The 2011 fishing season is now upon us and I do hope you will not forget to send in scales from the salmon and sea trout you catch. Last season we received 577, 437 from salmon and 138 from sea trout, and we’d like to achieve a similar sort of number this season, although, a few more sea trout samples would be ideal. Remember we want scales from fish of all sizes, not just the whoppers!
If you are uncomfortable in taking scales from a fish that is to be returned please just put it back. Our first concern must always be for the safe return of the salmon or sea trout without causing any extra stress. However, if you are taking the fish home, a few scales are not going to hurt it.
If you would like some scale packets or you know of anyone else who would further details of the Angler Scale Sampling Programme please send me an email.
Tagged salmon and sea trout
If you find a salmon with a green or yellow floy tag or a sea trout with a blue or yellow one (attached just beneath the dorsal fin), please note down the number and colour of tag before returning the fish and call the environmental monitoring team on 0141 203 4140. We use the green and blue tags on fish that we have sampled and CEFAS use yellow tags on the fish that they are tracking.
Counts
The upstream count for January was 0. As indicated in last week’s special bulletin we have incurred some problems with our counter at riding due to the spate on the 16th January. Fortunately, we were able to repair the counter last week and at 13:45 on 28th January it was switched back on. The upstream count so far February (latest download 01/02/2011 09:30) is 0. Further details of the daily, monthly and annual fish counts can be found following the link:
Environment Agency - River Tyne fish counts
As you can see on the chart above, the water heights and temperatures during January were quite variable (the gap in chart indicates the period when the gates were raised at Riding Mill to allow repairs to the fish counter). However, this is unlikely to have benefited fish passage for when the temperature was above 3.5°C (the temperature at which we start to see upstream counts), the river level was very high and likely to inhibit fish passage but when the levels drop sufficiently, the water temperatures also fall back and will likely inhibit passage also. The higher upstream counts for January have all occurred when the average monthly water temperature is 4°C or above and river levels have been relatively low.
Special Note:
On 16th January 2011, a spate damaged one of the channels of the our fish counter at Riding Mill and the counter was taken offline on the 17th. It was run for channels 1,3 & 4 from the 19th to the 25th. Our investigations were hampered due to the continuing high river levels, however, on the 25th we were able to get the radial gates raised get in to investigate. The radial gates were lowered on the Morning of the 28th after repairs were carried out and the counter will be up and running by the end of the afternoon on the 28th.
Whilst the gates were closed, 28 salmon and 3 sea trout were found in the basin above counter. The majority of the salmon were found were ready spawn or had spawned.
Morton
Morton Heddell-Cowie
Tyne Tunnel Monitoring Officer
Environment Agency
The Angler Scale Sampling Programme is supported by:
If you are uncomfortable in taking scales from a fish that is to be returned please just put it back. Our first concern must always be for the safe return of the salmon or sea trout without causing any extra stress. However, if you are taking the fish home, a few scales are not going to hurt it.
If you would like some scale packets or you know of anyone else who would further details of the Angler Scale Sampling Programme please send me an email.
Tagged salmon and sea trout
If you find a salmon with a green or yellow floy tag or a sea trout with a blue or yellow one (attached just beneath the dorsal fin), please note down the number and colour of tag before returning the fish and call the environmental monitoring team on 0141 203 4140. We use the green and blue tags on fish that we have sampled and CEFAS use yellow tags on the fish that they are tracking.
Counts
The upstream count for January was 0. As indicated in last week’s special bulletin we have incurred some problems with our counter at riding due to the spate on the 16th January. Fortunately, we were able to repair the counter last week and at 13:45 on 28th January it was switched back on. The upstream count so far February (latest download 01/02/2011 09:30) is 0. Further details of the daily, monthly and annual fish counts can be found following the link:
Environment Agency - River Tyne fish counts
As you can see on the chart above, the water heights and temperatures during January were quite variable (the gap in chart indicates the period when the gates were raised at Riding Mill to allow repairs to the fish counter). However, this is unlikely to have benefited fish passage for when the temperature was above 3.5°C (the temperature at which we start to see upstream counts), the river level was very high and likely to inhibit fish passage but when the levels drop sufficiently, the water temperatures also fall back and will likely inhibit passage also. The higher upstream counts for January have all occurred when the average monthly water temperature is 4°C or above and river levels have been relatively low.
Special Note:
On 16th January 2011, a spate damaged one of the channels of the our fish counter at Riding Mill and the counter was taken offline on the 17th. It was run for channels 1,3 & 4 from the 19th to the 25th. Our investigations were hampered due to the continuing high river levels, however, on the 25th we were able to get the radial gates raised get in to investigate. The radial gates were lowered on the Morning of the 28th after repairs were carried out and the counter will be up and running by the end of the afternoon on the 28th.
Whilst the gates were closed, 28 salmon and 3 sea trout were found in the basin above counter. The majority of the salmon were found were ready spawn or had spawned.
Morton
Morton Heddell-Cowie
Tyne Tunnel Monitoring Officer
Environment Agency
The Angler Scale Sampling Programme is supported by: