Wye 2021

[peterchilton]

Lets hope there is more fishing, more fish and less pollution .......

 

[Andrew B]

Lets hope there is more fishing, more fish and less pollution .......

Here here Peter. How can such pollution be allowed in such an iconic river is beyond me?

 

[rightangle]

Over the last few days I've been talking to a few members of local syndicates as to their plans for the coming season . One is packing it in completely and is already selling his tackle, one is only taking a trout licence and a third, who two seasons ago had three rods and last season had two, will take only one this coming season. In reality of course most of us will just press on rewardless but there's a general feeling of demoralization and I think it's a consequence of having being almost obliged to take in the cr*p that we've been fed over the last 25 years even though it may not have had any resemblance to our own personal experience and now, when it's so blindingly obvious to everyone that the river is on its knees, we can't help but feel let down.

Which of the organizations which we thought, or just hoped, were on our side can we turn to? Which one of the grandiose sounding projects do we think, in hindsight, was actually worthwhile?

On a totally different note the river is about 6 inches off flooding at Bredwardine and it is now lashing down.

 

[seeking]

Lets hope there is more fishing, more fish and less pollution .......

IME there is much more on my river now. Whether it's wantonly disposed PPE or the synchem hand sanitisers working their way through the CSO's...

Not sure about NRW but if they're anything like EA they will not be monitoring it anyway... (CV19 regs overrode the ineffectual WFD last year and kept EA staff in barracks, not sure what replaced it...)

Bon chance

 

[peterchilton]

Boring i know but i was thinking more of the phosphate pouring into the upper and middle river tributaries from pullet and egg chicken farms which have sprung up all over the catchment .

 

[OURTREV]

Best of luck for the coming season and the art of being in the right place at the right time for all Wye salmon anglers. I know all of the foregoing and last years thread tells me I must be mad but I'm ready to go again this year.
We at Ross AC have moved mountains this autumn and winter to create access to water that has not been fished in years despite the limitations of Covid and hopefully this "new" water might produce the goods it has in the past. We have a healthy membership and a short waiting list and a reasonable cost for a seasons salmon fishing so fingers crossed.

 

[seeking]

Not boring, phosphate is often out of control in most settings, moreso in my catchment now with all folk confined to barracks... but the synchems are increasingly important.

But again, maybe find out if anyone's actually monitoring it routinely now given what replaced WFD...

good luck with the fishing mind.

 

[peterchilton]

Yes seeking the WSA volunteers are monitoring it

In real terms being in the EU and the WFD have done nothing for our river as far as salmon go, NRW have slowly succumbed into mostly, only undertaking box ticking exercises. It can only get better.

 

[Oscar]

Does anyone know anything about Byford?

I am tempted by a local membership (Cotswold Fly Fishers) and they for some reason have salmon fishing at Byford. From a quick GE review it looks to have some nice streamy water, but anyone ahve any more opinions?

I have always struggled with the Wye (for a number of reasons) but if it was included in a membership I might give it a crack!

Oscar.

 

[peterchilton]

To be honest no direct knowledge but it is in the area that has suffered the most from the decline of the spring run, back in the day salmon moved slowly upstream unhindered by weirs or falls (which is still true) and would rest here on the way.
A good bet would be to join WSA for £10 and take advantage of some of the fishing that they have for free, we had arrangements on 10 beats last year - https://www.wyesalmon.com/join-us/

 

[steved]

Just heard Ed Brown has won last years Charles Farlow trophy for his fish from Spreadeagle, they are scarce but this river represents still the chance of a big fish
Tight lines everyone if we manage to get a go

 

[peterchilton]

Just heard Ed Brown has won last years Charles Farlow trophy for his fish from Spreadeagle, they are scarce but this river represents still the chance of a big fish
Tight lines everyone if we manage to get a go

agreed its the thing that draws us back - the real chance of a 30 or even a 40lber

 

[rightangle]

Oscar you have p.m. regarding Byford.

 

[fixedspool]

Just heard Ed Brown has won last years Charles Farlow trophy for his fish from Spreadeagle, they are scarce but this river represents still the chance of a big fish
Tight lines everyone if we manage to get a go

Does anyone have a picture of this fish???

 

[steved]

Does anyone have a picture of this fish???

There is one taken from the opposite bank , I would imagine for it to win the Farlow a photograph would have been required , I will ask Ed and if he sends me one I will email it to you Geoff

 

[steved]

Does anyone have a picture of this fish???

