Newsletter February 2005

Number 28

Registered Charity No: 1051068

FORMAL NOTICE

Please take notice that the 13th Annual General Meeting of the Wessex Salmon and Rivers Trust will be held on Friday the 18th of March 2005 at the Brian Whitehead Centre, Wick Lane, Downton Wiltshire at 7:00 PM. Any member wishing a formal proposal to be included in the agenda must notify me of that proposal, and the name of the member seconding the proposal, in writing; to be in my hands at least 7 days before the date of the meeting. Nominations for election to the executive committee, which will be welcome, should also be made and seconded by members, in writing, and should be in my hands at least 7 days before the meeting. Brian Marshall; Chairman, 63, Forestside Gardens, Poulner, Ringwood, Hampshire BH24 1SZ Tel: 01425 485105

Dear Members and Friends,

Yes, it is that time of year again. The same successful format as usual, the same informality after the briefest of official business. We are looking forward to seeing some old friends and hopefully some new. All are warmly welcome and cordially invited to join in the discussions.
We hope that our Vice President will update us on the NASF International scene. Graham Lightfoot will tell us about the WSRT / EN funded research project he has initiated, called - Anthropogenic influences on the temperature regime in a chalk river - potential for impact on suitability as salmon habitat". I believe the project will reach far beyond influences upon salmon. I also believe it is very important and original research in an area that can be influenced.
As previously reported Keith Elson is retiring from your committee and will be sorely missed
John Slader and Peter Hughes are beavering away after auction lots. No one is safe. Not even you! Have you something you can offer? Some fishing, clothing or equipment, items not related to fishing. Please think about it and contact John on 01725 512523 or e mail: slader@john5.demon.co.uk It will be a great evening. The main point is, please be there on the night. Our members, of course, attend by right. Recipients of this newsletter are all cordially invited to come and take part in all but the briefest of formal trust business. We want your viewpoint as well as your company and your bids. This raises an interesting point. With one exception throughout our history we have received nothing but plaudits for this little journal which we publish three times each year. We distribute over 350 newsletters. 50 or more of these go abroad, where we have a both members and friends, something like that many to contacts in relevant official bodies, agencies, government departments etc, as many again to tackle shops and pubs etc 100 + to members and 100+ to interested individuals who are not members.

I cannot believe it is the £10 minimum membership fee that prevents that last 100+ joining. We are delighted you read our newsletter and, of course, we will continue to send it to you; but will you please consider joining the trust. All that is necessary is two minutes to fill in the standing order form at the back and send to the treasurer.
If you are not a member because you disagree with our objectives, or the way we do business, the way to influence that is to join. A least tell us of your concerns.
We are much engaged at the moment with the Avon Salmon Action Plan Draft Review. This is a review of the 1997 plan. Clearly, much work in and on the river has taken place. Since 1997 zero exploitation has occurred, by either nets or rods. The combined catch figures, the only clue we have in the absence of a comprehensive counter, indicate that there is no sign of achieving even the spuriously reduced "minimum spawning targets" let alone a return to former abundance. Responses should be in by February 28th. If you want a copy of the draft plan ring Judith Crompton, E A Blandford on 01258 483332. If members want any points represented by us e mail me. Be quick.

Tight lines

Brian Marshall.

Your Committee

The following officers and members offer themselves for re-election at the forthcoming A G M. Chairman: Brian Marshall . Vice Chairman: John Levell, Treasurer: John Slader, Committee: John Becket, John Faith, Tim Goode, and Michael Twitchen The following co-opted member offers himself for election to the committee. Peter Reading. We do not have a secretary but we need one and we need more active committee members. Please come and join in the running of your trust. There is much to do and a lot to achieve.

John Levell writes

http://www.wsrt.org.uk

It's taken a long time and many a frustrating evening has been spent swearing at my computer screen. The intention has been to create a clear, easily assimilated web site, plain text and lots of pictures, to avoid sending everybody to sleep with the more technical content. Before the search engines are able to find the site it is necessary to increase the number of independent links to our site from others. So if you have your own site or write one for other like minded bodies it would be appreciated if you could include us on your links page. Obviously we are only too willing to include such sites on our links page.

