anger-catch data to inform us of fish growth and recruitment (reproduction), as well as introducing new anglers to the absorbing sport of angling. Saundby Ponds, Gainsborough Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Fisheries Report October December

12 Rivers Soar and Sence, Leicestershire A total of 3,300 coarse fish, comprising of Chub, Dace, Barbel and Roach were stocked into the River Soar near Barrow upon Soar and at another site on the River Sence. These stretches of river are leased to numerous angling clubs; some of which were present on the day of the stocking. All hold matches on the rivers in question and will provide us with useful angler-catch data, as well as encouraging new anglers to the sport. Stocking on the Rivers Soar and Sence Stillwater Netting Surveys The Fisheries team carried out 6 stillwater seine nettings during October to December Site locations and details are covered in the following paragraphs. Whitwell Pools Fisheries Technical Officers carried out a seine netting exercise at Whitwell Pools, near Burton-on-Trent. The surveys were undertaken following a request from Dove Valley Angling Club for a stock assessment after taking on the ponds some months ago. 8 Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Fisheries Report October December 2014

13 Both ponds were netted 3 times to allow population estimates to be calculated and species caught included Carp, Tench, Common Bream and Roach. The club have expressed concerns regarding fish predation by cormorants at the site and a noticeable absence of smaller fish may have provided some evidence to reflect this. However, both ponds have a good coverage of marginal aquatic plants and the upper pond has an island, which helps provide further refuge. Cormorants have the ability to reduce fish stocks at many stillwater fisheries, as well as on stretches of river. Some argue there have always been inland freshwater populations, despite being typically known as a coastal bird. The Angling Trust currently have officers employed to provide further advice and guidance on how their impact on such waters can be minimised. Netting at Whitwell Pools Leicestershire Stillwater A mortality event had occurred in the spring / summer prior to our visit and concerns were expressed by the angling club that numbers of fish being caught had declined. A report of findings will be produced and submitted to the angling club in due course, which will include analysis of scale data to inform on the level of fish recruitment, age classes and species composition. Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Fisheries Report October December

14 A total of two nettings were performed either side of the island and fish species caught included Carp, Bream, Perch, Pike and Bleak. Fish pose for the camera in Leicestershire Heatherton Pond, Derbyshire The survey was undertaken following a request from Earl of Harrington Angling Club for a stock assessment, after taking on the pond from Derby City Council some months ago. As is the case for requests of this nature, the pond was netted 3 times to allow population estimates to be calculated. The only species caught were a number of Carp species and one Goldfish. There was a noticeable absence of smaller fish and species richness was poor, which may be evidence of fish predation by cormorants and possible water quality issues, as the average pond depth is less than 3ft. However, the pond has a good coverage of marginal aquatic plants and an island, which helps provide further refuge. 10 Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Fisheries Report October December 2014

15 Processing Carp at Heatherton Muskham Lakes, near Newark Fisheries and Sampling & Collection officers undertook a seine netting operation on Kingfisher Lake, one of a complex of fishing lakes owned by Nottingham Piscatorial Society. The survey was completed following concerns from anglers that few fish, particularly Carp were being caught. Two seine nettings were carried out, one at each end of the 7-acre lake and revealed good numbers of both small and large Carp of various varieties. A number of large and small Common Carp were moved by the angling club to the adjacent Bridge Lake and small Mirror Carp released back into Kingfisher Lake. The club is planning on making Kingfisher a specimen water for Mirror Carp in addition to assessing fish numbers. A report of findings will be produced for the club in due course and further fisheries management advice provided as required. Hauling and processing at Muskham Lakes Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Fisheries Report October December

16 Grantham Canal Fish Population Survey Members of the Fisheries and Sampling & Collection teams braved the cold winds to undertake a fish population survey on a 100m stretch of the Grantham Canal in Nottinghamshire for Parkside Angling Club. The canal can be prone to dissolved oxygen crashes during the warmer summer months due to lack of water movement, shallow water depth and abundant growth of aquatic plants and algae. Following a number of fish deaths on two separate occasions over the last 18 months, the purpose of the survey was to assess the recovering health of the resident fish population. The fish were caught using electric fishing gear, deployed from a boat. This technique temporarily stuns the fish, which are then placed into recovery tanks with a dissolved oxygen supply, prior to recording species and length data and removal of scales for age analysis. Large numbers of fish were caught, indicating a well established fish population and analysis of the scale samples will also provide information on age classes and reproduction. The data obtained from the survey will be compared with a previous report to assess the level of population recovery. Electric-fishing on the Grantham Canal, Nottinghamshire 12 Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Fisheries Report October December 2014

