Don Hearn was delighted to tempt his first salmon of the season from a Lower Taw beat. The fish was fresh in from the sea carrying sea lice and was estimated at 15lb.
Newbridge Spring Newsletter – April 2023
Newbridge Spring Newsletter – April 2023
The season opened with a flourish but after two days of catching many well repaired kelts we agreed a cessation to give these precious fish a chance to get away to sea. The river has been in spate for nearly six weeks since and any fresh arrivals are well upriver by now. It is good for the fish to get up to safety but not so good if you’re hoping to catch one on the club water. The rain should back off now and the beat would be expected to fish well for a while.
Our working parties have been busy creating a new shelter and it is now ready for use. We do intend to tidy up the muddy floor but hopefully we have a place to sit, eat, chat and enjoy company as the river slides by. There was a lot of history attached to the old club hut and maybe now we can create new history of our own! We intend to have a club meeting there later in the year to celebrate the revival of such an asset and will post it when the time comes. Meanwhile work continues and the next step is to create a crossing for the stream and to strim a route up through the woods to give access to the dump car park. This will save having to go back out to the lane to access lower sections of the beat.
Member Nick Mcmurtrie has graciously been helping with refurbishment of the club cups and we now have more to offer at the AGM. We have a refurbished Mullet cup and a Bass cup to offer as well as the salmon and sea trout cups so sea fish, any method, are welcome on your catch return this year. We also are looking at the course cups ‘ found’ and trying to identify them for use. We now have a “junior best fish” cup too and would encourage any one with a young angler in the family, or knows of a keen youngster ,to engage with the club as they are our future and would be more than welcome.
I’ve had an Email from P.C. Lucy Robinson who is a local police officer, wild life trained and involved in stopping rural crime including poaching and antisocial behaviour. She has supported us in various issues in the past and has asked that we call in untoward activity on the river. It’s really good to have such support locally. Also continue to report to the E.A. incident line when you feel it’s appropriate, Particularly regarding poaching and pollution. Please reference the club if you do. They don’t always respond but it is all logged and the more we call it in the more chance of action. We have been told the E.A. are recruiting more Bailiffs which is good news
Hopefully the summer newsletter will have interim catch reports so we wish you a good season.
Tight lines
Don Hearn
FROM THE RIVER BANK
After one of the wettest Springs for many years the salmon season has got off to a slow start with the rivers unfishable for several of the early weeks. There have been a few salmon caught during brief windows of opportunity when river conditions have come right.
I have heard of at least two springers from the Taw system one from the Weir Marsh area and another on the Mole. With the rivers so high salmon will potentially have run far up the rivers and could be caught from areas where they have not been tempted for several years so early in the season
I headed to the middle Torridge and found the river running high but with a perfect tinge of colour. The dying daffodils told of how the early season had already passed as new spring flowers bloomed and lush green growth started to burst out on the bankside trees.
I glimpsed martins flying across the rural landscapes of spring as I drove to the water, another great marvel of migration.
It felt good to swing the fly across familiar lies and I initially felt a tingle of expectation. A momentary connection with a trout raised the pulse rate but as I fished on the reality of the salmon fishing these days descended. After close to three hours covering the water in near perfect conditions I couldn’t help thinking that ten years ago there would have been salmon here.
Perhaps the recent talks I have attended and television programmes documenting the demise of the salmon are taking their toll? Salmon anglers like salmon are resilient creatures and I know that I will back full of hope next time. Heavy rain is forecast again as I write this and the rivers will be back bank high soon. The longer term prospects for this season are good as the rivers should hold up well with May likely to be a great month to be at the river. Even if the salmon and sea trout prove elusive the brown trout fishing will be excellent. Brown trout to over 1lb 8oz have already been tempted by salmon anglers swinging large flies.
It’s well worth watching the Channel 5 documentary. A fascinating documentary about efforts to restore salmon rivers in Scotland.
https://www.channel5.com/show/riverwoods-a-salmon-s-journey
RIVER TAW FISHERIES & CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION AGM 2023
RIVER TAW FISHERIES & CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION AGM
After a day of relentless heavy rain, we drove over the River Taw at Newbridge to witness a torrent of dirty brown flood water racing under the bridge and starting to spill over the flood plain. This was certainly an unusual sight for the last day in March and I thought about its impact on the fish. Any kelt’s’ would certainly be swept out of the system. The downstream smolt migration should now be underway and this significant flush of water will help these juvenile salmon to evade the flocks of cormorants that prey so heavily on them each spring. The raging torrent should also flush away debris and give the river a spring clean. There is of course the worry of pollutants with storm overflows undoubtedly discharging, farm slurry leaking and tons of soil washed from fields.
