River habitat restoration

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barbeltastic	River habitat restoration	Lead	[-]
Posts: 1525 (11/07/06 12:56) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Tags : None No doubt many of you on bfw will be aware of the habitat restoration projects that has been done on the River Wensum by Norfolk Anglers Conservation Association. Reading through various threads on here I have noticed a number of concerns being raised about the poor habitat on various rivers throughout the country, ranging from the Suffolk Stour to the Upper Mersey. With the Wild Trout Trust currently successfully championing habitat restoration of the upper rivers and trout streams, I was wondering what level of interest barbel anglers might have in doing the same thing to improve their barbel fisheries, perhaps even including setting up a group dedicated to promoting barbel habitat improvements. I'd be very interested in hearing what others have to say on this subject.
barbeljoe	Re: River habitat restoration	#1	[-]
Posts: 1678 (11/07/06 13:43) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Chris, a topic well worth raising, and one that will be interesting to see the results of. Perhaps the mods could possibly 'pin' this one up the top of the page, as i feel this could become more and more important in coming years.
Paul Boote	River habitat restoration	#2	[-]
Posts: 4341 (11/07/06 19:19) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Nice idea, Chris, but strenuous efforts would have to be made at the outset to ensure that the, say, British Barbel Trust would not: a) be nobbled by both the British Political (certain colour) and Angling Establishment, and 2) become merely an outfit providing "occupations pour les garcons" - "jobs for the boys" in good old Anglo-Saxon. I remember writing to someone over your way in the late 1990s, about his recently launched venture and how it must not go the way of 1) and 2) above. Never got a reply...
barbeltastic	Re: River habitat restoration	#3	[-]
Posts: 1525 (11/07/06 19:59) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Hi Paul Your flying way over my head there Paul. I'm just interested in getting some sort of idea if UK barbel anglers are even slightly interested in doing anything about the state of their rivers. I'd like to think they are but to be honest I'm not optimistic about it. As for the politics of who might get involved in putting a "British Barbel Trust" together, well that's an argument for another day in my opinion, though I wouldn't be at all surprised if the idea gets trashed without ever being explored. Someone up my way - which way did it go???
Paul Boote	Trashing	#4	[-]
Posts: 4341 (11/07/06 20:15) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Definitely not doing that, Chris, (I am NOT one for such stuff; I merely FISH, for myself, and not for glory or profit), though if you ask around the Spottie Smart Set you might hear some stuff about li'l' ol' me (and they have never met, let alone fished with, me). Very, very, very close and paranoid people, some sections of the Spottie Set - then, at least ... they're probably wanting to embrace (even hug) anybody and everybody now...
barbeltastic	Re: Trashing	#5	[-]
Posts: 1525 (11/07/06 20:19) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Sometimes I wish someone would hug me - hopefully no one with spots though.
Paul Boote	Spots	#6	[-]
Posts: 4341 (11/07/06 22:15) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	aren't a problem, on fish, Chris - I have spent many a week / month / entire season, both here and abroad, fishing for the more-demanding (and therefore piscatorially worthy) of the critters - it's some of the people who fish for them (old leopards ... spots ... total inability to change...?). Oh, fook it! Just go fishing. Even for "lowly" (in SOME people's eyes) barbel.
barbeltastic	Re: Spots	#7	[-]
Posts: 1525 (12/07/06 01:42) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Paul I'm not sure that the barbel fishing world (I don't mean bfw) is ready to form a national organisation dedicated to restoring rivers. If such a group were to come together however, I feel it would probably have to be inclusive and be prepared to welcome anyone who is interested into its membership. I don't envisage that such a group would be able to run around the country sorting out the problems of each and every river. I do think that it could work by pulling together whatever expertise that exists and decimating information and advice. Even this is something which is currently missing, with few barbel anglers having a clue about habitat restoration techniques, what they are about and how they work. Being merely a grubby coarse angler, I really don't know anything about the spotty brigade or its politics. I do have a strong affinity with the Wild Trout Trust however, as one of my fishing mates is its Director. And the work that they are doing is exemplary and something anyone involved in managing river fisheries could benefit from.
Paul Boote	Interesting other-forum thread here	#8	[-]
Posts: 4341 (12/07/06 08:01) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	flyforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1884 What happened when someone (a keen, river, trout-fisher) made some uncomplimentary noises about a certain game-angling body. All a little clique-ish and clannish for my liking, the province of a bunch of back-scratching "Lolas". PS - Oh, Lolas - I had beter explain. As in B. Manilow's appalling 'Copacabana' song: "Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl..."
barbeltastic	Re: Interesting other-forum thread here	#9	[-]
Posts: 1525 (12/07/06 09:43) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Thanks for that Paul. Still no input into this thread by anyone wanting to talk about improving barbel habitat though. Still its early days yet.
kennet john	Re: Interesting other-forum thread here	#10	[-]
Posts: 13 (12/07/06 09:56) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Hi Chris is there anything that can be done to improve canalised sections of river? Over the last season my club has planted willows and created some areas of snags to improve marginal habitat. We have also introduced some barbel and we hope to do again later in the year is there anything else that can be done? The water is quite turbid most of the summer and the flow is constant although not very fast.The barbel tend to be found in the areas where the flow is slightly better near bends or pinch points and close to the snags. Any help would be appreciated. John.
