A new chapter for North Devon’s anglers.

Quay Sports closed on June 14th after trading for close to three years it has been a valuable stop off point for North Devon’s Anglers providing a wide range of tackle for all disciplines. Fortunately the shop manager Chris Connougton is opening a new tackle shop  that will ensure that Barnstaple still has that vital ingredient to enable a social hub and source of those essential items of tackle and bait. It is essential that local anglers support this new venture and all other local tackle shops. We are very fortunate to have a range of tackle shops across North Devon a fact that I will promote in the coming weeks.

Last day of the shop today. Come and grab yourself some last min bargains. We would also like to say a huge thank you to you all for your support over the last 3 years, we have made some great relationships and friends. We wish Chris all the best for the future with Barnstaple Bait & Tackle and sure will see some of you on the bank.
Quay Sports

( Above) Mark Potter and Chris Connaughton on their last day at Quay Sports

🎣CHRIS CONNAUGHTON Comments
“I am proud to announce that I will be opening a fresh new bait and tackle store at 6 Queens House, Barnstaple, EX32 8HJ. I am hoping to be open by the 1st of July but more will follow on this.
There will be all the usual sea and freshwater baits available along with a vast range of tackle from leading brands.
My aim is to create a local social hub where like-minded people of all ages can meet, shop and chat about all things fishing!
It hasn’t been easy so come show some support when open and keep a tackle shop in Barnstaple for many years to come.
Watch this space for further details, a new facebook page, deals and events.
I look forward to welcoming you through the door
Chris
(I would also like to say a massive thank you to Mr Pinn of Pinndart for all his help with the logo etc).”

SHADY STREAMS & WILD TROUT

As the year races past it is essential to ensure that plans discussed at the start of the season get acted upon. At the Roadford Fly Fair at the end of February I chatted with Luke Bannister about a trip to the river that was discussed further when we met up at the Orvis Outlet Opening at the Arundell Sporting Hotel in March.
https://www.northdevonanglingnews.co.uk/2024/03/21/a-visit-to-the-arundell-arms-at-lifton-a-longstanding-country-hotel-with-a-rich-history-for-shooting-and-fishing/

After a few messages back and forth Luke and I set a day to meet up and fish the Arundell’s water in early June. We arranged to meet at the Arundell at 9:30am where we could meet up with David Pilkington who would allocate a beat for the day and give valuable advice.
The Arundell has over twenty miles of fishing on the Tamar and its tributaries with an abundance of wild brown trout fishing along with salmon, sea trout and grayling. It was the wild browns that Luke and I would be targeting and with a few mayfly still showing we hoped for success on the dry fly.
It was very busy when we met up with David Pilkington who had allocated us beat 4 on the River Thrushel a beat I had glimpsed briefly during the visit to in March.
Enjoyment of the day was undoubtedly top of the agenda and Luke and I retreated to the Arundell Deli for a fresh coffee before venturing to the river. There was of course plenty to discuss and Luke didn’t expect the trout to start rising until late morning.


The Arundell is undoubtedly in good hands with the present owners well versed in what their fishing and shooting clientele require to ensure an enjoyable stay. Luke and I both appreciate the value of such sporting hotels to the rural economy and of course to the future of fly fishing. Key to the survival of this is the health of the regions rivers. The declining salmon and sea trout stocks are of concern as is the decline of insect life brought about by the use of insecticides. These issues and others of the wider world were dissected over coffee before setting off for the beat.
The day was bright and sunny with a cool westerly breeze. It is always exciting to explore a new venue and I was fortunate to have Luke’s company as he had fished the beat on previous occasions.
Luke is renowned for his exquisite hand built split cane fly rods, fly boxes and leaders.
https://www.bannisterrods.co.uk

I had intended to discuss rods with Luke but in our keenness to get fishing such discussions didn’t materialise. Luke put together a very pleasing looking 7ft 4 Wt cane wand whilst I took out my 7ft Snowbee Classic Carbon 4wt. Armed with this suitably matched reels, lines and a few flies we set out to the river after looking over the old stone bridge to assess the state of the river.


