Edition 125 / Spring 2017
The Quarterly Magazine of Fisheries Management
Citizen Science TROUT UNLIMITED PUTS SCIENCE IN THE HANDS OF ANGLERS CITIZEN SCIENCE HELPING EELS ON THE RIVER THAMES ANGLERS CONTRIBUTE TO THE CITIZEN SCIENCE EVIDENCE BASE CITIZEN SCIENCE IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT CATCHMENT SCALE CITIZEN SCIENCE AT WORK IN THE WESTCOUNTRY
PLUS: Citizen science in wildlife conservation Megan Boyd – The story of a salmon flydresser
Expert hands for Expert hands for fisheries science. fisheries science.
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Fish 125
Fish 125 Inside this edition 4
View from the Chair
8
Trout Unlimited Puts Science in the Hands of Anglers
12
Citizen Science Helping Eels on the River Thames
18
Anglers Contribute to the Citizen Science Evidence Base
24
Citizen Science in the Marine Environment
28
Catchment Scale Citizen Science at Work in the Westcountry
32
The Conservation Column
36
The Paul Coulson BLOG
40
IFM News
48
Breaking News
50
Book Review
52
Members and their fish
Editorial Team: Lawrence Talks, Steve Axford Ian Dolben, Peter Spillett, Valerie Holt Paul Coulson, Eamon Cusack
IFM ( Institute of Fisheries Management ) PO Box 679, Hull, HU5 9AX Tel: +44(0)845 388 7012
E-mail: info@ifm.org.uk. www.ifm.org.uk Find us on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter (@IFMFish)
Designed by POLAR 10. www.polar10.com Front cover image: Citizen science glass eel monitoring © WRT
The theme for this edition of FISH is citizen science. Involving local communities in citizen science provides a superb way of not only carrying out vital grassroots research, it develops understanding, it provides a route to tap into people’s local knowledge, creates a sense of ownership, develops skills and helps to grow the next generation of people passionate about caring for the environment. As you will see in this edition of FISH, citizen science covers a wide multitude of activities and we have only skimmed the surface. Our first article comes from the other side of the Pond, with Dr Jack Williams, Senior Scientist for Trout Unlimited in the United States, describing how anglers are embracing science to help protect fish stocks and their environment. Closer to home, Joe Pecorelli from the Zoological Society of London, highlights how citizen science is helping eels on the River Thames. This is then followed by Professor Jonathan Grey from Lancaster’s Environment Centre and the Wild Trout Trust, illustrating how anglers are contributing to the evidence base. Switching environments, Richard Harrington from the Marine Conservation Society, describes how they are involving people in citizen science through initiatives such as Seasearch, CoCoast and the Great British Beach Clean. Scott West, Fisheries Scientist with the Westcountry Rivers Trust, then highlights the varied opportunities and value that citizen science can bring to catchment management; and Valerie Holt looks at citizen science in wildlife conservation.
If you have an idea for an article for FISH, please get in touch as Members’ contributions are always welcome. Our next edition will be themed on eels. Lawrence Talks - FISH editor fish@ifm.org.uk 3
View from the Chair
View from the Chair In this issue of FISH, Lawrence, through an excellent collection of examples, will show how citizen science is working for the betterment of fisheries. Citizen science is practised around the world and accepted now as a one of the strong elements of good fisheries management. It is not a new concept, although we may have coined a new name for it. Over the years many individuals, anglers included, have sought to add to the knowledge of fisheries. Whether it’s a basic compilation of information on invertebrates to more complex monitoring of catchments, citizens have a role to play. My first introduction to such work was back in the late 1960s with our local angling club, the Dodder Anglers. My father and club members worked with the Department of Fisheries to carry out a fish stock assessment on the river and as a young teenager I got to carry the buckets! 4
In more recent years, the Lough Derg Native Fish Biodiversity Project is actively involving anglers in collecting data, through them providing details of the fish they are catching and samples of scales. These are then being analysed by Belfast University to determine the genetics of the trout in the lake. A paper will soon be published with the results. Concerns have been expressed that perhaps the science is not strong enough in citizen type projects, and I am sure some do not meet the standards expected. However many do, and I feel that we, on the professional side of fisheries management, have a duty first to educate our citizens on what is good science and secondly assist where we can to ensure that the programmes put forward contain the correct elements to ensure a good science outcome. I know we in the Institute are doing our bit, through the excellent training programmes provided by Paul Coulson, Ian Wellby and their teams, which are accessible to all. At a time when science is under threat and thousands of people are taking to the streets to defend the role of science in policy and society, we need to ensure citizens are on our side and have
What better way for citizens to become aware then, but to get actively involved in citizen science programmes, not to mention the good work they can achieve. The development of modern apps and computer software is also allowing citizens to collect and analyse more and more real-time information. Now we have a great opportunity to embrace this exciting new movement while also ensuring that high professional standards are upheld.
