South West Water fined £7.8m
Salmon Hatcheries
Lynher hatchery
Salmon catches
Congratulations to David Gawthorp on catching a 10lb salmon at Dunterue Weir.
Pollution
Sewagemap.co.uk gives an online view of sewage discharges throughout the UK. You can use the website to identify any sewage discharges into rivers near you.
Fish Eating Birds
Water Temperature
Brown trout depend on cold, well-oxygenated water, with an ideal temperature range of about 13°C to 19.5°C. As temperatures rise above this range, trout experience metabolic stress, reduced growth, depleted fat reserves, and eventually cardiac problems. At around 24°C and above, conditions can become lethal due to low oxygen and physiological shock.
Fishing should stop once water reaches about 18°C because handling fish in warm water can cause severe stress and delayed mortality. A fish tank thermometer costing £5 can be bought on Ebay.
Invasive Species Week
Invasive Species Week in the Westcountry takes place from June 22 to June 28. Led by the GB Non-Native Species Secretariat (NNSS), the campaign focuses on raising awareness about destructive non-native plants and animals, and getting communities involved in hands-on biosecurity and local control efforts.
The temperate, damp climate of the Westcountry provides an ideal habitat for several highly invasive species. Himalayan Balsam is a fast-growing plant that smothers native vegetation along riverbanks including those in the Tamar catchment and forces out local wildlife.
Organise work partis before the seeds set, leave the plants to rot down.
Images of the Tamar