Well the website is up and running, just what we do with it now is the important question to be answered. If you have the opportunity, go on line and give us a visit, tell your friends to go on line and give us a visit and most importantly give us some feed back. Email us with your views and if you want to enlarge the debate or express views other than those of the trust use the forum, it's dead simple once you get the hang of it. The forum has to be moderated and the obvious conditions of use re language etc apply. The photographs are thumbnails left click on them and they enlarge, apart from that it's all pretty straight forward.

When Tim Berners-Lee created the web it was for the transfer and exchange of information between a group of like minded individuals and I think you have to go a long way to find a better use. On the web today you see the enormous growth of sales and all too many professional sites created solely for the processes of blowing their own trumpet. Whilst it is always useful to let others know of your activities it is the advancement of objectives that is primary. If you visit the "History" page and click on the "constitution" you will see the Trusts objectives are conservation and education related to the salmon population. To achieve our ends the promotion, study and research of the requirements of the salmon related to habitat, ecology, water quality and environment give a pretty comprehensive mandate. Salmon were deliberately chosen as the flagship species within our rivers not only because the public at large can relate to the king of fish but the life cycle of the salmon encompasses every aspect of the riverine ecology. All of society's needs and demands on the environment impinge on our rivers and as such we are involved at every level of contact. Our areas of concern are vast and we seem to add more every time we meet, it is these concerns that can be aired on this site. Not only aired but expanded on and discussed, the wider and more diverse the views expressed the more chance of solutions to the problems. Below I have listed some of our areas of concern, I bet you know of others that I have missed, or have information that we can use - so now you have no excuse for not telling us.

Areas of Concern - not in order of precedence.

Each of the above hopefully will have its own separate section in the "News" page and also a topic of debate on the "Forum" information available to all.

John Levell

Blowing our own Trumpet.

And why not occasionally?
Mike Twitchen's last article on what he believes is the true spirit of angling has found some like minded readers. Two examples here.

I have just received the November newsletter and thank you for it, it always makes interesting reading. I am writing, however, just to offer my congratulations to Michael Twitchen for his article "What makes good fishing." Seldom have I read a piece which so accurately sums up my and many of my friends' view of fishing. I know and appreciate exactly what Michael feels and as a member of the late Gerry Swanton's syndicate at Burgate, I visit the Avon at Burgate to fish for chub, bream, roach and barbel. I have many blank days, days without even so much as a bite, but for each fish I catch from the Avon, it is always something special and I feel far more satisfaction catching a wild fish from the Avon than any from the number of still waters that I also fish.
I have the good fortune to be able to fish virtually all of the lakes and fisheries in the Salisbury area because of my column but I could never give up fishing the Avon, a river that my fishing buddy and myself have fished since the 1950s. Michael has managed to sum up those feelings expertly and it is an article I intend keeping for future reading and musing over. It was excellent.

best wishes to you and your association for the coming New Year. The Avon and its tributaries would be far worse off if it were not for you and your members.

Roland Batten

Roland is a senior Journalist on the Salisbury Journal

And from John Slader

As I read Michael Twitchen's excellent article in the last newsletter I found myself recalling the progression through the 5 phases that so many of us experience as anglers:-

  1. you want to catch a fish (any fish, of any size, will do)
  2. you want to catch a big fish
  3. you want to catch a lot of fish
  4. you want to catch a fish your mate cannot catch
  5. you go fishing for fun

Some would argue there is a sixth stage; you just dream about going fishing and I have to say, from personal experience, these sessions are all too often the most successful when it comes to putting fish on the bank!. But is it really about catching fish - is this the be all and end all of angling? I think not. I was further reminded of this by Peter Wheat in his recently published excellent book "Angling Down the Years" and I quote:-

".but really, seriously, it isn't a good idea to get bound up too tightly in the catch-a-fish-at-all-cost syndrome, often returning home mulligrubbish because a big fish (or any fish) has failed to grace the net. The truth of our sport is that it mostly made up of dreaming about catching fish, thinking about catching fish, talking about catching fish, and fishing without catching fish. It stands to reason, therefore, that if the action of hooking, playing and landing fish is seen as the only measure of success, then the bulk of time spent fishing will be frustratingly boring and anything but happy and worthwhile."

How very true - may you catch the fish of your dreams.