We arrived at Highbullen for the RTFCA and it was good to see familiar faces at this annual gathering. Chairman Andy Gray gave a warm welcome to the membership many of whom had travelled a good distance to attend. After a couple of crisis hit seasons of COVID and drought it was hoped that 2023 would bring better fortunes. The flooded river presently prevailing would hopefully bring a spring run as water levels drop. The large numbers of kelt caught at the start of the season was very encouraging indicating that good numbers of fish had spawned.
The main focus on river habitat work had been to concentrate on gravel washing but the 2022 drought had severely impacted upon this work.
The 2022 season had seen 53 salmon caught and 83 sea trout.
There was extensive debate surrounding the successful legal proceedings by Fish legal regarding the pollution on the River Mole in 2019.
https://www.northdevonanglingnews.co.uk/2022/12/10/river-mole-polluter-pays-18000-in-damages/
The monies received from this court case will be invested in the future of the River Taw catchment with funds supporting the valuable work of the Westcountry Rivers Trust. The importance of joining Fish legal was highlighted as without their support and expertise the polluters would have escaped justice.
A significant number of migratory shad were witnessed in the Taw during the late Spring of 2022. It is thought that this could be a direct result of the removal of weirs project during the past decade. The presence of these rare fish spawning in the Taw can bring welcome funding to the river for further habitat improvement.
Adrian Dowding of the Westcountry Rivers Trust gave a short talk on the importance of gravel washing works on potential spawning areas. This is part of the SHIP ( Spawning Habitat Improvement Project). Gravel washing removes silt and breaks up compacted gravels enabling successful spawning.
There was passionate debate regarding the frequent pollution of rivers from agriculture and discharge from an antiquated and inadequate sewage treatment infrastructure. An ever expanding population has resulted in an overload with many sewage works working way beyond their design capacity.
Intensive farming is undoubtedly having a negative impact and considerable efforts are being made to work with farmers to control run off and ensure secure storage of effluent and slurry.
There has been a very high take up of Citizen Science Investigation monitoring across the Westcountry. This can provide the EA with valuable data. The North Devon Catchment Partnership brings a collective alliance with various interested parties working together for the good of the river.
https://catchmentbasedapproach.org
The RTFCA believe that working together in common causes is the best way to achieve results regarding water quality, and habitat with the opportunity to pool resources where appropriate.
Harry Chance gave a talk on his work with the Environment Agency as an Agricultural Regulatory Inspection Officer on the Torridge catchment. His work funded by DEFRA ( Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs) involves regular farm inspections. The focus is on offering advice and support to farmers to prevent pollution and habitat damage. Regulation is extremely complex and the legal system frustratingly slow. Harry explained the rigorous expectations for farming with mandatory soil testing and adequate controls to prevent pollution incidents. The importance of reporting any suspected pollution or breaches of regulations was emphasised with reports and data essential in bringing potential prosecutions and increased funding.
EA Hotline 0800 80 70 60
When reporting obtain an incident number, take photos, give a grid reference or what 3 word location.
Reports can be made anonymously.
Mr Phil Metcalf and Sophia Craddock gave an informative talk on the Devon Rivers Improvement Project ( DRIP) . This project started on the River Umber that flows through the valley at Combe Martin. The project focusses on flood risk awareness and flood risk. The installation of sensors that measure water depth, Moisture, rain, water quality, including turbidity, nitrates, conductivity, pH, temperature and ammoniums. These provide valuable data that is linked to satellites to give real time data collection.
This project is now being extended to the Little Dart a tributary of the Taw.
The initiative plans to use natural based solutions to reduce flooding and run off. These potential solutions involve woodland planting, cross slope planting, floodplain planting, hedgerow banks, log dams, gulley stuffing, buffer ditches, containment ponds and many other innovative trials.
Floodplain connection is considered a key factor in righting the mismanagement of land over recent decades.