The river was running low with just a tinge of colour reminding me of beats I have fished on the Upper Torridge a river that shares many characteristics with the Tamar.
The Thrushel as described on the Arundell’s website: –
The Thrushel and its own tributary, the Wolf, is a pretty, lowland river which affords excellent trout fishing. The Thrushel itself is a small to medium sized river with a good number of open pools for the novice fisherman to target some excellent wild brown trout. Its tributary the Wolf is slightly smaller and trickier, requiring more fishing experience. Both rivers are characterised by short gravelly runs with trout holding pockets that flow into rock formed pools. To get the best from your day, the ability to cast from both shoulders is preferable as many of the runs and pots require working your way up the river from side to side and between access points. A short rod of 7ft or so is recommended. It should also be noted that the water levels on the Wolf are controlled by output from Roadford reservoir ensuring that it is often fishable when all other rivers are running too high after rainfall.
Species – Brown Trout, Grayling
Size of River – Medium/small
Wading difficulty – Medium
Ease of access and Fishability – Medium
Trout Equipment – 7’6”- 8’6” #3/4 weight rods

Whilst I very much enjoy fishing alone there is undoubtedly great value in sharing a day with a fellow angler and it was a privilege to explore this delightful river on this early summer day.
Tactics were discussed with Luke opting for a single bead headed nymph. We discussed the merits of New Zealand style tactics that are often used to explore the water giving the best of both worlds in many anglers opinion. Whilst Luke agreed with the effectiveness he prefers to focus on either dry fly or nymph tactics believing this a more rewarding and enjoyable way to fish


We entered the tranquil and shaded riverside and paused to take in the surroundings. A chiff chaff’s song reverberated through the air. The trees were in full leaf offering areas of shade as the river flowed tranquilly between rocky banks that were interspersed with tree roots. A river that could easily be the setting for the author BB’s delightful tome ‘The Little Grey Men’, a book that tells of the adventures of four gnomes as they travel down a stream. In all its full summer beauty: throughout the story runs the secret music of the stream, the songs of the water birds, the whisper of the sedges.
We watched carefully for signs of rising fish.


Luke demonstrated an extensive in depth knowledge of entomology talking of the flies he expected to see throughout the season and which patterns are best used as imitation’s.
Luke’s approach was calm and measured and I felt totally at ease in his presence. Sometimes there can be a degree of pressure when sharing a day as you don’t want to show incompetence by tangling in the trees or scaring the wily trout.

We took it in turns to fish the pools and glides. Discussing where we thought the fish would lie and delighting in dropping the fly into the sweet spot. Reading the water is a skill gleaned over many days even years beside the water. And whilst every river is different there are similarities that are common to all rivers from tiny brooks to the majestic lower reaches.


As we fished we talked of past fishing forays in waters both at home and abroad. We both caught a few small crimson spotted wild browns that were a delight to briefly admire before slipping back into the river.
After reaching the top of the beat we headed back down river to revisit promising lies. I waded into a deep run to search with a weighted nymph whilst Luke watched on. As I turned to wade back I slipped into a deep pocket and lost my balance momentarily slipping forwards into the deep water. Cool water surged over my wader top and I felt a moment of panic and then embarrassment at my clumsiness.


It proved costly as my phone though never totally submerged later packed up requiring a costly repair. I really should make sure I keep it within an aqua-pack.
After this brief moment of angst we continued on and headed for a stretch we had been advised to fish at the Lower end of the beat below the road bridge.
We entered a new stretch through a padlocked gate. A deep and shady pool was at the very bottom of the beat. Luke suggested I start at the bottom of the pool whilst he fished the run above.
I made my way carefully through head high undergrowth of water hemlock and nettles. A trout rose under the overhanging branches. I crept into position and flicked a grey duster delicately where the rings had shown. A shadow appeared and a trout sipped in the fly. A pleasing wild brown of perhaps 8” was brought to the waiting net.


