Annual Game Meeting 2018 Season Highlights
Annual Game Meeting 2018 – Season Highlights – John Stoddart
S&TC Press Release – River Avon Environmental Crisis
Press Release
Issued by: Salmon & Trout Conservation
Study shows sewage treatment plants are deadly for world-famous river.
Wild fish charity, Salmon & Trout Conservation (S&TC) and Salisbury & District Angling Club have recently submitted a scientifically-backed formal warning ( Request for Action) to the Environment Agency about the rapid destruction of one of our most highly protected chalkstreams – the Upper Avon in Wiltshire.
Scientific monitoring by Salmon & Trout Conservation has highlighted that this once bursting with life chalkstream has suffered a dramatic decline in water quality with a consequential loss of water insect life – the base of the aquatic food chain. The Riverfly Census covered reaches on the river Avon from Stonehenge and Amesbury to Stratford sub Castle in Salisbury, to provide a 3-year data baseline of life in the river.
A major source of this pollution is caused by phosphates. Effluent discharges from three sewage treatment works in the catchment are recognised as a major source of these damaging phosphates into the river. Phosphates are widely acknowledged as a major cause of water quality deterioration in the River Avon.
Significantly, these discharges have been increasing at an alarming rate since 2015. Population forecasts show that this situation will deteriorate even further because of increased housing developments and the re-basing of many thousands of servicemen and their families.
Jan Szakowski from the Salisbury and District Angling Club said, “We have issued a formal notification to the Environment Agency of the severe environmental damage that has been caused and continues to be caused by phosphate effluent from sewage treatment works operated by Wessex Water. Unless something […]
UK; River Test Weed Cutting Dates 2018
River Test Weed Cutting Dates 2018
River Test Weed cutting dates 2018 .
The chalkstreams of Southern England are renowned for the crystal clear water high in nutrients which not only grows large trout but also helps to produce exceptional weed growth.
This has to be managed to not only allow fishing access but control water height but to help prevent flooding of surrounding farmland, villages and towns.
Ever year there are periods during the trout season when the river keepers are allowed to cut this weed, once cut the weed floats downstream to collection points where it is taken out of the river.
Rather than cut all the weed, keepers are very selective in cutting as is home to many invertebrates that fish and birds rely upon in the river valleys.
The dates for weed cutting in 2018 have now been confirmed by the River Test & Itchen Association.
River Test Weed Cutting Dates 2018
Sector A: River Test from source to the A34 bridge near Whitchurch and Bourne
| Sector A Cutting Days | Sector A Clearing off Days |
| Monday 11 June – Wednesday 20 June (midnight) | Thursday 21 June – Friday 22 June |
| Monday 16 July – Sunday 22 July (midnight) | Monday 23 July – Tuesday 24 July |
| Monday 20 August – Sunday 26 August (midnight) | Monday 27 August – Tuesday 28 August |
Sector B: River Test from the A34 bridge near Whitchurch to the A303 bridge at Gavelacre
| Sector B Cutting Days | Sector B Clearing off Days |
| Monday 11 June – Thursday 21 June (midnight) | Friday 22 June – Saturday 22 June |
| Monday 16 July – Monday 23 July (midnight) | Tuesday 24 July – Wednesday 25 July |
| Monday 20 August – Monday 27 August (midnight) | Tuesday 28 August – Wednesday 29 August |
Anton, Pillhill and Dever
| Anton, Pillhill, Bourne & Dever Cutting Days | Anton, Pillhill, Bourne & Dever Clearing off Days |
| Tuesday 12 […] |
Weed Cutting Dates River Wylye 2018
River Wylye – Bathhampton to Chilhampton
| CUTTING | CLEARING DOWN |
|---|---|
| Friday 6th to Friday 13th April | Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th April |
| Monday 7th to Sunday 20th May | Sunday 21st & Monday 22nd May |
| Monday 25th June to Tuesday 10th July | Wednesday 11th & Thursday 12th July |
River Wylye – Below Chilhampton
| CUTTING | CLEARING DOWN |
|---|---|
| Friday 13th to Friday 20th April | Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd April |
| Monday 14th to Sunday 27th May | Monday 28th & Tuesday 29th May |
| Monday 2nd to Tuesday 17th July | Wednesday 18th to Thursday 19th July |
Weed Cutting Dates River Avon 2018
RIVER AVON – Above Crossing ‘C’
| CUTTING | CLEARING DOWN |
|---|---|
| Saturday 21st April to Saturday 5th May | Sunday 6th & Monday 7th May |
| Friday 15th to Wednesday 27th June | Thursday 28th & Friday 29th June |
| Saturday 21st – Monday 30th July | Tuesday 31st July & Wednesday 1at August |
RIVER AVON – Below Crossing “C”
| CUTTING | CLEARING DOWN |
|---|---|
| Wednesday 25th April to Wednesday 9th May | Thursday 10th & Friday 11th May |
| Monday 18th to Saturday 30th June | Sunday 1st & Monday 2nd July |
| Monday 23rd July to Wednesday 1st August | Thursday 2nd & Friday 3rd August |
What is a Chalk Stream? Fly Fishing
What is a Chalk Stream?
What is a Chalk stream? The English chalkstreams are characterised by naturally filtered alkaline water of exceptional clarity and lush waterweed, creating an environment in which Brown Trout thrive and grow to large sizes. Grayling fishing is excellent and unusually for the UK they can be caught on a dry fly even in the winter. The clarity of the water means that both Trout and Grayling fishing often involves sight fishing for individual fish….creating real excitement and added interest to the fishing. The very best fishing is often in the shallower clearer upper reaches of the main chalkstream rivers and in the tributary streams.
Where are the Chalk Streams?
In England chalk streams are located in south and east England, for example in Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Kent, Norfolk, south Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire. There are also some important chalk streams on the wolds in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire.
The Importance of Chalk Streams.
There are only around 200 chalk streams in the world, and 85% of these are found in England, so we have a special responsibility to look after them. A combination of geology and climate means that our chalk streams have characteristic features that support special wildlife habitats and species. They are fed from groundwater aquifers, meaning that the water is of high clarity and good chemical quality. It is the quality of the waters as well as the gravels of the river bed that make chalk streams so precious for invertebrates, such as rare species like the fine-lined pea mussel and a range of mayfly species, as well as for damselflies […]
Game Waters Update – 8th March 2016
With the season rapidly approaching there is a lot to report on the game front. The general conditions on the banks are good so if the weather continues much as it is all waters will be open on April 1st. The catchment has had steady if unspectacular rainfall filling the aquifers and topping up the rivers allowing a good flush through but not messing up the banks too much..
A number of fisheries have had attention over the winter, Durnford has a new fence on 3, 5 and 7. A lot of tree work has been done throughout the fishery. Wading steps, bridges at Woodford, new signage on the beats and all the old post stumps/trip hazards in beats 2 and 13 have been pulled out. Woody berms installed to aid flow and protection of young fish.
Gates and rails have gone in at West Amesbury as needed. Trees on the meadow bank at Abbey have been thinned. Tree work to improve casting space and in stream work for the fish have been done at Stonehenge. Some minor fencing improvements at Sutton Veny should help keep the cows on their own bank.
Big steps forward at Ratfyn Lake, agreement has been reached with the owner about future use exclusively for trout, the EA have looked at the health of the water, trees have been removed to stop more leaf litter going in. A trial stocking will be made to see how the fish cope and all being well will reopen on April 1st. Indications are that without carp, with the trees removed plus the owner’s work installing some aeration equipment things will be better there.
Other work is planned including bank and in stream work at West Amesbury just […]