European Fisheries Fund 2009-2012
Dwyrain Cymru Salar 2009
Axis 3, Article 38 of the EU fisheries fund in Wales includes the measure "The rehabilitation of inland waters, including spawning grounds and migration routes for migratory species", which is tailor made for the restoration of salmon, sea trout and eels in the Wye and Usk.
Wales is divided into two economic zones: Convergence and non Convergence with the line roughly north south. Eastern counties such as Powys and Monmouthshire are in the non Convergence zone. Our successful bid of £523,000 in 2009 also included some funding for our neighbouring trust on the Severn.
What is the project doing?
Fish Passage
The fund will enable new fish passes and easements to be built as well as the removal of further barriers. At last we have some funding for the lower Usk where barriers on a number of tributaries have excluded salmon (and trout) for a number of years. These include the Gavenny, Ffrwd and Bethin. On the Wye we have replaced the temporary fish pass on the Sgithwen and upgraded one on the Clettwr. In 2011 will make the Trothy passable once again. Building on a series of fish access projects in Herefordshire, completed with the aid of the Leader+ and WFD projects, this fund will also restore fish passage throughout the upper Lugg.
On the Severn we have surveyed the upper river including the tributaries Vyrnwy and Banwy.
This project could allow the completion of all fish passage requirements in the Welsh sections of our catchments.
Impassable weirs at Dolly Green on the upper Lugg (left) and on the Ffrwd, a lower Usk tributary.
Improving Habitat
Another 13km of habitat restoration is planned though we are confident of comfortably exceeding this target. Sites completed already include the Cilieni on the upper Usk and the Tarell, just outside Brecon. On the Wye, sections of the Camddwr, Nantmel Dulas and Ithon have been coppiced and fenced with instream cover being added. Other sites will be prioritised according to how badly damaged their habitat is.
A revetment on the Camddwr (left) to correct erosion problems, improve biodiversity and to increase fish numbers. The right hand photo shows a stream completed previously, providing plenty of cover for juvenile fish to hide from avian predators.
Acid Waters
Sand liming of first and second order forest streams on the upper Wye and Severn will take place during the spring, continuing and extending the work done in pHish.
Sand liming upper Wye streams to correct acidity problems.
The project started in September 2009 and will finish at the end of August 2012.
Progress
2009
Aug- Sept
- Fish pass constructed on Nant Menasgin – opening up 3.9km of salmon nursery habitat (Usk).
- Obstructing debris dam removed from Nant Glas –opening up 5.8km of salmon nursery habitat (Wye).
- Consenting of habitat works commences. Upper Severn survey commences.
Oct- Dec
- 0.6km of Nant Tarell through Brecon coppiced to improve productivity and salmon habitat (Usk).
- Coppicing starts on Cilieni (Usk) and Cammddwr Ithon (Wye).
- 184km of Severn tributaries surveyed for obstructions, habitat quality and issues.
2010
Jan- Mar 2010
- 4.1km of Cilieni, 2.8km of Cammddwr Ithon, 1km of Ithon and 0.9km of Nantmel Dulas (Wye) improved by selective felling and introduction of woody debris to increase in channel cover.
- Severn survey has now extended to over 900km of river. We start uploading it onto GIS for analysis.
Apr- Jun 2010
- Consents sought for extensive fish pass programme.
- 30 streams in upper Wye and Irfon treated with sand lime to ameliorate problems with acid waters.
- Uploading and analysis of Severn survey.
- Stock excluded from 960m of Nantmel Dulas and alternative water supply provided.
Jul- Sept 2010
- Permanent easement constructed on Afon Honddu – improving access to 23.5km of salmon nursery habitat (work carried out by EAW).
- Fish pass constructed on Afon Cynrig (Usk) – opening up 2.45km.
- Fish pass rebuilt on Nant Clettwr (Wye) – improving access to 6.5km.
- Fish pass replacing temporary structure on Nant Sgithwen – opening up 1.2km.
- 3 Easements completed on Afon Tarennig (Wye) – opening up 1.1km.
- Easement constructed and another modified on Afon Crawnon (Usk) – opening up 7.0km.
- Obstructing debris dam removed from Nant Cleisfer (Usk) – opening up 2.8km.
- Obstructing debris dam removed from Gilwern brook (Wye) – opening up 1.5km.
- Obstructing debris dams removed from Ochram brook (Usk) – opening up 0.8km.
- Atkins instructed to construct feasibility study and design a fish pass for Mill Weir on the Gavenny for construction in 2011 (Usk).
- Stock excluded from 4.46km of Nant Cilieni (Usk).
- Stock excluded from 2.9km of Cammddwr Ithon.
- Summer electro-fishing completed with encouraging results.