The paragraph is reproduced by kind permission of The Little Egret Press publishers of "Angling down the years" by Peter Wheat.

Talking of Accolades.

Our friend and colleague Michael Charleston has been awarded an OBE in the New Years Honours List announced by Buckingham Palace. The award is for services to salmon and wildlife conservation.
Michael served for eight years as honorary secretary to the South West Rivers Association whose Chairman Humphrey Wood said

"Michael has done a tremendous job as SWRA secretary and all our members will be delighted that his efforts have been recognised."

Orri Vigfusson said,

"Michael has been a vital collaborator within the NASF Coalition, spending countless hours on how best to pursue objectives as well as setting principles and polishing arguments."

Brian Marshall said,

"Michael has, throughout our whole Irish initiative, been a true friend, a wise counsellor and skilled advisor. He is justly rewarded."

Keith Elson

The open Meeting called by the then National Rivers Authority, in March 1992, that proved to be the founding occasion of the Wessex Salmon Association was attended, among many others, by Keith Elson.
Early in the 'open' discussion Keith stood up and proposed that artificial propagation using Avon Brood stock be considered and offered his services and those of his hatchery at Dengrove Springs.
Thus began an association with WSA and WSRT that has endured until now, initially as an advisor and, when the enhancement experiment was stopped as a trustee.

Keith, the son of a Gloucestershire Dairy Farmer, proved well qualified for the role. After National Service in the Airforce he qualified in agriculture and bacteriology at the University of Wales, initially working in the National Agricultural Advisory Service.
He transferred to the Scottish Marine Biological Association, researching marine bacterial association with algal/diatom blooms before spending 18 years at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen as the fish pathologist responsible for the statutory/diagnostic advisory service in respect of farmed/feral salmonids in Scotland. He was also Fish Health Certifying official for shellfish, crustaceae, salmonids and their products. During this time Keith studied fish diseases with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and at the Research Board of Canada's Fishery Laboratory, Nanaimo, BC. He enjoyed Churchill Fellowships in Italy and Denmark on fish farm management relative to disease and was a registered Fish Health Certifying official for the Canadian Government from 1970 to 2000. Following retirement from the Civil Service, Keith reared juvenile Atlantic salmon at Dengrove Springs near Shaftesbury for on-growing in Scotland and latterly on behalf of Wessex Salmon.

Keith's enduring contribution to the evolution of WSRT from the very beginning until now has been that of a skilled technician, a fierce advocate on behalf of the salmon and WSRT, a wise counsellor and loyal friend. He will be sorely missed and is assured of a chair at our table whenever he can join us.

WSRT Committee.

Salmon Pools

I recently found a dictionary of British surnames written by P. H. Reaney in 1958. It is a fascinating book to browse through on a quiet evening and explore the origins of friends' and families' surnames. Twitchen is old English and means "dweller at the place where two roads meet." Marshall is old French and derives from "one who tends horses, especially one who treats their diseases, a shoeing smith, a farrier." More splendid in origin is Levell which is old English for "beloved power or ruler." Some names do not have the origin I expected. Prescott means "dweller at the priests house," not the expected "large man who owns two expensive war chariots!"

Reaney divides all surnames into 4 groups. First are those derived from places, second are those from relationships, eg Johnson for son of John, third are those from jobs, eg smith or cooper, fourth are those from nick names such as the new man becoming Newman.

This simple theory of origins made me wonder about salmon fishery and pool names. These seem to follow a similar set of rules with pool names based on locality, eg "Ibsley Bridge Pool", a fisherman's name, eg "Tizzards", or an event or nick name eg "Forlorn Hope." Pool names may change with time. On the Dorset Frome, near Bindon Abbey, a pool known as "The Potholes" was rechristened "The Feathers"because the present Prince of Wales caught a salmon there. Fishery names are similar in origin and with time can also be seen to evolve. The name Severals comes from old English for a place where a river divides in to several channels. The Severals fishery was previously known as the Ringwood water due to its location and then, I think, as the Gladstone water, when it was fished by the sons of the famous Victorian prime minister. These names preserve some memories of a river valley's landscape, fishermen and history. Even the name Avon is very old, coming from the Celtic word "afon" for river. The Avon is still "the River" for some of us who fish there.