delegates attending. On June 13th the Institute, along with our partners the Zoological Society of London and the Environment Agency, will host the 1st UK International Eel Science Symposium, which is a significant milestone. This meeting will bring together scientists from over 20 countries and will include the very latest data and initiatives on the biology and management of eels. Then in October 10th to 12th we have our Annual Conference in Belfast. The programme is looking good and networking events will be up to the usual standards of Irish hospitality. So I look forward to see you all there. I am sure many of you will be out in the field over the summer months, away from your desks. You might consider taking some photos of yourself and your colleagues at work, it would be interesting to see what’s going on out there. Send them to me along with a short paragraph setting out what you are up to and it could be published in FISH.
It was with disappointment that I learnt of the Scottish Government’s decision to row back on many of the modernisation proposals put forward Eamon Cusack under the Wild Fisheries Reform initiative. Many people, including IFM members, had worked hard IFM Chairman to bring together proposals that would put in place a world-class system of fisheries management in Scotland. While many good proposals are to be implemented, many seem aspirational. I note with interest the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, Roseanna Cunningham’s comment: “The Scottish Government is committed to supporting our famous and valuable wild fisheries, to modernise our fishery management structures and to establish a more secure and sustainable future for this vital sector”, which I agree with whole-heartedly. An arrangement, which is well structured, well funded, with a partnership approach, is the basis for good fisheries management in any country. I know that IFM members will continue to support improvements in fisheries management in Scotland. Along with the day to day work of the Institute, we are hosting, together with partners, three major events this year. The first Renewable Energy and Fisheries – Plugging the Gaps, was recently held in Newport and was a great success. This conference was part of our annual specialist conference series. Run by our Welsh Branch and Paul, it focused on renewable energy and mitigating the risks to fish, which generated considerable interest and debate with over 80
View from the Chair
the knowledge to understand what the issues are. As the March for Science organizers stated: “Science should neither serve special interests nor be rejected based on personal convictions. At its core, science is a tool for seeking answers. It can and should influence policy and guide our longterm decision-making.”
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Trout Unlimited
Trout Unlimited Puts Science in the Hands of Anglers Dr Jack Williams, Senior Scientist for Trout Unlimited in the United States, describes how anglers are embracing science to help protect fish stocks and their environment. With new data loggers, anglers can collect stream temperature records that are just as good as data collected by a Ph.D. fisheries scientist. It’s like a year-long licence to practise science for US$130. That is the pitch to get anglers involved in citizen science, a rapidly emerging field with the potential to help out not only science, but anglers and fishing. Trout Unlimited is a conservation organization with about 155,000 members in the United States and most of them fish. Our mission is to conserve trout and salmon and their habitats. Often, our conservation mission is achieved through stream restoration projects or environmental education activities. But increasingly, angler-based science programmes – or simply Angler Science – provides one more way for anglers to help conserve their coldwater fisheries while learning the science of the fish and the streams they love.