I dried the fly and cast again and was thrilled to see a good sized trout of perhaps 1lb approach the fly before turning away with disdain.


I fished carefully up the pool and hooked another similar sized trout at the head of the pool. Luke and I compared notes and I suggested he try for the big fish at the shady tail of the pool. I fished slowly up the promising looking run above. I saw a fish rise and put my offering onto the spot. This is surely the most satisfying of moments in angling as the trout again rose and I felt that delightful harmony of deception and connection. The fish was the best of the day a pleasing brown of perhaps 10” its flanks olive and bronze decorated in crimson and black spots.


Luke captured the moment on camera and we walked up river having a few casts here and there before converging at the bridge.
It was late afternoon and we had shared a great day at the waters edge. Catching close to a dozen trout between us.
I cannot cast off without mentioning those hand crafted split cane rods. I would draw a parallel to classic sports cars that get you from A to B no quicker but do so in a manner that is undoubtedly pleasing to the soul.

Last casts made its time to head off home.

 

BARNSTAPLE BAIT AND TACKLE – Opening July 2024

Chris Connaughton is well known and respected across North Devon as the manager at Quay Sports. Quay Sports has been the hub for anglers across the region since it opened a few years ago. Many were very saddened to hear of its closure as tackle shops are vital for angling to flourish.  It is great news for the North Devon Angling community that Chris is opening a new store in Queen Street, Barnstaple. It is essential that local anglers support the shop as there is no substitute for having a shop where you actually pop in and buy bait and tackle.

Quay sports retail shop will now be closed from this coming Friday 14.6.24. The reasoning behind this is Chris (Shop Manager) is actually starting his own new venture (Completly seperate from Quay Sports) in Barnstaple called Barnstaple Bait & Tackle and an agreement has been made for our stock. We wish Chris all the best for the future, he is looking to be open around the 1st July so show him as much support as possible to keep a shop in Barnstaple.

One week left of our sale and we are now offering 20% discount.
(ALL GIFTCARDS WILL NEED TO BE REDEEMED BY 5PM THIS COMING FRIDAY 14.6.24).

UK Shark tagging in 2024 and beyond with NOAA and the Pat Smith Database

posted in: Articles, Sea Angling, Sidebar | 0

UK Shark tagging in 2024 and beyond with
NOAA and the Pat Smith Database

page1image50019360
Meet Kate Zewinski and the NOAA tagging team on Wednesday 10th July at Looe Heritage Centre. Doors open at 6pm – get there early and get a pastie
page1image50035120
Wednesday evening 10th July where she will deliver a brief presentation on:
Why we tag and what recaptures tell us.
How can we better achieve consistency in measuring and collecting the other data elements on the tag record card.
How you can join the programme.
Two other members of the NOAA team, Michelle Passerotti and John Carlson will also be available along with Kate to answer any questions you may have.
All are welcome but to help track numbers please let John McMaster at johnmacpsd@outlook.com know if you are coming along.

 

Reed – Providing Vital Protection from the elements for Twenty Five Years

The Reed Storm Jacket on a cold December day back in 2016

Being an all-round angler and fishing throughout the year coping with what the elements throw at me is an important part of my fishing preparation. An adage that is often thrown around is that there is no such thing as bad weather just the wrong clothing. Well there is perhaps some truth in that though generally I prefer a warm sunny day to a cold wet one!

I enjoy my fishing excursions throughout the year and keeping warm and dry undoubtedly makes the experience both more enjoyable and productive. You will not fish well if you are cold wet and miserable.

Playing a hard fighting trout during a heavy downpour

I have worn a vast range of weather proof garments over the past fifty years some good some not so good. Several years ago I was introduced to Reed Chillcheater clothing by my good friend and fellow angler Kevin Legge. Kev extolled the virtues of Reed Chillcheater products and in 2016  I invested in an Aquatherm Fleece Storm Jacket.