Some names on the Avon are already old. Augustus Grimble's The Salmon Rivers of England and Wales, published in 1904, describes the recognized "casts" on the Ringwood water, now the Severals fishery. Thirteen names are listed, "The Farm", "The Firs" and "Brigand's Hole" still exist, but what has happened to others like "Pollard Tree", "The Larder" and "Gaspipe"? Why did these names disappear and what replaced them? Perhaps fishery boundaries changed and these pools are now simply part of an adjacent fishery unknown to me?

Some Somerley pool names intrigue me. Did a gypsy drown in "Gypsy Hole", were dogs kept near "Dog Kennel", did a provost fish "Provosts Pool"?

In other cases pool names are of more recent and recorded origin. In Jock Scott's "Game Fish Records" of 1936 we can find how Edwards Pool, at the Royalty, was christened. In one section of the book Mr. D. J. W. Edwardes describes Avon fishing in the first decade of the 20th century.

"For several springs I fished the Royalty water on the Christchurch Avon, then leased by an old friend of mine..One March day my host and I went up to the upper beat..He told me to start in the weir pool. I spun it over twice with no result. Below it the river was divided by an island, on my side was a long, deep, narrow pool that looked good holding water, but no salmon, I believe, had been killed in it. As we had not much water to fish before lunch, I started spinning it down with a dace on Dee tackle. When about the middle of it, I was just lifting my bait for another cast when I saw what I took to be a very heavy pike following it. I sat down and gave it a good rest, and came down the pool again; a fish took me with a heavy pull, and to my surprise instead of a pike a heavy salmon jumped. I whistled to my friend, who came up to me, and he gaffed the fish, which weighed 31lb., on the flat below."

The pool I mean now goes by the name of "Edwardes's Hole." Now the nets no longer fish the lower pools, salmon are now killed in it. Interestingly the spelling of Edwardes's has change to Edwards.
It would be a great shame if the personalities and stories behind our Avon salmon pools' names were lost. I would like to collect as many of these stories and histories as possible, with a view to one day producing a short history, as a record for future Avon fishermen.

This may seem a pointless exercise to some, but these names form a common heritage shared by past and present Avon salmon fishermen. The name of a favourite pool may stir memories of a fish caught or lost, an otter seen or a moments pleasure shared with a friend. They provide a contrast with the clinical cold numbers that describe so much of our current lives. Imagine fishing a beat with pools simply called 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. It would be a very precise yet soulless experience.

We should ensure that these important memories of our fishing, our triumphs and our disasters are there for future fishermen to use, understand and enjoy. Pool names help preserve a sense of continuity in our relationship with our Avon, despite all the changes and humiliations man heaps upon her.
If any readers know the reasons behind a pool's name or have a cherished memory linked with a pool please let me know. It is tempting to think that someone else will tell me, but they may not so please contact me by letter at:

10 Chestnut Close, The Dell, Angmering, BN16 4NF

Or by email at
michael.twitchen@talk21.com

Hopefully I will be able to update you all with your stories over the coming years.

TESCO 'Swap a Salmon' Scheme

Nineteen anglers who returned a total of 42 qualifying fish to the Avon in 2004 will benefit from Tesco's generosity under this scheme.
In addition are anglers voluntarily returning salmon to rivers throughout the south and south west of England who share in the scheme.
The work load upon Tesco's administration is considerable so please be patient.

We must remind you that the Avon scheme is administered by W S R T and any queries should be channeled through us. Please do not approach Tesco individually in this context.

The scheme began in 1994 with just 9 fish qualifying. Since then 285 Avon fish have qualified. The conservation value, and the generosity of our sponsor, are as important now as then and we express our thanks and appreciation.

Trout in Schools

This initiative, also funded by TESCO, is about to be launched, this year in three Hampshire schools. In addition to the 'old hands' at Ringwood School mini hatcheries are ready to be installed at The Testwood School and Applemore in Southampton.
As we write the arrival of the brown trout eggs is eagerly awaited. We are again indebted to Trafalgar Fisheries who are again generously donating the eggs for this project. A combination of high quality ova and good management enabled Ringwood to avoid all but the tiniest number of mortalities.
Following consultations with, and discussions within, the Environment Agency we believe we have overcome any difficulties in releasing the progeny into local waters.