Angler Science concept Anglers have a long history of practising citizen science through water quality monitoring and stream habitat surveys. Trout Unlimited members have been gathering data on water quality and fish populations since the organization was established in 1959 but only 8
recently have we expanded the opportunities for anglers and actively marketed the potential for our members to assist in the science-based management of trout and salmon and their habitats. In 2010, members of Trout Unlimited’s Pennsylvania chapters began monitoring water quality in brook trout streams in response to energy development activities occurring around the mid-Atlantic region where Marcellus Shale was being developed for energy production. Training on accepted protocols for gathering water quality data is provided by Trout Unlimited and state resource agencies. Now, more than 250 anglers regularly gather water quality samples and check pipeline construction areas for erosion and stream sedimentation. Anglers want to protect their streams from pollution and make sure that impacts from energy development are minimized. Further, it became clear that anglers could supplement overburdened natural resource agencies that were strapped to keep up with fast-paced energy development in the region. By monitoring their local streams, anglers learn how shale gas development can impact their streams; they know what to look for, and they become more informed advocates for sound stream stewardship and restoration.
Trout Unlimited
Members of Trout Unlimited’s Bluebacks Chapter in Oregon ready to head out and snorkel the Siletz River.
Not only do these projects provide valuable science but they encourage partnerships with natural resource agencies and school groups. Also, our volunteer leaders find that offering Angler Science projects through their local chapters increases the diversity of our chapter projects, and often attracts a younger-aged group to activities. By 2015, the potential for Angler Science activities within our organization was clear and Trout Unlimited made this effort a nationwide priority in our strategic plan. Since then Trout Unlimited staff have worked to expand the opportunities offered through Angler Science.
Diversified opportunities Trout Unlimited offers 10 Angler Science projects to our members (www.tu.org/ anglerscience). Many projects are just getting underway and some are restricted to one part of the country or another. The national staff of Trout Unlimited provides technical assistance, how-to manuals that help get anglers started, on-site training, information about where to buy
needed equipment, and tips on data analysis and reporting. The range of projects provides something for everyone and across all levels of physical ability. 1. Stream temperature monitoring. This is a nation-wide programme to gather stream temperature data and contribute the data to large, regional networks (such as the NorWeST network managed by the U.S. Forest Service) where the information is made available to the public and is used to predict future stream temperature scenarios. Local data also inform the effectiveness of stream restoration projects that restore riparian habitats or increase instream structure. 2. Discoverying Didymo’s Distribution. In this project, anglers join forces with researchers from North Carolina State University to document the distribution of Didymo and help understand why this diatom sometimes blankets stream sediments with thick alga mats. A companion effort by Trout Unlimited Canada is underway in western Canada through the University of Calgary. 9
Trout Unlimited
Angler volunteers help survey Willow Creek in the Southwest United States. This watershed burned in recent years but provides habitat for threatened Gila trout.
3. Steelhead monitoring. Anglers in steelhead country monitor habitat and conduct redd counts, often through snorkel surveys, which are a favourite activity for students and anglers looking for insights to what lies beneath the surface of their local streams. 4. Environmental DNA (eDNA). Aquatic species can be difficult to detect using traditional methods but sampling for eDNA allows us to document the presence of a species without the need to capture or handle the fish. The concept is simple: biological material is continually shed by aquatic organisms and suspended in the water column, and can be captured and concentrated as water is washed across a laboratory filter. Using eDNA, anglers can now document spawning habitats and help track invasive trout species. 5. Culvert assessments. Anglers monitor and measure culverts and other road-stream crossings to determine fish passage and the vulnerability of culverts to local flooding. 10
6. Eastern shale gas monitoring. Development of shale gas threatens stream systems from Pennsylvania to West Virginia as fracking chemicals and other contaminants enter brook trout streams. Trout Unlimited’s Pennsylvania Coldwater Conservation Corps have been actively monitoring streams for signs of shale gas development, including changes in basic water quality parameters. 7. River’s Calendar. Trout Unlimited, the University of Massachusetts and partners have developed the River’s Calendar, a community science programme in which trout anglers record the seasonal timing of aquatic insect emergence, fish movements and riparian plant flowering while fishing. The information can be useful in determining basic stream integrity or tracking impacts of a changing climate. 8. Angler drought survey. Trout anglers collect basic flow and temperature data while fishing to help track drought conditions and their impacts on fishing opportunities.