North Devon sea angler Kevin Legge embraces the elements in his Reed Storm Jacket

I was immediately impressed by the comfort and resistance to the winter weather the Aquatherm Fleece provided. The inner fleece provides warmth and the outer fabric provides a waterproof barrier.

I also combine the wearing of Transpire Fleece base layers during the colder months and find this ensures I can endure the coldest of days. I occasionally wear the double thickness transpire under top and trousers but generally find that I get too warm unless its static fishing.

The true test of clothing is undoubtedly its endurance overtime and whilst most waterproofs I have used in the past start leaking after a couple of seasons my Aquatherm Fleece Storm Jacket is still doing its job over eight years later.

(Above and Below) Keeping out the chill Arctic air in Norway

After speaking with company owner Chris Reed I put the jacket into the washing machine. It now smells far better and with the slightly fishy aroma removed it still repels the rain. The pockets have ripped and it’s getting a bit jaded but it still keeps out the rain. I will be investing in a new jacket for this coming winter.

At home in both fresh and salt water.

I visited Reed premises a few weeks ago to discuss their ongoing support of North Devon Angling News and enjoyed a tour of the premises. I have been pleased to help promote their excellent products since 2016 when I launched NDANs. The products are manufactured In Braunton by a small team of skilled workers. Reeds have been producing products aimed primarily at the Kayaking, Canoeing and outdoor adventure fraternity for twenty five years. Local anglers have discovered the benefits of Reed products with the clothing stocked at Braunton Bait Box and at Veal’s Mail Order and of course direct from Reeds at Braunton.

 

Chris Reed shows me around their well stocked storeroom

The work place

https://www.veals.co.uk/reed-chillcheater-storm-jacket-trousers-a-review/

Round 2 of the SWLT / FLUFF CHUCKERS Brown Trout Masters at Fernworthy lake on Dartmoor.

FULL REPORT FROM RODNEY WEVILL of THE Fluff Chuckers
A good turn out with anglers from all around the South West.
With the weather not really making its mind up whether it’s summer or early spring, sunshine, overcast and very windy.
Fishing has been a little harder on Fernworthy in 2024 compared to 2023 when a lot of really nice fish were being caught.
But we had some real talent on the banks today so even though it could be hard going there was always going to be some great results.
And results we got, everyone caught fish with
Keith Burnett landing the most fish with 11, Roger Trusscott was runner up with 7, Richard Adeney  & Rodney Wevill joint 3rd with 6 .
Once again following on from round 1 Kevin Sellar caught the biggest fish at 41cm
With Wayne Thomas runner up.
A massive thank you to Turrall Flies and Lakedown Brewing . Co for their support and providing some great prizes .
Now is off to Roadford lake on the 12th October for the 3rd and final round. Where the 2024 Brown Trout Master will be crowned.
Overall results of round 1 & 2 combined
1 Roger Truscott. 582cm
2. Keith Burnett. 433cm
3. Richard Adeney. 274cm
4. Rodney Wevill. 204cm
5. Kevin Sellar. 171cm
6. Wayne Thomas. 163cm
7. Philip Hoskin. 138cm
8. Matt Rodwell. 67cm
9.  Ben Elliot 64cm
10. Dave Perks. 64cm
11. Pete Williams. 54cm
12. Slawomir Olaf Pilecki 32cm
13. Jack Welshman 30cm
14. Dave Cook. 28cm
14. Andrew Watson  27cm
15. Peter Finnis. ……….,
Winner Keith Burnett
Runner up Roger Trusscott
Kevin Sellar caught the biggest fish at 41cm
Wayne Thomas runner in biggest fish category

MY OWN REFLECTIONS FROM THE WATERS EDGE

Fernworthy Reservior is situated high on Dartmoor a few miles from Chagford an ancient and fascinating moorland village . I had not fished the reservoir since a distant day as a teenager back in the late 1970’s but I certainly do not intend to wait so long until my next visit.

Pre competition chats at the waters edge.