barbelwalker	Re: Interesting other-forum thread here	#11	[-]
Posts: 506 (12/07/06 09:59) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I was just about to add a similar comment Chris. I am passionately interested in this area. Its knowing where to start. Fortunately Ringwood DAA (of which I am a member) along with Sparsholt College are interested in this and have some interesting plans for one of their stretches which I'll be getting involved with. Hopefully this will allow us to create a blueprint for future stretches. Who knows maybe this will be shared with other clubs in future if successful? Mark
barbeljoe	Re: Interesting other-forum thread here	#12	[-]
Posts: 1678 (12/07/06 10:30) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Good to see some interest at last! Mark, could you possibly shed any more light upon the RDAA stretch that the club and Sparsholt are interested in improving..? I am interested as i will be going to Sparsholt from September, so hopefully if anything happens, i'll be able to get involved with it. *Quote:* Hopefully this will allow us to create a blueprint for future stretches. Who knows maybe this will be shared with other clubs in future if successful? Both the Costessey Point Project and Sayers Meadow are exemplary blueprints, and i can't believe that this work has not become more widespread over other rivers. I guess it just takes alot of time, effort and money.
barbelwalker	Re: Interesting other-forum thread here	#13	[-]
Posts: 506 (12/07/06 10:41) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I don't know too much about it Joe at the moment so can't say too much on here. The project is not restoration of a stretch from scratch more improvements to an already good stretch to aid fry recruitment and habitat preservation for all species. Mark
rodenline	River restoration.	#14	[-]
Posts: 627 (12/07/06 10:42) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I'm guessing that people see this is such a huge undertaking they just have no idea where or how to start. Maybe someone with some experience of habitat improvement/restoration could give some idea as to what the average angler can do to make a start. Also where do you stand legally as an individual when it comes to the question of altering riverbanks/beds/courses, planting trees or even cutting steps to improve access etc?
barbeltastic	Re: Interesting other-forum thread here	#15	[-]
Posts: 1525 (12/07/06 10:53) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Great we are off to a start. kennet john. To an extent habitat restoration is all about improving canalised and over-engineered stretches of river. As far as creating adult barbel habitat is concerned, planting willow osiers is a good start (providing they are the bushy rafting willows and not crack willow trees or weeping willows, etc. Narrowing the river with groynes to pinch the flow is a brilliant cheap and easy option. Given time the silt will settle out below the groynes with reed beds quickly growing up, as the river starts the process of naturally narrowing itself. Alternatively it is possible to narrow the river by way of stacking out faggots and/or backfilling. If you want to improve spawning facilities then this is basically down to creating shallow gravel riffles in the fastest flowing reaches (downstream of weirs. This is where habitat restoration becomes more expensive but funding is available via lottery funding, if you can access it. Also in periods of strong flow riffles will very effectively help scour silt from the area downstream of them. The Wild Trout Trust have just launched their Wild Trout Survival Guide in partnership with the EA and the River Restoration Project. Get a copy and read it while thinking barbel and you won't go far wrong. Try www.wildtrout.org or E-mail to office@wildtrout.org .
barbeltastic	Re: Interesting other-forum thread here	#16	[-]
Posts: 1525 (12/07/06 10:59) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Barbelwalker Knowing where to start is a big issue and this is where a Barbel Habitat Restoration Group cold be really useful. Lets keep any local developments posted on here. I'd be more than happy to do a slide presentation to the Ringwood Club on the work done on the Wensum. Travelling expenses and a day or two fishing would be appreciated however.
Damian Kimmins	Re: Interesting other-forum thread here	#17	[-]
Posts: 768 (12/07/06 11:00) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	*Quote:* We have also introduced some barbel and we hope to do again later in the year is there anything else that can be done? Habitat improvement is one thing, but really the important question is do you have self sustaining populations? If you don't then I'd say that something could be done with fry recruitment. Additional riffles and shallow gravel stretches to aid spawning. "Whilst developing creativity, also cultivate receptivity. Retain the mind like that of a child, which flows like running water. When considering any thing, do not lose its opposite." Lao Tzu
kennet john	Re: Interesting other-forum thread here	#18	[-]
Posts: 13 (12/07/06 11:02) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Thanks Chris I'll have a look at the WTT site. I'm not sure if British Waterways would be too happy about us narrowing the flow though but it's got to be worth looking at. John.
barbeltastic	Re: River restoration.	#19	[-]
Posts: 1525 (12/07/06 11:07) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	rodenline Habitat improvements can be made one step at a time or in various stages, rather than being seen as a huge undertaking. EA consent is required for everything, however they are increasingly looking for stake-holder partnerships to be involved in. As for planting tress, I'd just get on with it. It may be worth having the club and landowners permission though or they might get taken out again.
barbeltastic	Re: Interesting other-forum thread here	#20	[-]
Posts: 1525 (12/07/06 11:09) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	*Quote:* Habitat improvement is one thing, but really the important question is do you have self sustaining populations? If you don't then I'd say that something could be done with fry recruitment. Additional riffles and shallow gravel stretches to aid spawning. Snap!

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