10. Water quality monitoring. Trout Unlimited chapters, members, and other angler volunteers can help fill information gaps in regional water quality networks by collecting water quality information and/or macroinvertebrate samples to monitor the health of rivers and streams and ensure the enjoyment of these resources for generations to come.
Trout Unlimited
9. TroutBlitz! Through photography and angling, Trout Unlimited members can help document the presence of native and introduced coldwater fishes. Using iNaturalist, anglers can upload geo-referenced photos of fishes or their habitats for a variety of purposes, including documenting the presence of native or introduced fishes to management agencies, determining the effectiveness of restoration or reintroduction projects, and building a visual library of native salmonids across their geographic range.
All ages participating in stream surveys for native trout.
Jake Lemon of Trout Unlimited briefs angler volunteers before heading out to monitor shale gas development in Pennsylvania.
What the future holds Scientific data are most valuable when they are collected pursuant to accepted protocols, properly analysed, and applied to problems that are widely perceived by the public and agencies. Angler Science projects in turn are particularly successful when they help answer problems of importance to anglers and fisheries agencies. Ideally, this involves collecting data over multiple years, as these longer-term data series are invaluable in helping us better understand trends in environmental condition and tease out the role of natural variation. It is likely that participation in citizen science will continue to increase, providing greater opportunities for the public to reconnect with nature and assist in scientific discoveries. Continued advancements in technology that increase availability of data loggers, smart phones, and computer tablets are likely to continue to facilitate this expansion. Memberbased conservation and angling groups can play an important role in advancing citizen science because of their informed and passionate membership base. If we care about our fish and streams, Angler Science is an opportunity we can’t afford to miss.
Stream temperature monitoring kit for Trout Unlimited volunteers, includes Tidbit data loggers, manual, computer shuttle, software, and underwater housings. 11
Citizen Science Helping Eels
Elvers at Brent ZSL
Citizen Science Helping Eels on the River Thames Joe Pecorelli from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) highlights how citizen science is helping eels on the River Thames. Over the last 30 years the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) has experienced a dramatic decline in abundance to such an extent that it has been listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List since 2008. In recognition of the status of eels and the imperative for urgent action, ZSL decided to involve local communities in citizen science to help eels on the River Thames. The primary aim of the initiative was to gather more data to inform the Environment Agency’s Thames Eel Management Plan. In particular to increase 12
the coverage of monitoring in order to show which parts of the catchment are impacted by barriers to upstream migration. A secondary aim was to build the capacity to deliver eel conservation action in the Thames catchment by developing a partnership of engaged and informed organisations and an increased number of trained volunteers to work alongside ZSL. A third aim was to add to the dataset, which is used to inform international policy via the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea’s Working Group on Eel
Elvers on the Crane ZSL
13
Citizen Science Helping Eels
Citizen Science Helping Eels
How citizen science monitoring works and measurements are uploaded to a database We’re now at the start of our seventh citizen science monitoring season and will be monitoring at 13 sites this summer. The traps at each site are generally installed by ZSL or the Environment Agency. They are of varying design, bespoke to the site conditions, so caution is applied when cross-comparing catch data as trapping efficiency varies from site to site. The methodology at each site is replicated annually, however, so catches can be compared over time, giving trends in recruitment. In addition to supplying some of the traps, the Environment Agency also provides strategic guidance on priority locations for monitoring and issues the licences to trap eels. Once we have a site that we are confident is safe for volunteers to access, we work with a local partner to recruit volunteers to help with monitoring. Each year approximately 120 volunteers join the project. They are given an overview of the programme and a two hour training session that includes instruction on health and safety, eel biology, survey methods, data collection and online data submission. Once trained and provided with equipment by ZSL, it is the local partners’ job to coordinate the volunteers to regularly check the traps. Trapping starts with the on-set of the upstream eel migration in mid-April and ends on the last day of September. The frequency of trap inspections ensures elvers are never held in the traps for longer than four days. At some sites, where catches become greater than 100 eels per day, the frequency of inspections is increased and can be completed as often as daily. The length of trapped eels is measured and recorded at all sites. Eels shorter than 120mm are classified as ‘elvers’, eels equal to or longer than 120mm are recorded as ‘yellow eels’. Where more than 50 eels are recorded, a sub-sample of 50 eels is randomly selected and measured to provide a representative sample of all the eels trapped on that occasion. Following measurement, eels are released back into the river, near the bank edge, upstream of the barrier. To avoid volunteers handling large eels, those estimated to be larger than 300mm are released without measuring and recorded as >300mm. Due to the trap design it is very uncommon to record eels >300mm. Eel counts 14
where ZSL staff check them and contact volunteers with any queries as the season progresses. The project officer is on hand throughout the season to answer any queries from the sites and fix broken traps. Volunteers gather at the end of season at ZSL London Zoo, for our annual Eel Forum, where we thank them for their efforts, present the data they have recorded across the region and show how it is being used to improve the Thames and its tributaries for the critically endangered European eel. Writing this article, provides an opportunity to reflect on whether applying citizen science to the Thames eel monitoring project has helped us to achieve our aims.