As I attend multiple talks I realise how we need to rethink how we manage the land and our watercourses to enable nature to heal the damage that has been inflicted.
On conclusion of the formal meeting and talks many members remained at the venue to enjoy a delicious meal. If our table was anything to go by many topics were discussed with fishing past and present undoubtedly providing a vast wealth of subject matter. It is always good to make new friends and savour reminiscences of lifetimes spent beside many waters.
Anyone interested in North Devon’s rich angling history might enjoy my book published in 2016. See link below.
https://thelittleegretpress.co.uk/product/i-caught-a-glimpse-ltd-edition-hardback/
High Bullen House Hotel AGM, Talk and Dinner
High Bullen House Hotel
AGM, Talk and Dinner
17:30 on 31st March
Some spaces left
Either come and pay on the night or click below to pay online
We have a talk on the EA’s new water enforcement regime and a second on the work on headwaters to reduce peak flows.
£32.50
The funds raised from the following auction will all go towards improving the ecology of the River Taw, Mole and other tributaries.
Please bid generously and forward to other likely interested friends
RIver Taw Fisheries & Conservation Association – News
Chairman’s Report
Our AGM will be on the 31st of March at the Highbullen Hotel. We have a speaker from the Environment Agency called Harry Chance. Harry is an Agricultural Regulatory Inspection Officer and will update us on the greater level of enforcement that was first trialed on the Axe and is coming to the Taw.
We are running our annual auction online this year. The link is at the bottom of this piece which can be forwarded to as many people in your network as you feel might be interested. Chris Taylor, as ever, is rounding up auction lots. If you would be willing to donate, be it fishing, stalking, other experieces or equipment, then do email Christopher Taylor ([email protected]) or me ([email protected]). We will continue to add lots and run the end date through into mid April.
We have started the new season with a bang with around 20 fish caught on the lower beats, mainly kelt on the Barnstaple & District Angling Association water. Wisely, they immediately asked members not to spin and then brought in a voluntary cessation of fishing until the next large tide that should carry these valuable fish safely out to sea. I have checked with other rivers and these unusually high numbers have not been replicated elsewhere. They equate to a lot of eggs in our river and will only represent a proportion of the total spawning fish. This gives us some reason for optimism. Any angler who does catch a kelt should take particular care in returning this valuable fish to the water.
We hope the weather is an improvement on the 2022 season. Last year we had a promising start with several early fish caught. The rain then stopped and the summer and early autumn were a complete right-off. Our final figures were a miserable 53 salmon and 83 seatrout. The one lesson is to put in the effort when the conditions are right. Those lucky enough to fish the lower river did have sport in periods the water was cool enough to fish.
The Committee has been working away behind the scenes on protecting the ecology of our catchment. The toughest job was working with Fish Legal on a private prosecution. Alex Gibson coordinated this and his report is in this Newsletter.
There are rapidly increasing numbers of shad spawning in our river, most likely the result of the weir removals assisting their migration. We contacted various researchers through Jo Madden (Upper Taw Representative). An article on this fresh-water breeding herring can be read elsewhere in this Newsletter.
Over the years we have improved access over our weirs, bought out the estuary salmon nets, succesfully lobbied IFCA to ban other estuary netting, monitored fish numbers through fry surveys and beat surveys, collaborated with South West Rivers Association on various lobbying activities, cleaned compacted and silted gravels to assist with spawning, sued polluters and those that damage the ecology of our river and brought a multitude of other benefits. The two major causes of damage we continue to battle are sewage treatment works and poor farming practices. We can’t change these alone and so view collaboration as a necessary strategy. The North Devon Biosphere have a Catchment Partnership and Ian Blewett has a seat at that table as outlined in his article in this Newsletter. A major step forward will be in-river water monitors that have been trialled in the Umber and are now to be introduced in the Little Dart.
William Martin has just completed a new website for us. It will allow greater flexibility, easier communications – such as this email – and also online auctions. Bryan Martin has ably managed our previous website for which we are grateful and will continue to assist with the new one. The new model allows other officers to have direct access alongside Bryan.
Andy Gray
The Mole Pollution Incident
The Mole pollution incident has been extensively covered in
our website over the last 2 ½ years. Now that the legal processes have run their course, I have been asked to write a concluding article. We should remember though that the effect of so many of our fish being killed will be felt in our salmon, sea trout and brown trout fish stocks into the future.
