NATIONAL SPAWNING SURVEY: Year Four

NATIONAL SPAWNING SURVEY: Year Four

The Barbel Society is spearheading a national survey of barbel spawning sites on UK rivers. The purpose of the survey is to gather data on the dates and times of barbel spawning activity, and to build a central national register of barbel spawning sites in order to improve our understanding of barbel recruitment factors, as well as to enable better protection of those sites.
The survey will continue in the long term, and provide data to indicate any patterns or changes in spawning behaviour.
Historical and anecdotal information is also valuable, as long as a reliable estimate of date can be supplied.
Your contact details; name/ tel/ address (CONFIDENTIAL)
Name of river
Name of stretch/nearest town
Brief description of site; eg 100 metres upstream of weir, left bank
Grid reference
Controlling club/riparian owner
Date
Time
Temperature
River conditions, high/low/clear/coloured etc.
Sizes and numbers of fish observed
Duration of activity
Any other comments

Angling clubs, riparian owners and individual anglers are invited to contribute to the survey. Anglers should ensure they have permission from controlling clubs/landowners to be present on the river bank.
The information received will remain confidential to the BS and EA, especially specific locations, but the general conclusions will eventually be shared as much as possible.
Please ensure your observations of spawning fish do not disturb them in anyway.

This form is available on-line to complete at Welcome to the Barbel Society Website. The national organisation for all barbel anglers.

Are the previous 3 years worth of results available to view anywhere?

Not yet benny it's long term so therefore ongoing.

Have you taken part in the survey ?

No I havent.

I could provide info on a few spawning sites* but without specific dates and times of spawning it would probably be no use? *Areas where the fish hold up prior to spawning.

They spawned very early on the Ouse for the last 2 years running (April) doubt that will be the case this year!

Spawning is going to be late on the Teme this year if this rain keeps up... nearly 2m above normal levels at the mo...

Benny, you never know it may be useful to link up with information already supplied, so please pass on the detail.

You can email it to pete.reading@lineone.net

I caught a clip earlier during the news that appeared to show the Dorset Stour had burst it's banks - I was doing too many things at the same time and forgot I could rewind the tv.........anyone know?
Jerry

The Stour is over the banks in Blandford , haven't checked here in Bournemouth , but we have had lots of rain this week.

Fred, I've sent you a PM.

Fred, i know its a long term survey and very early days.... but is there any sort of summary being drawn up from it so far of the overall state of barbel spawning from the info supplied...i.e we can see them do it but nothing comes from it or we dont see them do it but it doesnt matter because have stacks of doubles??....is the survey outcome being gathered/logged from fact or anacdotal evidence or maybe it will just be a story??

dont want to be argumentative but ther maybe a few barbel anglers out there that would like to see no spawning success on there little river...so to let there biggies have less competition for food?

cheers
Jason

As I have advised Colin, Jason, all I can advise is that there are no imminent plans to provide information.

Pete Reading has sole control of the detail of the survey, what he did say is that it would be helpful if he receives a good deal more information.

As Pete is the only person within the Barbel Society with the facts received so far and if you have provided him with information, then I am sure he will explain the position to you.

Lots of Barbel romance going on yesterday by the outlet of Lizard pool on Billy Makins fishery. They were so preoccupied with spawning I managed to touch their tails.

Send detail to Pete Reading with the facts/details please.

I've seen F1's do the same and they apparently can't produce viable spawn!

fishers green stretch is well up, having been monitoring the river for the last few weeks on a every other day basis, i believe they r yet to spawn..... today is the first day that the barbel conditions are looking perfect and hopefully there will be a chunk amoungst them on the end of my rod this evening