Informing regional conservation management The introduction of citizen science into the project has allowed us to scale-up the monitoring - increasing the number of monitoring sites from four per year to up to 15, in a very cost effective way. It has also built capacity to monitor eels for years to come in the region with many volunteers getting the ‘eel bug’ and returning to the project each year. The monitoring data and subsequent investigations of obstructions to migration have enabled an evidence-based assessment to inform regional management measures and the prioritisation of sites for the installation of eel passes. For instance, citizen science monitoring on the River Crane from 2011 to 2014 found no eels (much to the disappointment of the volunteers). This gave us the evidence we needed to apply for funding from the SITA Trust to install passes on barriers downstream of the trap. Since 2015 natural recruitment into the Crane catchment has been recorded at a new trap in one of two SITA Trust funded passes installed on the Crane near the confluence with the Thames. This work is now part of a programme of eel pass installations, delivered collaboratively with the Environment Agency, that has grown from the project and to date has made available over 36ha of additional eel habitat in the Thames region. It has also improved access to the UK canal network by
Citizen Science Helping Eels Eel team with eel tiles
Eel training at Mogden elver pass
15
Citizen Science Helping Eels
Thames Eel Forum ZSL
passing some key barriers on the River Brent between the Thames and the Grand Union Canal.
It is also hoped that we will be able to contribute our data to a recent initiative by the Centre of the Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) to create a register of glass eel and elver counts across England and Wales.
By engaging local communities in citizen science, it has increased our options for funding eel passes, as there are a number of funders A big thank you who preferentially fund projects that involve local people. Finally, I would like to thank all our volunteer citizen scientists and project partners, which Supporting partners in 2017 include: Canal and River Trust, the Environment Agency, Ham United, Historic Partner organisations in the project are also Royal Palaces, Kingston University, London now helping to restore migratory pathways Wildlife Trust, Medway Valley Countryside and open up habitat for eel. With the help of Partnership, Thames 21, Thames Anglers technical advice and support from ZSL, passes Conservancy, Thames Water, South East Rivers have been built that link important backwaters Trust and Wandle Heritage. in the Thames in West London and restore connectivity on the rivers Ravensbourne Further reading and Brent. To find out more on ZSLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work with eels go to: Citizen science data informing https://www.zsl.org/eels and information on the ICES Working Group on Eel (WGEEL) go to: international policy ices.dk/community/groups/Pages/WGEEL.aspx Data supplied to the International Council for where the Exploration of the Seaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Working Group on Gollock MJ, Curnick DJ, Debney A. (2011). Eel from ZSL has to date been from two sites Recent recruitment trends of juvenile eels in monitored by ZSL staff since 2005. Since our tributaries of the R. Thames. Hydrobiologica citizen scientists have now been monitoring 672:33-37. at some sites for five years, we are now investigating if and how the data collected at our IUCN (2014). IUCN Red List of Threatened citizen science sites can be incorporated into Species. Version 2014.3. <www.iucn.org>. submissions to ICES Working Group on Eel.