Environment Agency - Judith Crompton writes;

The summer and autumn period has been a busy one for projects aiming to improve conditions for all fish, in the our area. Apart from enforcement activities, projects targeted increasing angling participation, river rehabilitation and habitat enhancement.

The Agency helped with Angling Participation Projects at Somerley Lakes, and at Avon Tyrell. There has been investigative work at six locations on the Avon, and a further three elsewhere in South Wessex. This work aims to reduce the obstructions to migratory fish. Four have resulted in bids for capital work in 2005/06, totalling £65,000. Operational changes to the maintenance of culvert grilles on the Mude should remove the barriers to fish on this little stream. Changes to the operation of sluices should improve migratory conditions at a further three Avon sites.

The gravel cleaning programme has been extended on the Avon and Frome this year. Silting of spawning gravels is thought to be a major factor limiting salmon reproduction in chalk streams. Fine sediments block the gravel spaces and prevent water circulating within the bed. It smothers eggs and decreases the survival rate of emerging alevins. Chalk stream beds can also become concreted, making things even more difficult for spawning fish. The Avon and Frome are both affected and the recommended solution is to 'clean' the gravel.

The Agency's programme has been running on the Avon for a decade. In this time we have cleaned nearly 30,000 m3 of salmon spawning gravels. The technique uses high-pressure hoses, which loosen the bed and flush out the silt. The 2004 Avon cleaning was carried out in October and covered 2873 m3 of gravels over 18 sites. Volunteers from Avon and Stour Fisheries Association also carried out gravel cleaning at Ellingham.

In 2004 the Agency also contributed to gravel cleaning on the Frome, after the salmon population dipped below its conservation limit in 2003. Redd counts on the cleaned sites on both rivers are being carried. out. Our 'Landcare' programme is working to provide a long term sustainable solution to problems of siltation. Until this becomes effective, we plan to continue gravel cleaning and the bids for next year's work have already been submitted.

As I write this, the fish counter for the side channel at Knapp Mill - the Turbine House- is being rebuilt in the depot. We hope to install this, ready to test during 2005. Meanwhile, fingers are crossed for a successful Life bid for the Avon - we should know the outcome by May, as this should deliver major benefits to the river - and a better environment for our fish.

Judith Crompton

Environment Agency Hydrometric Reports

We are very grateful to the Agency's Blandford Hydrometry and Telemetry Team for the reports they send us each month. They always make interesting and informative, if sometimes worrying, reading. The January report begins to fit the worrying or very worrying category. Here are some extracts.

River Avon at Knapp Mill: End of Month Mean Daily Flow 18.000 cubic metres per second (cumec) Mean Monthly Flow 18,900 cumec = 57% Long Term Average. (LTA) (These are gross figures, before the water company abstraction.) River Stour at Throop respectively: 10,700 MDF. 15,300 MMF 54% LTA. The department writes;
"A dry January, combined with below average rainfall in November and December, has produced an exceptional 3-month period of rainfall deficiency. The window of opportunity for any significant seasonal groundwater recharge is rapidly closing. The "traditionally" wettest months of the year have only delivered half the expected average rainfall, and groundwater levels and river flows are very depressed. It is now difficult to contemplate how the weather systems could conspire to deliver sufficient rainfall in the last month of winter to redress this rainfall deficit. The possibility of full aquifer recharge appears remote, and with little prospect of significant rainfall in the immediate forecast, the water environment in South Wessex is now likely to be under stress later in the year."
(Note: 1 cumec = 19,006,000gallons per 24 hours.
1 cubic metre = 1,000 litres = 224.4 gallon. Ed.)

Very worrying indeed from many points of view. Clearly the time to start driving the 'save water' message home is now; not wait for the situation to become critical. Legislation to make hose pipe bans mandatory in low water conditions should be pursued. Water Rights Trading, when enacted, can only make matters worse.
If your garden water butts are stored away for the winter perhaps you should re-install them now.

Ireland

Whilst still work in progress much positive action is taking place. We reported in the November issue how much momentum is being generated by our Irish friends. Since then a delegation from the 'Stop Drift Nets Now' organisation (www.stopnow.ie or via our web site www.wsrt.org.uk) has visited the European Commission to discuss their complaints. They are currently compiling detail to reinforce their compelling evidence, particularly relating to proximity and the ineffectiveness of piecemeal regulation. Orri has visited Ireland to take part in an R T E television feature with Niall Greene and others on the subject.