The reservoirs surroundings are steeped in history with ancient stone circles showing glimpses of a fascinating history. The reservior itself was built during the Second World War a time of death and turmoil that seems so far removed from this early summer day. There is a certain reassurance to be gained by spending a day in such a place far from the worries of this troubled world and something that was touched upon as we chatted briefly of war in todays world before the presentation.

Fernworthy is a brown trout fishery with a good head of wild fish supplemented with regular stockings each season. A brisk cool North West Wind and sunny spells were perhaps not ideal conditions but all competitors caught some lovely trout with some stunning looking fish amongst them. I had a frustrating day hooking nine fish an up Roger Truscott had had a similar experience. The vast majority of the fish were caught using small immitative patterns as is to be expected at a natural catch and release brown trout fishery.

A special thanks to Rodney Wevill for organising the event and gaining the support of the generous sponsors. South West Lakes Trust, Turral Flies and Lakedown Brewing

Early Morning cloud at the competitions start

 

 

IN SEARCH OF EXMOOR TROUT

 

Tumbling clear waters have carved valleys between the undulating hills of Exmoor over millions of years. The River Exe from which Exmoor gets its name flows from Exe head near Simonsbath to Exmouth a distance of 60 miles. It’s major tributary the River Barle merges with the Exe a couple of miles below Dulverton a spot immortalised in the rare book ‘Philandering Angler’ by Arthur Applin. Applin reminisces about the ‘Carnarvon Arms’ waters and a “trout fat as butter with belly like gold”. And also in that classic tome “Going Fishing’ by Negley Farson. Farson writes of “an imperturbable scene which fills you with content”.

Both authors are well travelled especially for the era in which they wrote and yet there is great affection for the humble brown trout of the Exe and Barle.

Exmoor has a rich literary history that has it seems to be ongoing with Michelle Werrett’s latest book ‘Song of the Streams’ a book that is set to become a classic of its genre.

Sadly the ‘Carnarvon Arms’, a country Inn with a rich history is now converted into flats. A fate that has befallen many fine Country Hotels.

Fortunately those crimson spotted wild brown trout with bellies of gold are still abundant throughout the Exe and Barle and can be fished for at a very reasonable cost.

I joined Dulverton Angling Association a couple of years ago with the intention of exploring their eight beats of fishing on the Upper Exe and its tributaries. And so on a warm and sunny 1st of June I walked into Lance Nicholson’s shop to enquire if any beats were available. This was only a short session with Pauline joining me to relax and read a book at the water’s edge whilst I explored the river.

We were advised that the Stoats Tail beat was available and would tick all the relevant boxes. The beat is half a mile or so of fishing that runs up from the main road bridge in the town to the weir in which I often spot trout and the occasional salmon when I sometimes pause for a look in the river on route to this delightful moorland town.

Swifts were gliding above the roof tops in the hazy blue sky as we walked to the river their high pitched screeches a truly evocative sound of summer.

After passing through the gate to the riverside we followed the pathway through into the meadow where Pauline found a shady spot to read whilst I scrambled down the tree lined bank to the river.

There is surely no better place to be than beside a West Country River in late May or early June. The lush fresh green leaves provided a fine frame to the river as it tumbled over boulders and between rocky gorges.

The water was as clear as gin, as I clambered over the slippery rocks I noted that the pools were deceptively deep. I started to explore the pools and runs with a bushy dry fly. Nothing showed for the first hundred yards or so but in a large pool below a split in the river a good sized trout rose to the fly. Whilst I failed to connect I was encouraged and after resting the pool for fifteen minutes returned with a change of fly. Once again a fish rose but I again failed to connect.

Above the rapids there was a tempting looking run overhung by a holly bush. I guessed where a fish might lie and on the second cast there was a splashy rise and I was connected to a handsome Barle trout of perhaps 10”.

I looked upriver, contemplated exploring further but decided to quit whilst I was ahead and returned to Pauline. As we strolled back through the meadow we noted how delightfully detached we were from the town that was hidden from view behind the wooded river.