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Anglers Contribute to the Evidence Base
Anglers Contribute to the Citizen Science Evidence Base Professor Jonathan Grey from Lancaster’s Environment Centre and the Wild Trout Trust describes two examples where anglers are contributing to the evidence base. Good data are invaluable, and the longer the term that they have been collected and the greater number of data-points that are generated, the more useful the resulting datasets are. A greater range of questions can be asked, more robust patterns can be determined or inferred, and used as evidence of change, for example from a reference state. They can be used to forecast and hind cast (within reason and with due care) beyond the data range. However, data take time and/or other resources to collect, but if they can be done so by interested and dedicated, careful amateurs, then it frees up the resources of the researchers to be used more efficiently and potentially allows for many more data-points to be gathered. The Wild Trout Trust is involved in a number of projects which rely upon citizen scientists to collect and collate samples or data, and below are two examples, which are both in partnership with Environment Agency colleagues.
the streams and rivers all year round and reliant solely upon the food resources within that given system and its environs. Alternatively, they could be making surreptitious sorties down to an estuary on occasion to take advantage of potentially richer pickings and hence accrue their biomass (larger body size) from marine resources.
Unlocking the secrets of large trout
Clearly this biochemistry for ecology is the realm of the trained and experienced researcher, not the citizen scientist. However, because these large trout are only found at low density, targeting them with conventional means such as electric-fishing is inefficient, but tapping into a local dedicated angler knowledge and skill base is invaluable. The anglers can target
Catching elusive large fish and extracting vital information to determine something about their life-history strategy is tricky. The rivers of the east coast of England in particular often hold remarkably large trout but it is unclear whether these are truly resident fish, i.e. remaining within 18
The food that a trout may ingest and assimilate from marine/estuarine waters will typically have different chemical ‘signatures’ (measured as stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen) compared to those from freshwaters – essentially ‘you are what (where) you eat’. That chemical signature is laid down in the fish tissues and by comparing the mixture in the trout to the representative signatures from each habitat type (by analysing resident invertebrates), and by using a bit of mathematical jiggery-pokery, one can calculate the relative contribution from each habitat food source to the trout.
Anglers Contribute to the Evidence Base
FISH Spring 2016
these bigger fish, and carefully remove a small scale sample from each individual (noting date, capture location, size etc.). The fish can be released unharmed, but their scales that are retained can be stored indefinitely and the chemical information locked within them extracted at a later date to determine whether these are sea trout or brown trout and hence inform fishery management.
Mapping changes in geomorphology Collecting evidence of achieving stated aims and other positive beneficial outcomes from restoration / rehabilitation projects is important information to formulate best practice but can also be used to leverage further funding for similar projects. The Wild Trout Trust has initiated some citizen science in association with an Environment Agency Fishery Improvement Programme project, which is being led by Pete Turner on a small spate stream in North Yorkshire, the Eastburn Beck. This stream was heavily modified during the industrial era by the installation of multiple small step weirs. Although the ideal solution to improve fish passage and geomorphology would be to remove these weir sequences, to do so would jeopardise bank integrity with consequences for other infrastructure. However, an appropriately sized notch cut into the weir crest can provide a focus of flow and ease passage issues. One of
the aims of the project was to reinstate a more natural channel planform and thus provide better quality, more natural habitat for invertebrates and fish.