Ian Gregg of the Eden Rivers Trust and the Association of Rivers Trusts has met with two local MEP's who, in turn, have offered to organise a small reception in Brussels when we can inform and educate more UK MEP's. Brian is also to meet, in Brussels with EU Commission officers in April. And is in Koblenz in February with Orri for talks with the Rhine Commissioners whose fish are equally affected.

So far we have neglected Northern Ireland. (mea culpa. ed). Great work and great successes are being achieved there by a dedicated Ulster Angling Federation. The Federation has about 75 member clubs representing about 10,000 anglers. Their Chairman and NASF (NI) Director Jim Haughey has written as follows;

We are nearing the end of the voluntary buyout of the nets in the Fisheries Conservancy Board for NI area (about 11,000 salmon per year netted); 51 out of 55 nets gone, which we feel is a wonderful result, the remaining nets don't pose a threat.
We are now turning our attention to the other netting area in NI - the Foyle, which straddles the border and is administered by a joint Government body. (about 35,000 salmon per year netted). This is going to be a tough nut to crack but we are convinced that sooner or later the whole thing will come down like a pack of cards. We in Ireland are pushing very hard to stop the netting, I feel it will happen, but there is a fear that the Dublin Government may let the stock get dangerously low before stepping in, the last thing we want to see. I don't really have much else to say, just remember there are plenty of others trying to do the same as you, sometimes we all get the feeling we are on our own. I have always felt there was insufficient co-ordination between bodies such as ours, but finding the time for it is another matter.

With best regards, Jim Haughey

Jim also shares this report with us.

Salmon Netsmen Voluntary Buy Out Scheme

In the area controlled by the Fisheries Conservancy Board for Northern Ireland - January 2005
The salmon net buy out in the FCBNI area has been an outstanding success. 56 salmon nets were operating before the scheme. 51 nets have now been bought out, and of the 5 remaining nets, one will not to be fished again. This will save around 8,500 salmon each year, and allow them to reach their native rivers. We can all now look forward to this making a very significant contribution to the salmon restoration projects being carried out by clubs across the province. With the recent announcement by Bann System Ltd of a major cooperative effort on the Lough Neagh/Bann system, at last we have a positive future for the salmon.

The total cost to date is £1,644,462. So far NASFNI has paid £159,875 as the private sector contribution. This is made up of £70,000 from a Fund Raising Dinner in London organised by Orri Vigfusson of NASF; approximately £40,000 from contributions by angling clubs in Northern Ireland; with the balance coming from various fund raising events and individual donations. This was a magnificent effort by angling clubs and the North Atlantic Salmon Fund. To finish the scheme, NASFNI are required to make a final payment of £40,250 by 1st April 2005. They have a shortfall of approximately £15,000 and are now appealing to all clubs who benefit from the buy out to help make one last effort to raise this amount. £500 from each angling club would raise the amount required, and I therefore earnestly ask that you help bring closure to this scheme. Your early response will be most appreciated. Thank you for helping to secure the future of the salmon in Northern Ireland.

R J Haughey

The Salmon and Trout Association

Fighting for the future of game angling

Two Invitations

"To promote awareness of the benefits that could accrue for all salmon fisheries in these islands from the removal of the Irish Drift Net fishery for mixed stock salmon."

Meeting to be chaired by Paul Knight, Executive Director, S and TA
Speakers:
Niall Greene, Chair, Stop Salmon Drift Nets Now Campaign in Ireland
Dr Graeme Harris, Fisheries Consultant
Brian Marshall, Chair, Wessex Salmon and Rivers Trust
7:30pm Saturday 9th April 2005
The Red Lion Hotel
Milford Street, Salisbury

Please come along and support this important event

S & T A WESSEX BRANCH
Invite you to spend an evening at

Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) East Stoke, Wareham, Dorset

To learn more about its work on River Frome Salmon Research Programme

Meet at CEH - 6pm Thursday 12th May

Important:- Please note that whilst there is no charge for this visit S and TA are required to provide CEH with numbers in advance of the date. If you do wish to attend please advise John Slader by Friday 6th May: 01794-884736 / 07764 625788 / email slader@john5.demon.co.uk

Decision enforces " Polluter Pays" concept

In November last year Elliott Morley, Secretary of State for the Environment, ruled that major watercress producer and distributor, Hampshire-based Vitacress, must fund an Independent Environmental Impact Assessment before expanding its plant and washing facilities, which directly affect the Bourne River.

