South East Wales Rivers Trust

Transcription

1 Newsletter Summer 2017 Page 1 A significant part of our work is the improvement of our river habitats and, within that, the implementation of easements to facilitate the passage of migratory fish. Although targeted towards Salmon such developments are also beneficial to Trout and other species, as well as rivers ecology. The following text and illustrations show some recent developments, on rivers and in classrooms. All our work is assessed by and in conjunction with Natural Resources Wales. installed timber baulks providing a defined channel and resting areas. In five the river is subsequently in flood. Two channels to the left and right now make it possible for migratory fish to keep moving upstream. River Cynon Fish Passage. Pictures one to five show the progression of some easement work on a long flat weir on the river Cynon with the first image showing the initial condition. Two shows a main sewer necessitating requisite permissions from Welsh Water. Three and four show One Three Two Five Four

2 Newsletter Summer 2017 Page 2 Removal of a Fish Farm Abstraction Weir The weir shown below was an old one that had been built on the little river Mychydd a tributary of the Ely and one of the best spawning streams on the Ely. The weir that was considered a barrier to fish at some water heights had been built many years ago to supply water to a local Trout farm to fill the fishery ponds and a small fish farm. The fishery was turned into a coarse fishery some years ago so the weir was redundant. The owner of the fishery and the owner on the opposite bank gave us permission to remove it. The Contractor found that it was hard work for the machine as it had reinforced with wire---the river had also found its way around one (west) side of the weir which consequently needed reinforcing. A short piece of the weir was left to protect the otherwise undamaged East bank. Picture one shows the weir, two shows a member of the Trust looking at it prior to work starting. Three show the work and the dust coming from the concrete. Four shows the work coming to an end, we needed to leave a short piece so as to protect the east bank. Five shows the stream below the weir opened up and six shows the re-enforcement of the bank. We are currently waiting for an Electro fishing survey to be carried out by Natural Resources Wales above the weir to see if salmon have spawned in the area above the weir. Previously they have not found any. Finding salmon fry will prove that the work has been successful as no Fry have been found above before. Two One Four Three Six Five

3 Newsletter Summer 2017 Page 3 Long live the Eel a sustainable Eel project: During 2016 we had discussions with RWE Power at Aberthaw on funding through their environmental provisions for a project that has been called Eel enhancement River Thaw. Before this happened we had already decided that we were going to run a Sustainable European Eel Project instead of our well known Salmon Coming Home project we used to run. Sadly, the latter has been curtailed arising from NRW s current non-stocking policies that now denies us a supply of Salmon eggs. Keen to find a successor to the well received Salmon exercises we have been having discussions with some well known Eel experts including one who has already been involved in such ventures. The project is similar to Salmon Come Home, it s just based on a different fish! In March 2017 Trust members met with Richard Cook from the Wye Smokery at Westbury on Severn to ask for some support in getting the Eels project up and running as the successor to Salmon Come Home. Richard was extremely supportive and, in addition to agreeing to provide Eels, also offered to provide the necessary equipment to enable the project to start. Eels would be supplied, courtesy of Glass Eels UK. Subsequent visits to the Smokery and a local expert provided us with briefings of how to manage the Eel colonies; and the support required for host school. During May 2017all the knowledge gained was put into practice. With grateful thanks to Ceri Thomas who came to help us, whose expertise and assistance was invaluable, aquaria were installed in Blaen Y Cwm, St Mary,s Church of England, Willow Town Ebbw Vale, and Elvers introduced to their new homes. Subsequently we have placed installations in Welsh Waters Education Centre Radyr Primary, and Y Bont Faen Cowbridge. The Millenium Park Centre Trelewis and The Bothy Cyfarthfa Park. The new project was now under way a simple system and the elvers were happy with a water temperature of 20 C, the children fed the elvers twice a day with a small pinch of food. Long live the Eel a sustainable Eel project:

4 Newsletter Summer 2017 Page 4 So how have things progressed?... Since the installation of the aquariums in the various locations, we have visited on an ad hoc basis just to make sure everything has been progressing well. This project has been surprisingly easy for the schools and education centres to run, the elvers have progressed extremely well and the children have taken great delight in looking after these fascinating creatures. A simple system and the elvers were happy with a water temperature of 20 C, the children fed the elvers twice a day with a small pinch of food. An object of delight is an Elver hammock, a piece of plastic debri on which the Elvers congregate en bloc. The installation is a simple affair and the Elvers survive happily at room temperature (20 degrees Celsius). Children feed them twice daily with just a pinch of food. During recent weeks all of the school have released their elvers back into the waterways around South Wales. The schools in Brynmawr and Ebbw Vale released the elvers at a safe site on the River Ebbw Fach at Cwm. Radyr School released their elvers at Radyr Weir on the River Taff in Cardiff, The Elvers in the Education Centre at Cilfyndd released them into the River Taff just behind the Education Centre. The elvers in the Millennium Centre will be released into the River Taf Bargoed at Trelewis and the elvers in the Bothy will be released into Cyfarthfa Park Lake next week. Y Bont School in Cowbridge released their elvers into the River Thaw just behind the school in Cowbridge. This work with Y Bont Faen is coinciding with major Project on the river Thaw for improving the habitat in it to sustain a greater Eel population. This project has been funded by RWE Power at Aberthaw as part of its environment brief. Eels are a species that very little is known about and in recent years (ten) have suffered a major decline. It is not really known why as the life cycle has not had the benefit of a major study like other species. This is probably due in part to the difficulty in tracing their movements as they travel from the rivers of Britain and Europe to the Saragossa Sea to breed. We do know that they were affected by a disease. Eels also have a mystique of their own in that they are either revered or loathed by anglers. The general public due to their snake like appearance also tend to be wary. However what we found in this project was that apprehension turned to love as those taken part suddenly took a liking to their antics in the aquarium such as climbing up the sides of the glass and their Houdini like performance in the hammock. Below are some pictures of those making it happen. Below pupils from Y Bont Faen.

5 Newsletter Summer 2017 Page 5 Pictures from left to right Clockwise: The Eel Team: Tony Rees MBE Chairman, Jon Taylor Treasurer Trust, John Coombs and Keith Jones, volunteers And Andrew Bury Chairman Cowbridge anglers. John Coombs helping to put the eels in. The eels themselves and The Chairman presenting Ben Powell Teacher, Radyr, who supervised the pupils, with a certificate from the Trust. Below Pupils from Radyr Primary School from the left: The Class, A young pupil waiting to put her eels In, and another one putting them in with John Coombs.

6 Newsletter Summer 2017 Page 5 A special mention..the last set are of participants from St Marys Church Of England, Blaen Y Cwm Brynmawr. Willow Town Ebbw Vale arise out of a special relationship we have and have had for many years with Environment Staff from Blaenau Gwent, particularly with our Salmon project.