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To assess whether the notch did its job required collection of data to represent the reference state i.e. before the notch was cut. Again, keen local anglers were enlisted to help in taking depth measurements at specific locations across the channel below the weir structure, over several dates (ongoing). The results are quite striking, despite the relative lack of spate flow over the 2016/17 dry winter, which is needed to really kick-start the geomorphological process. The three-dimensional figures essentially depict the pool morphology immediately downstream of the weir. Prior to the weir notch, in July 2016, the pool was uniformly deep across the full width of the channel, but rising rapidly to a shallow tail. After notching, the pool has narrowed with deposition evident on the left bank, and it remains deeper and more varied in profile for further downstream. These data will be supplemented in due course by Anglersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Riverfly Monitoring Initiative macroinvertebrate data, and Environment Agency electric fishing data from pre and post the notching event. 19
Anglers Contribute to the Evidence Base
Three-dimensional illustration of the pool’s morphology pre and post weir notching. The vertical axis is pool depth, the left axis is channel width, the right axis is channel length and all units are in metres. Instead of a uniformly deep and short pool spanning the full width of the weir, the pool is now narrower and longer, deeper at the focus and with a more complex substrate profile, which is better for fish passage and improving river habitat. 20
For more information, please contact Prof. J Grey: jgrey@wildtrout.org
FISH Spring 2016
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Citizen Science in the Marine Environment
Citizen Science in the Marine Environment
Citizen Science in the Marine Environment Richard Harrington from the Marine Conservation Society describes how it is involving people in citizen science. People are at the heart of everything we do at the Marine Conservation Society. We have been involving the public in scientific surveys long before “citizen science” came into popular use as a term. Why? Well, it has, in part, been due to the prohibitive expense of marine surveying on a scale that can provide enough evidence to understand and then act upon to protect our seas. But we have also found that those who engage with us not only provide valuable answers to research questions, they also turn out to be our biggest advocates for healthy and productive seas.
CoCoast Training Ross
Diving surveys Our earliest projects involved divers mapping out the features on the seabed that were virtually invisible before scuba gear was around. Today, our Seasearch programme is a popular project for volunteer sports divers who have an interest in what they’re seeing under water, want to learn more and want to help protect the marine environment around the coasts of Britain and Ireland. The main aim is to map out the various types of sea bed found in the near-shore zone around the whole of the Britain and Ireland. In addition, we are recording what lives in each area, establishing the richest sites for marine life, the sites where there are problems and the sites which need protection. See www. seasearch.org.uk
Shore life Capturing Our Coast (or CoCoast) is a national collaboration involving the Marine Conservation Society, the universities of Hull, Portsmouth and Bangor, the Scottish Association for Marine Science, the Marine Biological Association of the UK and the Earthwatch Institute. Funded through the Heritage Lottery Fund and led by Newcastle University, the aim of CoCoast is to 25
Citizen Science in the Marine Environment
Porthtowan_Beach_Clean
help get a better understanding of UK marine life whilst promoting our spectacular UK coastline. Since 2015, over 865 surveys have been completed equating to over 100,000 data entry points. The information being collected is being uploaded to the National Biodiversity Network, so contributing to a valuable and accessible dataset. Volunteers get hands-on-training in an array of research projects including on: kelp, barnacles, invasive species, wader birds, seaweed and limpets, reproductive patterns, artificial substrates and community disturbance.
changes such as sea temperature and acidity are affecting the under-appreciated seaweed flora in our seas. We also involve the public in maintaining records of sightings of several species of conservation interest, such as turtles (and their regular prey items, jellyfish) and basking sharks.
