Title: An assessment of River Fowey salmonid populations
Author: Environment Agency
Document Type: Monograph
Abstract:
The River Fowey is considered to be a premier game fishery within both Cornwall and the South West of England As the result of a declining trend observed in the rod and net catches of both Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar, L) and Sea trout (Salmo trutta, L) over the last ten years, concern has been expressed with regard to the present and future status of migratory salmonid stocks within the River Fowey. In 1997, the River Fowey catchment was surveyed as part of the three year rolling fisheries monitoring programme. In 1997, the main River Fowey quantitative survey sites recorded highly variable densities of salmon fiy. As observed in previous years, the sites situated below Lower Langdon recorded greater densities than those sites situated in the higher reaches. It is likely that this is indicative of the requirement by spawning salmon for suitable river flows in the late autumn / winter that encourage spawning fish to migrate further upstream onto these sites. The 1997 survey data indicated that trout fiy densities on the main River Fowey sites were generally consistent with those obtained in 1991 and 1994. Present and historic data from the St Neot tributary indicates that there has been a notable reduction in juvenile salmonid production since 1985. This coincides with the impoundment and subsequent operation of Colliford reservoir. It is therefore likely that Colliford reservoir has been a significant contributory factor in reducing salmonid productivity within the St Neot. The observed decline in salmon juvenile densities is of great concern and is evident throughout the Fowey catchment Every effort must now be made to ensure that the fish that are present are given sufficient opportunity to fulfill their life cycle.
Publisher: Environment Agency
Publication Date: 1998
Publication Place: Cornwall
Subject Keywords: Salmonidae; Rivers; River fisheries; Fishery management; Fishery surveys; Electrofishing; Fish larvae; Fishery data
Geographic Keywords: Fowey (river); Cornwall; Warleggan; North Cornwall, Seaton, Looe and Fowey catchment
Extent: 25; + appendices
Permalink: http://www.environmentdata.org/archive/ealit:215
Total file downloads: 368
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