17 Soar Brook Fish Relocation Fisheries and Sampling & Collection officers carried out a fish rescue / relocation exercise on a 60m stretch of the Soar Brook in Sharnford, Leicestershire. The rescue was carried out ahead of Environment Agency maintenance work to de-silt the stretch in question to minimise risk of potential flooding to neighbouring properties, so fish within the stretch needed to be relocated downstream outside of the works area before the silt could be removed with an excavator and tanker. The fish were caught using back-pack electric fishing equipment, which temporarily stuns the fish. They were then placed into buckets of clean water to recover before being released, unharmed, downstream. Species caught included brown trout (top right), perch (bottom left) and bullheads (bottom right). Fish on the move, Leicestershire Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Fisheries Report October December

18 Angling Improvements Fisheries have supplied and delivered a total of 4 angling pegs (1 double and 3 single-sized platforms) to the Earl of Harrington Angling Club at Derwent Valley Fishery near Derby. These platforms have been funded by the Fisheries Team and installed by the angling club. The club had organised a digger the day the platforms were delivered, to begin installing them. Another visit will follow to observe the fully installed pegs. Prior to installation, the lake had limited platforms in place and those existing were in a state of disrepair and as such, fishing activities were affected. The new angling platforms will increase fishing opportunities and improve access for disabled anglers. Installing angling platforms at Derwent Valley Fishery 14 Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Fisheries Report October December 2014

19 3 DNL Fish Monitoring Programme 2014 / 15 Our 2014 fish monitoring programme contains over 90 sites. The programme purposes include long term data for fisheries management, eel population trends and classifying ecological status of our rivers. Alongside these a programme of local investigational work is being completed. During the third quarter (October to December) of 2014/15 we have finished the fish monitoring programme and been busy writing our fish reports for the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and fisheries purposes. The last monitoring surveys were in October on a catchment called the Fleet, north of Newark-on-Trent. Fish were collected from a range of locations for a long term post pollution study. The monitoring team have also completed thirteen fish investigations for WFD purposes, a salmon recovery report for the Derbyshire Derwent and reports for eel management and local fisheries purposes. Electric-fishing at Cromford, River Derwent Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Fisheries Report October December

20 Fish Monitoring Reports For the third quarter we ve produced reports for WFD investigations on waterbodies listed in the table below. Also, site reports for the River Sence, Old Trent and Lea Marsh. During the New Year, the monitoring team will be producing reports for the Wreake, Lower Derwent and Soar. These will be available on request to the EA or through your local Fisheries Officer. Contents will include: River Wreake Walkover Report o A detailed habitat assessment of the River Wreake from Melton Mowbray to the Soar confluence. o Confirming pressures and recommending actions to restore fish populations. Lower Derwent Report o Analysis of fry netting and electric fishing surveys since 2009 for the Derwent catchment including major tributaries. River Soar Report o Review of fish data for the Soar catchment including the Sence, and other major tributaries. o Update of fish population trends. o Update on habitat quality. Waterbody Number GB GB GB GB GB GB GB GB GB GB GB Waterbody Name Rainworth Water from Source to Gallow Hole Dyke River Smite from Dalby Brook to Stroom Dyke River Greet Catchment (trib of Trent) The Beck Catchment (trib of Trent) River Maun from Vicar Water to Rainworth Water The Fleet Lower Catchment (trib of Trent) R Torne from St Catherine'S Well Strm to Mother Dr Mother Drain from Source to R Torne Bottesford Beck Catchment (trib of R Trent) Paupers Drain Catchment (trib of Trent) Hatfield Waste Dr (trib of Torne/Three Rivs) Table 2: WFD waterbodies with failing fish population investigations completed in 2014 Investigations were completed to understand the reasons for poor fish populations and supply our delivery teams with the evidence to inform catchment plans and improve fish populations. 16 Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Fisheries Report October December 2014

21 Other tasks completed by the monitoring team in the third quarter include providing support for invasive species work, planning programmes and developing fish ecology training tools. Fish Monitoring Photos from 2014 Young Eel from Slough Dyke (the Fleet) at Winthorpe, Newark Monitoring Team at Farndon Marina Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Fisheries Report October December

22 Monitoring Team at North Clifton, River Trent Monitoring Team at Church Warsop, River Meden 18 Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Fisheries Report October December 2014

23 4 Project Programme The 2014 / 15 project programme continues and with funding in place, we look to continue to provide best value for money for the public and environment. The coming months will see us continue to work across organisations to provide the best possible outcomes. Project Name Project Phase Watercourse Project Status Southwell gauging weir fish pass Construction River Greet Ongoing Church Warsop Construction River Meden Ongoing gauging weir fish pass Hallcroft gauging weir fish pass Construction River Idle Ongoing Table 3: CAPEX fish pass programme Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Fisheries Report October December

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