The following morning I once again set off across Exmoor’s winding roads as the early morning sun streamed through the vibrant green of fresh leaves. The destination was Wimbleball Lake in search of its hard fighting rainbows.

I would be joining fellow members of South Molton & District Angling Club.

         I had left it too late to book a boat and headed for the bank of Rugg’s bay where I have enjoyed good sport in the past.

The path to the lake was lined with vivid yellow buttercups and birdsong drifted through the cool morning air.

A light North wind was creating a gentle ripple across the lake; I waded out into the cool water and put out the team of three flies, a black bead headed spider on the point, a black pennel on the middle dropper and a foam black buzzer on the top dropper.

After half a dozen casts the line zipped tight and a trout cartwheeled from the water. A handsome wild brown trout of close to 1lb graced the net. These are wild trout descendants of the trout that lived in the River Haddeo, before the lake was completed back in 1979. I admired the trout briefly before letting it swim back into the clear waters of the lake. A few weeks ago a wild brown trout estimated at around 7lb was tempted from the lake. I noted the large numbers of fry swimming around me as I stood waist deep. During late summer and autumn the wild browns can often be seen harassing the tiny fry in the margins. With such an abundance of food it will surely be only a matter of time before someone hooks into a double figure wild trout?

A few minutes later a hard fighting rainbow of around 2lb took the tip fly and was duly despatched.

         South Molton and District Angling Club Chairman Ed Rands and a boat partner arrived fifty yards or so away and dropped anchor. They gave a me a cheery wave as I hooked into another hard fighting rainbow.

During the following hour I hooked several more rainbows and noticed that the tip fly was showing signs of stress. I used forceps to bend it back into shape after landing four rainbows of around 2lb with one or two others coming adrift.

I secured a self-portrait with the fish and held it aloft for Ed and fellow club members to witness. The fish had completed my five fish limit so it was catch and release from now on.

Several coch-y-bunddu beetle could be seen drifting on the water and it was these that I guessed the trout were feeding upon. A fact that was confirmed when one of the trout regurgitated numerous beetles that drifted away as I unhooked the fish. I expect the next few weeks will produce the cream of the years sport as the trout turn on to this annual feast.

To my surprise the boats fishing out in the bay were not catching despite several fish rising in their proximity. Ed and his boat partner even beached their boat and came over for a chat. I showed them my flies and set up telling exactly how I was presenting my team of flies.

         Despite this I continued to catch returning ten more hard fighting rainbows to an estimated 4lb whilst my fellow club members remained fishless. Sometimes success in fishing comes through a slice of luck or some subtle detail that whets the fishes appetite on that day.

I packed away my tackle at around 2.00pm very content with my days sport. I will undoubtedly be back soon. Chasing Exmoor trout in both running and Stillwater. News that Tarr Steps Farm are now selling day tickets for both trout and salmon is certainly on the to do list. I have fond memories of fishing the Tarr Steps Hotel Water several years ago and treasure the memory of a grilse caught on the day of Princess Diana’s funeral back on September 6th, 1997.

         The Tarr Steps Hotel has sadly closed a contributary factor is undoubtedly the dramatically declining runs of salmon. I remember spotting several dozen salmon in a days fishing. The fishing was often exceptional as the river fined down after a spate and my visits failed to coincide with that magic taking period. The salmon could be spotted though in abundance. Today the salmon are very scarce and hard to find whilst the wild brown trout are thriving a sign perhaps.

 

A HARD DAYS FISHING

  Chew Valley Lakes reputation was further enhanced this Spring with the capture of a British Record pike scaling 47lb 5oz. I have fished the lake on and off for over twenty years and enjoyed a mix of success and failure at the venue.

         I joined my good friend Bruce Elston for a day with the fly rod. The weather forecast had looked good with a moderate North West Breeze and no rain. I arrived at the lake just after 9:00am and  we chatted to fellow anglers as we loaded our gear onto the boat. It appeared that the fishing had been hard going. Undeterred we set out for our chosen area searching the water casting our big flies in ten foot of water. With a drogue controlling our drift we covered water at a steady pace.