Sadly we have become used to the drip by drip deterioration
in the water quality of our river caused to a great extent by the bad practice of farmers and our water company, South West Water, this despite extensive campaigning efforts for improved regulation and enforcement. There was always a feeling though that a major catastrophe could be around the corner.
I was Chairman when I received a call from the EA on the
morning of 1 August 2020 telling me that there had been a major fish kill incident, Category 1 in EA terminology, as a result of anaerobic digestate used as a fertiliser getting into the Mole in large quantities. For reasons of continuity I stayed involved until all the legal loose ends were finally tied up towards the end of last year.
An estimated 15,600 fish in a 5km stretch of the Mole were
killed, from above the link road to the junction of the Molland Yeo where fortunately sufficient dilution took place. This stretch is an important spawning and juvenile area for the river. The salmonids actually counted by the EA were: 315 salmon parr, 1,155 salmon fry, 14 adult sea trout, 1,127 adult brown trout, 328 brown trout parr and 1,222 brown trout fry. Although no adult salmon were killed the loss of three generations of juvenile salmon will be felt for years to come. The same situation applies to the sea trout killed and to the unknown number of juvenile brown trout killed that would have migrated to sea as sea trout.
The EA mounted a successful criminal prosecution of Alun
Sing’s company and one of his employees. The total fine was £2,667, an amount viewed as derisory by those concerned with the health of the river. The proceeds went of course to the Treasury not to the river. With the criminal prosecution out of the way it was open to us to mount a private action for damages. It turned out that amongst all the riparian owners below the polluted stretch on the Mole and on the Lower Taw only five RTFCA members, a
disappointing number, could be identified as members of Fish Legal. These five, acting as claimants, engaged Fish Legal and after a long, drawn-out legal process compensation of £18,000 was paid. Each of the five claimants agreed that the proceeds should go to the Westcountry Rivers Trust for river improvement work on the Mole and this has now happened.
What lessons can be learned?
Taking legal action in relation to river pollution is a
time-consuming and expensive business which requires specialist skills. This we found out through working alongside Fish Legal and through the excellent efforts of Justin Neal, Fish Legal Solicitor. I do urge riparian owners to protect their own and the river’s interests by becoming members of Fish Legal, thereby in effect insuring against the costs of legal action and making legal action affordable.
Those who pollute our river should be held to account and
pressure needs to be brought to bear on the EA to prosecute Category 1 and where possible Category 2 incidents.
Criminal prosecutions do have a deterrent effect. It is therefore important to decline offers under enforcement undertakings as RTFCA did in this case. By using the enforcement undertaking arrangement and offering money direct to the affected party the polluter seeks to avoid a criminal prosecution. It is important to note that after a criminal prosecution there remains the option, as in this case, of bringing a private action with proceeds going to river improvement work. A successful criminal prosecution by the EA
increases the likelihood of a successful private action.
We will never eradicate all the threats that our river faces,
but we must do all we can to minimise them. This means that anglers should act as eyes and ears on the river and report pollution incidents to the EA via its hotline (0800 807060). It may seem dispiriting that individual cases are not followed up by the EA unless there is a fish kill, but action becomes more likely against the repeat offender if incidents continue to be reported and logged.
Three anaerobic digesters on our system are three too many. There
is always the threat of a major incident directly or indirectly connected to them. I would urge any member who hears of plans for others being built to bring that information to the attention of the RTFCA Committee so that a concerted campaign can be launched to nip such plans in the bud.
Fortunately major incidents are rare and I hope my successor, Andy Gray, has a smooth ride in this respect.