At present there is an almost total lack of river invertebrates - essential ingredients in the aquatic food chain - in the Bourne outlet channel used by Vitacress to dispose of this waste. As a result, very few fish are found there. The cause of this is unknown but invertebrates and fish alike thrive in the upper reaches of the Bourne, which are not affected by the effluent.

The Secretary of State's opinion that an EIA is required because the development would be likely to have significant adverse environmental effects reinforces the judicial review - instigated by local resident Peter Evans - which overturned expansion permission granted by local council Basingstoke and Deane. Before Vitacress can proceed with plans to expand by 60% over the next five years, it has to pay to find the cause of the unknown pollutants causing "significant damage" to the river and to implement solutions.

Peter Evans states,
"The EIA must address the inputs and outputs of the factory process in terms of water resources and discharges, and I hope the Environment Agency takes this opportunity to fully investigate the same matters as they relate to the intensive farming operations and potential for diffuse pollution on the site."

The Salmon and Trout Association welcomes this decision to require an Environmental Impact Assessment. Executive Director, Paul Knight, concurs with the Secretary of State's opinion that the
"proposed development would be likely to have significant effects on the environment because of its nature, size and location ..."
He concludes,
"This decision sends a strong message to all levels of government across the country that, when existing operations are already causing significant damage, their expansion and intensification cannot proceed without an independent Environmental Impact Assessment. Proper precautionary measures are required to find the causes of the pollutants and to implement solutions to protect sensitive aquatic environments and dependent species such as brown trout and grayling."

BEN BRADSHAW COMES UP TRUMPS FOR ANGLERS OVER ANIMAL WELFARE BILL

Britain's 3.9 million anglers were given another early Christmas present by Fisheries Minister Ben Bradshaw when he announced at the end of October 2004 that angling would be specifically excluded from the provisions of the Animal Welfare Bill. There had been some concern that the Bill could inadvertently affect angling and commercial fishing and lead to legal challenges.
Giving evidence to the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee on 27th October Mr Bradshaw said:-

"on fishing and angling, there has been concern expressed that the Bill will threaten commercial fishing and angling. It is not our intention to do that but in response to those representations we do propose to exempt specifically these activities from prosecutions under the cruelty and welfare offence."

Mr Bradshaw's clarification followed strong lobbying from Reading West MP Martin Salter who is also Parliamentary Spokesman for Angling as well as from a number of angling's governing bodies.
Mr Salter said:-

"The Animal Welfare Bill is about pets and captive animals. It is not aimed at wild creatures such as fish, nor is it intended to have any impact on the sport of angling. The decision to specifically exclude angling and commercial fishing is most welcome as it will avoid the spectacle of lawyers charging fat fees to try and prove that a fish caught on the end of a fishing line or placed in a keepnet is in fact some sort of temporary pet."
He added:-

"Ben Bradshaw has been as good as his word in ensuring that anglers have nothing to fear from the Animal Welfare Bill. This Labour government has proved a strong supporter of angling - not just in words but in actions."

The news was very much welcomed by Paul Knight, Director of the Salmon and Trout Association who was actively involved in putting forward the case for exclusion:

"We are delighted that the Minister has been able to clarify that angling and fisheries will indeed be excluded from the Bill. This will reassure our members of the Government's continued commitment to angling in acknowledgement of the sport's socio-economic and environmental importance."

Pain Free Invertebrates

Norwegian scientists were asked to investigate pain, discomfort and stress in invertebrates and claim now to have discovered that the answer is no.
Their conclusion applies also to crabs and to live worms on a fish hook. None of these feel a thing, which is good news for Norwegian fishermen at least. Their government was considering a ban on live worms as fish bait under revisions to its animal protection laws - but only if it hurt. Wenche Farstad of the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science in Oslo now says it does not.