         There was suspended algae present in the water and visibility was not as good as on some previous visits. On the first drift we had a couple of follows and pulls which was encouraging.

         Next drift Bruce hooked into a jack of around 4lb which boosted our confidence. On the next drift it was my turn and I brought a jack of around 4lb to the boat nothing big but at least we were catching. The next couple of drifts resulted in a couple of missed takes and a micro jack for Bruce.

         As the day raced past takes dried up as they often do during the afternoon. Hundreds of swifts were swooping over the water undoubtedly feasting upon insects.   To our surprise throughout the day we saw only a couple of trout rising which for late May was perhaps a little strange.

         With wind increasing and action non-existent we decided to head for shelter and enjoy an early evening snack. In a sheltered bay I lit the stove and fried up a dozen chipolata sausages. Bruce put out a team of buzzers whilst he waited for the culinary delight of a sausage sandwich.

         The sun broke through momentarily bathing the bay in evening light. We resumed our search for a while in the bay before once again heading back to the main expanse of the lake. I tempted another micro jack on one of Rodney Wevil’s bright orange scruffy tigers.

         As the light faded from a late Spring day we had several last drifts eventually conceding defeat at 20:45.

We had made many casts during close to nine hours of fishing at a guess I reckon we notched up close to a thousands casts in the day.

         Chew Valley Lake can be hard; its draw is of course that the next cast could bring that fish of a lifetime. I was fortunate to catch that fish a couple of years ago so I know it can happen. Maybe next cast?

Pike fishing seems to follow a natural cycle with each year slightly different. There seems to be an explosion of micro jacks this year with a few very large fish and low numbers of medium sized pike. The lake is large however and will always hold mystery and just maybe another British Record. A fifty ?

38lb pike caught in 2022

Atlantic Salmon : THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION?

Many thanks to Richard Wilson for sharing his thoughts on salmon decline with North Devon Angling News. Check out Fish rise on Substack for more of Richards writing. This months article is very apt considering the dramatic decline we are seeing on West Country Salmon populations.
https://fishrise.substack.com/p/atlantic-salmon-the-brink-of-extinction?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=1289122&post_id=140218257&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=1uvzdy&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email

Atlantic Salmon: The Brink of Extinction?

A Red List Endangered Species.

River Ghost

Salmon are in trouble. Ask anyone involved and they’ll tell you how bad it is and who’s to blame (it’s always someone else).

It’s so bad that the Atlantic Salmon is now officially an IUCN Red List Endangered Species in the UK. In Ireland, the population has collapsed by 80% in 20 years. Other places and other salmon species are not far behind, and the word extinction really has entered the debate.

We can see this decline by watching the way the money flows. Just about everywhere the value is slowly ebbing out of salmon fishing, almost no matter how or where we do it, and from mega-trawler to rod & line.

Sure, we can remove dams and nets, replant catchments and clean up pollution to help mitigate the decline, but they’re not enough.

This crisis is universal, which is of note, because not everywhere has nets or fish farms or pollution or management corruption. Indeed, some have none of the above, yet their salmon are in trouble.

One of Scotland’s most exclusive rivers, the Helmsdale, used to be a place where fishing was accessed via dead men’s shoes. Royalty graced its banks and the management was so discrete as to be almost uncontactable. A rod on the Helmsdale was a mark of status. Now the Helmsdale has gaps to fill and is promoting itself in upmarket magazines. It has no pollution and no fish farms to blame. Something else is going wrong.

What salmon everywhere have in common is rising water temperatures. This is happening both at sea and in rivers. High temps impact badly on salmon at every stage of their lifecycle, from squeezed and collapsing ocean food chains to overheated redds and undernourished smolts failing to make the journey back to sea. The salmon lifecycle makes them especially vulnerable to warming water.

