[peterchilton]

That’s all fair enough, but is that not a circular argument? i.e. If the hatchery was scaled to make a difference, then surely the effort and expense wouldn’t be wasted.

The details of the Wye SNR project escape me, but I doubt very much that the funds saved by closing were, or could have been put to better use across the Wye catchment.

If the project kept a few more people engaged and interested then, IMO it would have been worth it. I am afraid to say that short of a revolution in land use and hydrology there is little chance of anything making a difference in that river. When circumstances are right, it will still produce a few of those stunning 3SW fish, but it isn’t going to recover because of some small scale conservation efforts.

A small smolt rearing hatchery won’t make a difference or IMO distract anyone.

https://www.wyesalmon.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/SNR-Interim-Report-2016_v5-ammended-14jan17.pdf

 

[Rennie]

The two most sensitive species to water Quality are Pike and Grayling. They'll be the 1st to go belly up every time!
Gonks and Roach will tolerate quite a lot in terms of poor water quality.
The thing with Salmon is, if they don't like the water quality or low oxygen content, they just plain and simply don't enter a river in the 1st place.
Pedro.

 

[Msalmojack]

Report of dead salmon in the middle Wye on WUF reports this morning. Not exactly a surprise.

 

[Loxie]

Do you have a link to the Fowey counter data mine ends in 2014

Which country? England?

I have it but I don't think it's sharable, at least I have been told not to share it. Basically it all goes along much the same, with a gradual decline and the usual ups and downs until 2023 and 4 which were both terrible. This year saw a bit of a bounce back until drought set in June.

Other end of the UK. Many Scottish rivers had their best season for over a decade and the summer fishing on the North Coast was as good as it has ever been or possibly better. Big numbers of decent fish and even the grilse were in super condition and up to 8lbs.

 

[peterchilton]

Fantastic for the Northern rivers.

Do you think they feed in a different place to the Wye, Frome and Fowey etc and therefore have different migration routes?

 

[Loxie]

Fantastic for the Northern rivers.

Do you think they feed in a different place to the Wye, Frome and Fowey etc and therefore have different migration routes?

I think the migration routes are certainly shorter and they don't have to navigate the West Coast lice soup. They also have a tiny human population in their catchments and are far less impacted by global warming. That said the seemingly increasing number of dry summers is having an impact on angling, if not on salmon numbers. There has also been some serious issues with disease recently too.

 

[steved]

41K views · 572 reactions | Our Black rock lave net fishery river Wye kyaking trip continues and this shocking video features the Wyesham sewerage discharge outfall just below Monmouth . It can only be described as discusting . If this is fully treated sewerage we would eat our hats . ☹ SSSI ............... How can this be allowed by NRW in the 21st century ? No good saying the plant does not breach the permit conditions , the "perameters" obviously need to be changed . We would love to see independent testing results for the contents of this discharge ..............🤔🤬 WE FEEL THIS IS SO BAD (especially in the current river conditions ) We will post similar videos of this discharge for the next 2 days 🤬🤬🤬 www.blackrocklavenets.co.uk | Black rock lave net heritage fishery

Our Black rock lave net fishery river Wye kyaking trip continues and this shocking video features the Wyesham sewerage discharge outfall just below Monmouth . It can only be described as discusting...

www.facebook.com

 

[golantman]

This video of sewage discharge was taken yesterday. How do they get away with it ?

41K views · 572 reactions | Our Black rock lave net fishery river Wye kyaking trip continues and this shocking video features the Wyesham sewerage discharge outfall just below Monmouth . It can only be described as discusting . If this is fully treated sewerage we would eat our hats . ☹ SSSI ............... How can this be allowed by NRW in the 21st century ? No good saying the plant does not breach the permit conditions , the "perameters" obviously need to be changed . We would love to see independent testing results for the contents of this discharge ..............🤔🤬 WE FEEL THIS IS SO BAD (especially in the current river conditions ) We will post similar videos of this discharge for the next 2 days 🤬🤬🤬 www.blackrocklavenets.co.uk | Black rock lave net heritage fishery

Our Black rock lave net fishery river Wye kyaking trip continues and this shocking video features the Wyesham sewerage discharge outfall just below Monmouth . It can only be described as discusting...

www.facebook.com

 

[CharlieM]

Unbelievable. Is no-one accountable anymore?

 

[Occasional salmon fisher]

The water companies are accountable to the EA but the EA don't want to rock the boat and ruin their own stats by admitting to or investigating sewage discharges.

 

[peterchilton]

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/sites/default/files/2025-08/Pig_and_Poultry_Report.pdf

 

[CovMark]

Couple of foot of water has reached redbrook - is it now coloured too ?

 

[Richardgw]

Fished Ross AC this pm. River up from 0.06 to 0.22m. As the river was clear, thought the rise might have stirred up the odd long term resident. But it was not to be, nothing caught or seen. The only issue (besides no fish) was the silk weed that I had to clear from the fly every few casts.

Looking at the catch details on WUF and WSA, I see nothing has been REPORTED caught since 13th June!! Is that really right!1?? Surely some must have been caught, at least below Monmouth; but… maybe it is just too politically incorrect to publish!!!???

Maybe for once the EA/NRW catch returns for the river for 2025 will exceed the reported catches to WUF/WSA, although we will have to wait until next October/ November to find out. In the meantime “all pigs are ready to fly!!”

 

[CovMark]

Fished Ross AC this pm. River up from 0.06 to 0.22m. As the river was clear, thought the rise might have stirred up the odd long term resident. But it was not to be, nothing caught or seen. The only issue (besides no fish) was the silk weed that I had to clear from the fly every few casts.

Looking at the catch details on WUF and WSA, I see nothing has been REPORTED caught since 13th June!! Is that really right!1?? Surely some must have been caught, at least below Monmouth; but… maybe it is just too politically incorrect to publish!!!???

Maybe for once the EA/NRW catch returns for the river for 2025 will exceed the reported catches to WUF/WSA, although we will have to wait until next October/ November to find out. In the meantime “all pigs are ready to fly!!”

Sadly pretty sure nowt caught as you say since June, even Wyesham and certainly Bigsweir I can confirm.

then again, possibly the lowest and longest drought since 1976 - be interesting to know what the catch returns were that year despite similar low levels

 

[OURTREV]

Sadly pretty sure nowt caught as you say since June, even Wyesham and certainly Bigsweir I can confirm.

then again, possibly the lowest and longest drought since 1976 - be interesting to know what the catch returns were that year despite similar low levels

I would imagine a lot of anglers have already packed it in for the season and turned to things more productive. We are getting rain NOW we had almost 7cm (nearly 3") in the last 24 hours but too late maybe?

 

[Richardgw]

Reported rod catch 1975-1978 were:

1975: 6796

1976: 3438

1977: 2096

1978: 5182

Note 1977 was also a dry summer, but not as long or hot as 1976.

 

[CovMark]

Thanks interesting data. Clearly had a big impact only a mere couple of thousand caught ! I’m due in at Bigsweir this Saturday looking doubtful

 

[Msalmojack]

The long awaited rain has finally arrived in Scotland with fish that were stuck out in the North Sea moving up the Tweed for example ,in numbers judging by the catch returns over the last couple of days. Dare we hope for the same scenario on the Wye ?

 

[steved]

Joe says he is seeing the odd fish but not catching

 

[gwelsher]

Looking at the catch details on WUF and WSA, I see nothing has been REPORTED caught since 13th June!! Is that really right!1?? Surely some must have been caught, at least below Monmouth; but… maybe it is just too politically incorrect to publish!!!???

I don't think there was much fishing. I know my mates didn't fish.