Salmon spawning in the Goyt....

I saw a message on the Goyt venue report that referred to huge trout jumping at a weir on the Goyt, and a comment from Rick that salmon had not swum the Goyt since before the industrial revolution. I can confirm that salmon are now back in the Goyt. We caught some parr on an electrofishing survey last year, and I have heard that the EA caught both fry and parr this year suggesting two succesive years of successful spawning. Look out for redds around christmas time!

can anyone shed anylight on whether it is only salmon that jump weirs or would trout do this as well.heard of this on a river near me ,would it have been a salmon.

Not neccesarily, sea trout an brown trout will both jump wiers and waterfalls in a bid to get upstream to spawn.

Stuart

The first time I read your post I assumed you work for the EA. Reading it again though, I suspect you don't. In what capacity did you carry out the electrofishing?

I heard the story 2 years ago about Parr being dicovered. I didn't rule it out, but I was slightly sceptical. I understand that the EA released very young Salmon into the headwaters, could these fish not have been these, slightly grown on?

I've fished the river regularly for close to 10 years. I've never seen a Salmon, or caught any Parr, or spoken to anyone who has claimed to. I've also spent hours in late autumn spates watching weirs for jumping fish, I've only seen Trout.

I don't doubt that a fish or 2 makes it up the Goyt, but I'd be amazed if they do in any numbers, for now at least.

Hi Rick,
I don't work for the EA! I used the royal we, as I wasn't personally present at the electrofishing survey.

I am a director of a Manchester based aquatic ecology consultancy, and the electrofishing survey was carried out on behalf of United Utilities.

Accept the point about grown on fish, but the presence of 2 year classes would mean 2 stockings (or spawnings).

The EA say they are not aware of any stocking on the Goyt (this point was discussed at length at the International salmonid conference in Gateshead 2 weeks ago). I have attended 2 conferences this year (Bolton & Gateshead) where the EA project manager has presented data regarding the return of salmon to the Mersey catchment. I also witnessed salmon jumping at a wier on the Mersey last November. Around 30 adult salmon were captured and radio tagged in a trap on a fish pass on the same weir in 2005.

Cheshire life recently-ish (April?) carried a story of salmon spawning in the Goyt, but unfortunately the accompanying picture was of a grayling!

The big unknown to me is how succesful the smolts are in terms of navigating their way through the ship canal.

Well Stuart, however many Salmon are making the perilous journey to the Goyt, even if it's only an odd one, is a cause for celebration!

As for sightings on the Mersey itself; I've heard rumours about a weir at Warrington (Howley is it?). I assume there may have been sightings at Northenden as well, as a fish pass has been installed there. It seems many of the Mersey fish avoid the Goyt though, as Heapy Weir on the Bollin has had many sightings.

Hopefully one day I'll see one myself.