Ray Wood 1
Well-known member
There are topics going on elsewhere regarding the decline in Barbel populations in various UK rivers.
What do you think the causes might be?
What do you think the causes might be?
Wouldn’t disagree with Crow’s analysis in the main, but human memory is a fickle thing and quite quickly forgets things, such as poor weather events. And boy up and until 2 summers past we had for almost 10 years some really poor summers. Low summer river temperatures, big unseasonable floods, etc. All of which will have taken their toll on what recruitment actually happened during this period.
That said the last 2 years have been quite good recruitment years due far better spring/summers and that has shown up in more silver fish in the rivers. Ergo if they are spawning successfully due to better river conditions, then the barbel likewise will have done the same, as they tend to be the last spawners in the river systems where they are present. However, these fish will be around the 1-2 lb mark this summer and not getting caught to the tactics most barbel anglers are using.
I know from my own invertebrate sampling last summer there was significant numbers 1-2 inch year 0-1 barbel showing up in the net samples. Ideally we need another 3 good summers where spawning and survival rates are high to bring back the stocks to the levels we had 10 years ago in 10 years time on most rivers where they are present.
Surely floods wash away small barbel ?
Bad One,
It seems that elsewhere pellets are being held responsible, and that information is being gathered in this regard.
Kind regards
Ray
Elsewhere where Ray? Gathered by whom? Using what scientific protocols to analyses it? Whilst looking for reasons nothing should be ruled in or out, but all to often in angling the simplistic easy targets are blamed because the complex is beyond or to difficult to understand.
Hemp being a classic case from 40 years ago - banned on many waters and clubs for very spurious reasons with no scientific basis whatsoever.
....The Environment Agency feels aggrieved by the ratings. ...
A spokesman said the agency has improved or stabilized the condition of nearly 2,000 miles of rivers.
Was the contraceptive pill something to do with sex changes in fish?