This is real and it’s happening everywhere. Check out the Missing Salmon Alliance for a thorough breakdown of these combined threats. Their rallying call is Cold, Clean Water – which is as succinct a summary of the salmon’s plight as you can find anywhere.

And it’s not just salmon: Entire food chains are wobbling. In recent years 10 billion snow crabs have gone missing from Alaskan waters and the most plausible explanation is starvation in warming seas. A few years ago 100m Alaskan cod went AWOL for the same reason: Warmth increases fish and crustacean metabolic rates, so they have to eat more just to maintain body weight. At the same time the warm water suppresses growth in their food supply. So they need more, get less and starve. It’s becoming a regular feature of ocean life.

Worse, the increase in metabolic rate may also increase salmon’s need for oxygen beyond the ability of their gills to fully deliver. If so, that too would inhibit growth and reproduction.

To understand why, we need to do some time travelling because today’s benign weather wasn’t always a given. Our ancestors had a much tougher time than us.

About 17,000 years ago the world was in the depths of the last Ice Age. We humans scraped a marginal existence as hunter-gatherers. Life was freezing and the world was a whopping 5c colder than nowadays.

A graph showing the growth of ice age ends Description automatically generated
Global Temperatures from mid-Ice Age. With thanks to Andrew Dessler, Texas A&M University.

We hit our stride about 10k years ago when the climate warmed and delivered a sweet spot that stuck. We could sow crops, expect to harvest them and feed our expanding population. Great civilisations formed. We could also hunt and fish for nature’s seemingly boundless resources such as the herbivores that roamed the plains and the fish and whales in our seas. The post-glacial world was rich in opportunity.

This is the Holocene Era: The time when the Earth and its climate came good for humans. There were blips along the way: a few major volcanic eruptions that caused cooling and short-term global famines, for example. But since the end of the Ice Age, Planet Earth’s climate has been stable and very hospitable.

Then came the Industrial Revolution and the arrival of the fossil fuel era. We are about 250 years into it now – the red zone below.

The Carbon Era Temperature Spike (closer to 1.4c now): Andrew Dessler, Texas A&M

Current predictions are that temperatures will likely peak at about +2-3C, with growing confidence that it will be a lot closer to 2C than 3C. The hoped-for 1.5C target is surely a lost cause.

We have understood the basic science behind this since the mid-1800s. It’s not difficult – excess CO2 is pollution that traps heat in the atmosphere. We can measure it very accurately. We know the science is good and that what’s happening now is unfolding as scientists predicted it would (my first TV report saying the Holocene could unwind was nearly 30 years ago, and I was in Antarctica reporting established science, not breaking new ground). The scientists even got the speed of change about right, although as a layman I’m shocked by what we’re seeing now:

NASA animation of global temperature change since 1880:

We’re hitting temperatures not seen for 125,000 years and it’s going to get worse. When we finally stop pumping out CO2, we will revert to a long, slow cooling trajectory (business as usual). It will take thousands of years to get back to where we were just 250 years ago ( NASA ). That’s one heck of a hangover from our CO2 party that we’re giving to future generations.

It’s not all bad news (below). Climate scepticism is fading, clearing the way for better political engagement. The graphic below shows that only the 10% or so on the margin are still drinking neat Clorox. This group are mostly hard-core conspiracy theorists and have bucket lists of competing dire consequences they expect to suffer. You’d think climate doomsterism would be right up their victim-centric street, but I don’t think they will ever shift their position by much. I suppose they believe that one day they’ll be proved right and they won’t be the only ones dying of vaccine-preventable diseases or in G3/4/5 radio mast attacks.

The remaining 90% of us are increasingly concerned about climate change. The dial is shifting.

Tracking the decline of Climate Denial 2013-2023

So where does this leave the salmon?

The answer is worrying: We can do a great deal to adapt to and mitigate the impacts, but the bottom line is that we’re stuck in a pattern of decline that won’t end until we tackle the root problem. The Earth is getting too warm and it’s happening too fast for the fish to adapt.

Ask an Atlantic Salmon. If you can find one …