I had hoped that by now I would have had the equipment and herbicide to enable you to take direct action on the ground, unfortunately the financial payments have been slow in coming through and while the course has been paid for and I also have a list of materials and equipment that is required, unfortuntaly it has not been possible to process the latter as yet. I have been assured that the payments are coming through to achieve my aims but until they arrive I cannot proceed on this element. What I would like to achieve if possible in the few weeks of the year remaining, particulalrly when the anglers are out fishing, is to obtain as much accurate detailed information on the distribution spread of Knotweed and Balsam on your respective beats. At this time, maximum growth in the plants has been attained and therefore it is slightely easier to record details of distribution. We are endeavouring to get hard copy maps printed for circulation but until you receive them please record as much information as is possible on your respective beats. On the Clwyd and Elwy maps have been circulated earlier in the summer and Richard Lucas and myself are presently endeavouring to achieve the same on the Dee. Until you are in receipt of maps, please record all the information in whatever form you can so that it can be transposed on to formal maps at a future time and then transfered on to a database. A database system is already in operation on the Clwyd and a system for the Dee is close to being realised as well. The Welsh Dee Trust are active in achieveing this goal as well so comprehensive recording of catchment information can be attained.

For 2010/11 I have sought and received approval from the Countryside Council for Wales for an expansion of the Invasive Weed Control Programme and there will be a further training course which is planned to be streamlined for the one undertaken this year, which will be an improvement. There will also be additional elements to assist the programme of treatment on the ground. More details will provided shortly but it is intended to run this over the winter so trained operatives are in a position to take active action on the ground for a greater length of time than was possible this year. Volunteers are sought from the Dee, Clwyd and the Conwy this year and as well as angling club participation I wish to expand it to other volunteer groups and personnel that fall outside angling clubs but who wish to still be involved in the programme. I am presently anxious to assemble new potential trainees and ask if you know of anyone who would be interested in becoming qualified and be involved in the Trusts Invasive Weed Control Programme. Please send any names of suitable people through to me either by my email or telephone 01244-674909 or by letter as required 3, Selkirk Drive, Curzon Park, Chester, Cheshire, CH4 8AQ.

Shortly there is to be arranged an angling clubs meeting on the Clwyd system where the programme to date and plans for the future can be discussed, as occurred twice earlier in the year. Discussions are in place to establish whether a similar meeting over the winter could be co-ordinated on the Dee as well.

I hope I have covered most aspects to date but if there are outstanding issues then please do not hesitate to contact me. I will also be very interested on the progress you are making on your own beats. I will continue to bring you updates on progress on a regular basis and I would like to thank you for your support so far and I hope that we can progress collectively and effectively in the future.

Kind regards,

 Brian Hodgson

Dr Brian P Hodgson Invasive Weed Control Co-ordinator – Welsh Dee Trust and Clwyd and Conwy Rivers Trust

To do that we need to know what improvements are needed? We are all aware of areas that we feel need work but we need to co-ordinate the recording of these in a meaningful way so that our bids are both as accurate as possible and as relevant as possible to specific areas on the rivers. This is where we need your club or syndicates help: you have to carry out detailed surveys of your river.

1. Obstructions to the passage of migratory fish
2. Essential habitat improvements
3. Location of invasive weeds
4. Areas of bank erosion
5. Stretches where the banks are overgrown and forming tunnel vegetation
6. The locations of fallen trees
7. Condition of fencing or lack thereof
8. Culvert and crossing points
9. Overgrazed banks
10. The presence of Otter or Mink
11. Any other matters that you feel are impacting on the health of the fishery and its fish.

As part of this project you will be required to record your survey findings on an electronic map stored on this website so that we can begin to build up a full picture of the various problems on our river system. Full instructions are included (it’s very simple). To volunteer for the project please visit the Trust Website: CLICK HERE

If you are already a project member you can log into the project page here: CLICK HERE

Richard Says:

I have fished Welsh rivers since a very young age and my love of river systems led me to study environmental science at Southampton University, specialising in River Management.  After graduating in 1993 I  volunteered to help survey the Wye catchment as part of the preliminary works of the, then, Wye Foundation.  Leading on from this work I became habitat manager for the Wye Foundation, working on various projects throughout the river catchment primarily concerned with accessibility issues for returning salmon and habitat improvement work for juvenile salmonids.  This work formed the basis of future European funding bids which in turn lead to the formation of the Wye and Usk Foundation as it is today.  In addition I have also worked as a keeper and fishing guide on the middle and upper reaches of the River Usk.  My appointment as project officer to Afonydd Cymru’s EISWF project is an opportunity for me to facilitate a wider programme of habitat management on river systems throughout Wales, whilst strengthening the role of river trusts as localised guardians of their environment.

The Trust is delighted to have Richard on board and we look forward to working together in the future.

For More Details Visit The Afonydd Cymru Website: Click Here

• To understand and describe sea trout stocks in the Irish Sea and thereby to enhance sea trout fisheries and strengthen their contributions to quality of life, to rural economies and to national biodiversity. 
• To explore the use of sea trout life history variation as a tool to detect and understand the effects of climate change. 

The project involves the collection of sea trout scale samples from 80 rivers, estuaries, coastal waters and further offshore, over three years.

Take part in the Celtic Sea Trout Initiative visit the Project page: CLICK HERE

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