weirs

Gav Barbus · Jan 15, 2007

your views welcome please ,I personally think it would be better if there werent any but my local rivers are full of them and large ones too which surely must be a bad thing for fish migrating and populating other areas,does anyone know what the ea stance on this is, will we ever see any more being built or will they just deteriarate over time.

Angler Saxon · Jan 15, 2007

I think we'll see more weirs. In the 70's much effort was put into making rivers flow faster, some sections of rivers became little more than straight ditches. Now, with increasing water shortages, the mindset has changed and it's seen as beneficial to 'slow down' the rate at which water flows to the sea (and is then lost to us and all the other creatures that would benefit from it). A weir shouldn't be much of a barrier to true migrating fish as weirs should have fish ladders etc. Other species which are not really migratory can be helped by stocking of stretches where they are in short supply. I quite like weirs, they are good places to fish, additionally they aeriate (sp?) the water. Have a look here at the 'Blueprint for Water' which is supported by the ACA, amongst others.
http://www.blueprintforwater.org.uk/blueprint.html

Matt Brown · Jan 15, 2007

Gav, a lot of river species, especially barbel, often use the gravel beds around weirs for spawining. So, more weirs would mean more suitable habitat for barbel.

Gav Barbus · Jan 15, 2007

You couldnt get any more weirs on the stretches round me I think alot of them were used for industrial purposes but they are so close together it cuts the stretches into hundreds of yards in some places and that leaves the fish in summer with very little room to move about in the shallow water .I agree they are good for fishing its the stocking as well as if they are stocked downstream they have no chance of getting over these weirs they are 15 foot and higher and if pollution strikes as it often does they would have to stock each little section or the others would remain fishless thats my worry.Thanks for info chaps

Frank "Chubber" Curtis · Jan 15, 2007

Gav, I don't know which river you're referring to but the weirs have to be there for a reason and it's usually to slow down the flow of water. All rivers run downhill towards the sea or into a larger river and during long periods of drought most upper reaches of all these rivers would simply run dry were it not for the building of weirs to regulate the flow.
When I used to go salmon fishing in Scotland I had to cancel a few trips (especially in late summer) because the mountain rivers that I fished (such as the upper Spey and Avon) were down to just a few inches of water.
Weirs are fantastic places to fish and I wish that there were a few more in my neck of the woods. Instead of moaning about them, if I were you I'd be thinking how lucky I am and fishing them as often as I could.

Gav Barbus · Jan 16, 2007

Chubber I genuinly didnt know they were there to hold back water to stop rivers running dry I thougt they might have been used for factory purposes in the past as they were industrial rivers and have been messed about with quite alot and I had read in some places they were removed or altered so fish could pass helping stocking upstream .Also as for the levels they can be very poor mainly because there is a massive dam upstream .

blankety blank · Jan 16, 2007

I read in the paper a couple of days ago that some landed gent (the duke of devonshire?) is suing the Irish government over its plans to remove a weir from the river Blackwater. The river is a prime salmon fishery and the duke owns the rights to the stretch where the weir in question is situated.

The gov says that the weir prevents salmon and sea trout running upstream to their traditional spawning grounds. The duke says that removing the weir will destroy the existing contours of the riverbed and will spoil longstanding and famous salmon pools.

It seemed to me that this was more a case of the Duke trying to protect his fishing business, possibly the expense of the upper river, but I can kind of see his point.

Frank "Chubber" Curtis · Jan 16, 2007

Actually the weir in question can be easily leapt by salmon and sea trout. If the authorities want to make it easier for them why don't they put in a fish ladder? Probably because it's easier and cheaper to knock something down than build.

blankety blank · Jan 17, 2007

I think there is already a fish ladder, but the authorities believe that in nevertheless harms the salmon (and the fisheries upriver)for the salmon the be held below the pool in the way that they are.

I just hope the case is decided by reference to expert evidence and on the basis of the health of the river. It will then make interesting reading I think. Alas, it will probably be decided by reference to the Government's statutory powers etc etc.

Cakey · Jan 17, 2007

I do 99.9% of my fishing in weir pools at the mo for pike ,perch and carp

weirs

Gav Barbus

Well-known member

Angler Saxon

Guest

Matt Brown

Member

Gav Barbus

Well-known member

Frank "Chubber" Curtis

Guest

Gav Barbus

Well-known member

blankety blank

New member

Frank "Chubber" Curtis

Guest

blankety blank

New member

Cakey

Guest