Alex Gibson
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| CATCHMENT PARTNERSHIPS – THE WAY AHEAD
Many people will not have heard of Catchment Partnerships, CaBA is a community-led approach that engages people and groups from across communities, encompassing a variety of environmental interests at a local level to help improve our precious water environments. The idea is to do this to by addressing environmental issues at scale on a catchment basis. THE NORTH DEVON CATCHMENT PARTNERSHIP (NDCP) RTFCA is a member of the North Devon Catchment You will see that area includes all of the Taw and MEMBERSHIP OF NDCP In addition to RTFCA the following are members of NDCP: NDCP Priorities are: – action on on diffuse pollution from agriculture (improving or restoring water quality) – working with landowners to manage river banks – encouraging best practice in forestry to reduce sediment pollution removing barriers to fish passage – investigating the extent of sediment pollution in our river – tackling the tricky issue of non native invasive species
THE FUTURE We face a number of significant and daunting challenges to our river’s health and whilst we do our utmost to neutralise or mitigate the effects of the challenges that face us, the reality is that some are just too big in terms of scale and scope to grapple with. The Committee is of the view that we must adapt our approach if We have been welcomed as a valued member and have already been able to demonstrate our worth through our wide experience of raising funds and delivering environmental enhancements throughout the catchment. The NDCP priorities largely chime with We believe that making new alliances and partnerships will be key to success in the future. The NDCP will be central to that success and the early indications are that we as an organisation have a great deal to offer and will benefit from being part of this alliance. As the old saying goes – you have to be in it to win it.
Ian Blewett Secretary SOIL MINERAL NITROGEN SCHEME SAVES FARMERS MONEY AND REDUCES POLLUTION IN RIVERS A Soil Mineral Nitrogen (SMN) project in Devon delivered through Westcountry Rivers Trust (WRT) has helped farmers save money and reduce the pollutants going onto the land and into rivers. In 2022, we worked with farmers in the Otter catchment to review their likely nitrogen fertiliser application and how much these had been adjusted due to cost, before sharing the results of nitrogen tests, to allow further adjustments (up or down) to improve the efficient application of N. Over 425 hectares of conventional and organic land have been The results showe significant opportunities for reductions in nitrogen applications, with the majority from the arable fields. Total applications fell from 57,114kg N/ha to 49,521kg N/ha Based upon a nitrogen fertiliser costing £841/tn in July 2022, the savings equated to over £14K, with an average saving per field of £234. Arable savings were considerably more at £340/field, £148/field for forage and £113 for grassland, with one field’s savings over £1,350. These are unprecedented times in farming and costs of inputs are increasing, it is good to monitor efficiency across farming systems. A 7,593kg N/ha reduction in application is the equivalent The main driver for this SMN work has been to empower farmers to undertake the analysis (where appropriate), to help their on-farm efficiency. This leads to financial savings and an improved environment, including of course water quality in our rivers. Westcountry Rivers Trust (WRT) has been working with farmers The picture below shows an operator taking soil samples which can be tested for carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous and a variety of other elements. Yog Watkins Westcountry Rivers Trust
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From the River Bank
Frosted grass as I walked to the river, stark trees and the river running a steely cold blue green.
The Fly was swung across familiar lies the line drew tight and it felt good to feel a fish throbbing with life on the line. No silver bar but a pleasing out of season wild brownie of perhaps a pound.
A skein of geese flew over their calls drifting through the cold March morning air. It was good to be out by the river; though I do look forward to those warmer days when the sand martins will be swooping low over the water.
On arriving back at the car, I met a fellow angler arriving to fish. We chatted and he told me he would have got here earlier but his wife was working and he had to walk the dog. I quipped that walking the dog was better than working. “Not so good as fishing though” came his swift reply.
Whilst relishing the joy of fishing the river I will mention that it is well worth tuning onto BBC 2 on Sunday night at 8:00pm when Paul Whitehouse is presenting a documentary about the state of our river’s.
Paul Whitehouse travels through the north of England, looking at the impact water companies have on its rivers.
Our Troubled Rivers
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001jw6x
Paul explores the change in the water industry since privatisation in 1989 and what regulations are in place when it comes to sewage discharge into rivers. He meets concerned locals in Yorkshire looking to highlight the health of the River Wharfe, a conservationist who warns of the ecological decline in iconic Lake Windemere, and the man at the front of the battle for the country’s waterways, Feargal Sharkey.
A new Season underway – With silver success
March 1st is the first day of Spring and salmon fishing on the Taw and Torridge. I was keen as always to get out on the river despite the chill North East wind that was blowing. With the rivers on the low side after one of the driest Februarys on record I figured that the club water on the Taw would be as good a place to try as anywhere. I was in no rush to get to the water’s edge as I figured the salmon would be likely to respond as the temperature began to rise later in the day. In truth I was not expecting to hear much but my optimism was boosted when I received news of a fresh run salmon from below Umberleigh caught by Simon Hillcox.