Just sent you a pic

 

[Geoffmaynard]

Not boring, phosphate is often out of control in most settings, moreso in my catchment now with all folk confined to barracks... but the synchems are increasingly important.

But again, maybe find out if anyone's actually monitoring it routinely now given what replaced WFD...

good luck with the fishing mind.

Seeing the latest non-statement from Ruth Jenkins gives me no hope for the future. More of the same old same old. Anything mentioning 'partners' 'educating' 'to help' etc is just more wasted money from waffle-muppets. Bah!

21 Jan 2021​

Tighter phosphate targets change our view of the state of Welsh rivers

For the first time since stricter targets for phosphate levels were set for Wales’ rivers, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has today (21 January 2021) published an evidence package outlining phosphate levels for all river Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) across Wales. There are nine river SACs in Wales – Cleddau, Eden, Gwyrfai, Teifi, Tywi, Glaslyn, Dee, Usk and Wye. These rivers support some of Wales’ most special wildlife like Atlantic salmon, freshwater pearl mussel, white-clawed crayfish and floating water-plantain. The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) recommended that UK nature conservation organisations adopt tighter targets after considering new evidence about the environmental impacts of phosphate. In addition, the predicted warmer and drier weather resulting from climate change could reduce river flows during the summer, and so increase phosphate concentrations. Following the new measures, this evidence review shows that overall, phosphorus breaches are widespread within Welsh SAC rivers with over 60% of waterbodies failing against the challenging targets set. The river with the highest level of phosphate failures was the Usk with 88% of its water bodies failing their target. Previously published data about the Wye, as well as new data on Cleddau shows that over 60% of river sections failed their targets. The lower Teifi and parts of the Dee also failed to reach the standards. All waterbodies in three rivers in north Wales - the Eden, Gwyrfai and Glaslyn – as well as the Tywi passed their targets. Ruth Jenkins, NRW’s Head of Natural Resource Management said: “Phosphate can cause significant ecological damage to rivers and can lead to the process of eutrophication in rivers, a highly problematic issue. “Conservation standards were tightened as a means of safeguarding the river environment and countering the impacts of climate change. The new targets set for phosphate levels in our rivers are challenging – but rightly so.” Phosphate is naturally occurring, and is released slowly, at low levels, from natural sources, from natural bankside erosion for example. However, phosphates can also enter rivers from land management practices, sewerage and foul water that can contain detergents and fo

 

[rightangle]

Aah, "working with our partners." What this really means is that when something goes wrong it is impossible to establish which particular "partner" is responsible.

 

[Handel]

There must be a course NRW staff go on to learn to write this rubbish. If you meet one of them they speak like they write.

 

[Bullet]

I like that..."simple changes we can make in our daily lives".....

So it's all our fault!

Actually, I've had a thought....the simple change I'm going to make is defecating in my garden, that way it won't end up in a river!

 

[Bullet]

There must be a course NRW staff go on to learn to write this rubbish. If you meet one of them they speak like they write.

They probably watch all the episodes of Yes, Minister.

 

[peterchilton]

Clearly they are shifting the blame, its all our fault. If we didn't want dead chickens and eggs there wouldn't be polluting sheds in the catchment, oh hold on NRW don't accept that the chicken sheds are a problem .....

 

[Richardgw]

Whilst this shows how ineffectual NRW are, I think it is an important statement as now questions can be raised as to why the new lower limits (which under an EU directive should have brought in years ago) are not being met and most importantly what are NRW are going to do about meeting these legal requirements.

Until now the NRW had only been taking limited phosphate measurements preferring to push matters under the carpet. But in the last year the fishery owners have been taking their own regular measurements throughout the river which are being co-ordinated by the WSA. This gives the owners and other interested bodies ammunition to hold NRW to account by pressing for action as indeed Ross AC aided by Fish Legal have been doing.

Ross AC action on phosphate pollution steps up a gear. – Ross on Wye Angling Club

 

[peterchilton]

when you say 'the fishery owners;, richard its actually WSA members and volunteers, we do not want people to think this was undertaken by the redundant Wye Catchment Conservators.

 

[Geoffmaynard]

There must be a course NRW staff go on to learn to write this rubbish. If you meet one of them they speak like they write.

Actually, The guys I have met from NRW on the fishery have all (with one exception) been top blokes with Dave Drewett being an absolute star. It's the layer we never see from upstairs who are the problem imho.