I pulled into the layby at Newbridge to find keen river angler Chay Boggis setting off . He had already caught a kelt and reported that river keeper Don Hearn had caught a fresh run springer.
I donned my waders, and started to take my rod from its tube when realisation of my first blunder of the season dawned ! I have forgotten to pack vital items of gear on a few occasions. This was the second occasion in over fifty years that I have forgotten to pack my reel. I cursed loudly; should I go home and get the reel or just take a walk along the river bank to catch up with fellow anglers. Fortunately; Chay saved the day grabbing a spare reel from his truck. An 8 Wt floating line would be fine with a fast sinking braided leader added to get the fly down.
It was good to once again wade out into the cold river that was running clear after weeks without rain. Whilst it was cold, signs of spring were all around pussy willow bursting forth and birds singing beside the river.
I swung the fly, across the river and after a few casts the line momentarily tightened. Was that a pull? I drifted the fly across the same spot and felt no resistance so maybe it was a chance or just a trout….
It was good to be out a new season ahead. I strolled down the bank met up with Don Hearn, John Webber and other club members. It was good to talk of the river and its salmon. The club is enjoying a revival with a strong membership with efforts made to improve river access and promote fishing. The club has for many years given the opportunity for local; anglers to enjoy salmon, sea trout and trout fishing at a very reasonable cost. For full details visit their website; –https://barnstapledistrictangling.co.uk
The first visit of the season always tell a tale of the winter floods. Lies change new snags appear yet much remains as it has always been. The deep water of some pools are almost certain to hold silver treasure and the hope to connect is strong as the fly is drifted.
Several club members have elected to try a spinner a method that can be effective in cold water of early spring. Spinning is permitted on the Taw and Torridge until March 31st with single hooks mandatory. Always check individual fishery rules as many are fly only.
I fished a couple of hours and did not connect with that spring dream. It was good to get news of several fresh run fish and kelt’s. The kelts are welcome sight as they are evidence that fish have spawned during the winter months. The coming couple of months will see the downstream migration of smolts. Great care should be taken to return both kelts and smolts carefully.
Salmon face an uncertain future and need anglers to campaign hard for cleaner rivers and habitat improvement.. We must do all we can to protect and nurture the rivers for the future.
DAN MILES REDMORE MEMORIAL
Thirty seven anglers braved a cold wet and windy River Taw to fish for the Dan Miles Redmore Memorial Trophy
19 fish were weighed with the event raising over £300 for Childrens Hospice South West.
Results were
1st Julian Stainer 1lb 6.8oz
2nd Julian Stainer 1lb 4.8oz
3rd Wayne Hill 1lb 3oz
4th Kirk Thorne 1lb 2.7oz
5th Nigel Gullen 1lb 2oz
6th Nigel Gullen 1lb 2oz
Thanks to the generous sponsors :=
Summerlands
Quay Sports
Riot Baits
Bullet bait and tackle
Ebberley arms
Royal exchange
Mattys Barbers
Blackmore Barbets
Fremington Quay Cafe
The Techout
Grattons Butchers
Tesco
Dan was a very popular and succesful North Devon based angler who loved his fishing joining many local clubs and catching a wide range of specimen fish from boat and shore. He also enjoyed trips to local still waters catching some superb rainbow trout. His passing in 2022 brought much sadness to those who knew him who will remember his passion for life and angling.
Christmas Flounder Competitions on the Taw
Triple Hook Fishing Club 2022
Xmas Open Flounder
Sunday 18th December
8am – 1pm
£5 entry
Book in with Dennis Toleman tel.07815009260 or any committee member together with the entry fee before the event.
Must be back and present fish at weigh in by 2pm at rear of Barnstaple Social Club (formerly Royal British Legion), St.Georges Road, Barnstaple
Boundaries – Iron Bridge at Rock Park, Barnstaple to The White House, Crow on either side of the River Taw
Flounder must be at least 12” with prizes for the heaviest fish weighed in, only heaviest fish per angler counts
Maximum 2 rods per angler with total of 3 hooks. Juniors (6 – 16 years) must be accompanied by an adult
Decision of the Weighmaster is final
Please call Mark Beer 07796230674 if you have any queries