The Great British Beach Clean
The Marine Conservation Society wants to tackle the tide of litter washing up on our shores, and relies on the goodwill of thousands of people to help with this massive task each year. The main survey and clean-up takes place Findings include observations of not only local on the third weekend in September. In 2016, a and regional trends, but also of larger-scale whopping 268,384 individual items of litter were patterns occurring at a national and UK level. Among the highlights to date is a project looking collected at 364 beaches by just under 6,000 volunteers over the one weekend. Many more at the balance between seaweed coverage surveys are done during the rest of the year. and the number and size of limpets, which are key grazers and therefore important in terms Unlike many citizen science projects, the of creating space in the crowded rocky shore. Marine Conservation Society beach litter Under the hash-tag #Spermwatch lugworm survey programme gathers information on have been captured on film spawning and a the number of volunteers, duration of surveys study of the invasive Japanese wireweed has and distances covered. According to a recent shown a number of native species using it paper in Science of the Total Environment, as habitat. our “comprehensive information provides an opportunity to standardise data for variation in You can find out more about CoCoast, sampling effort among surveys, enhancing the at www.capturingourcoast.co.uk, value of outputs and robustness of findings”. email cocoast@mcsuk.org or follow us to keep The data from the survey has been crucial to updated on Twitter @capturingRcoast inform Government policy decisions including, very recently, plastic bag charging. The Marine Still on the seashore, the Big Seaweed Search Conservation Society’s pollution programmes is a survey to record how key seaweeds are are supported by players of People’s distributed around our coasts. Together with our partners at the Natural History Museum, we Postcode Lottery. use the data collected by volunteers to see how 26
Porthtowan_Beach_Clean
Citizen Science in the Marine Environment
Citizen Science at Work in the Westcountry
Catchment Scale Citizen Science at Work in the Westcountry Scott West, Fisheries Scientist with the Westcountry Rivers Trust, highlights the varied opportunities and value that citizen science can bring to catchment management. The Westcountry Rivers Trust takes the view that people matter, what good is our work if no one is there to take ownership and responsibility It is increasingly apparent today, that in order when we are gone? It’s an issue that concerns to address and understand fisheries issues a me greatly and one good example is the aging catchment approach is required. By taking such population of our angling clubs (I know many an approach, it allows us to link the fisheries great folk within the club network and I’m issues that we face, such as: abstraction, sure they won’t mind me saying this but it exploitation, water quality and barriers to somewhat lacks a younger vibe!). Who will migration, from sea to source – taking a be the custodians of our rivers in the future? fishes’ eye view if you like. However, with We see the citizen science movement as a limited resources, how do we practically take way to enthuse, inspire and up-skill communities a catchment scale approach? Well, for us at and individuals with the passion to make Westcountry Rivers Trust, and for many others a difference. working in the third sector, we are involving local communities in citizen science. Diverse projects from sea to source
Why is citizen science important at a catchment scale?
People often care deeply about their local rivers. They can be very knowledgeable and passionate, whilst others may just take them for granted and not know about the many issues that they face. Crystal clear Dartmoor rivers can look deceptively perfect! Citizen science provides a great opportunity to engage and involve local people in learning more and helping to protect their local rivers. Through actively involving local people in caring for their rivers it can generate a sense of ownership and mobilise the resource needed to take a catchment approach.
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When thinking about citizen science on a catchment scale, it can be a little daunting! How do we mobilise people on a large scale? How do we capture the data to link up the many diverse issues? Well I think we give people the option of what they want to do by making them aware of our interests and some of the concerns that we have. From the guy who lives in the upper catchment, with the river running through his garden, to a team of school children on a day out, they can all help provide useful information to enable us to better understand the catchments in which we work, promote and write funding bids for.
Citizen Science at Work in the Westcountry
CS practicle days
A great example of a citizen science project, which operates at a catchment scale and provides valuable data, is the well-respected Anglersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Riverfly Monitoring Initiative, where anglers invest their time to monitor the status of river fly life. The monitoring provides a fantastic insight into the health of over rivers and is used to raise the alarm to the Environment Agency if the monitoring shows unusual results, as this may be caused by a deterioration in water quality. To find out more visit: http://www. riverflies.org/rp-riverfly-monitoring-initiative. On a completely different part of a catchment, we have teams of citizen scientists helping us to monitoring glass eels in tidal waters. This diversity in citizen science opportunities is important to engage people throughout a catchment.
and create new habitat. For the survey, they are given a data collection sheet, which is used to record information on plants, wildlife, river condition and any visible signs of pollution. Alongside this there is the option to take water quality measurements. All of the data are then reviewed and approved before being uploaded onto our website. This produces an interactive map so that people can see their results and feel a sense of ownership for their effort. On a catchment scale, this is fantastic, as different communities will have different results depending on where they live. All of this then allows us to tell the catchment story to the people who are part of it. To find out more visit: http://wrt.org.uk/project/become-a-citizenscientist/.
With a modest amount of investment in the citizen science movement, we now have 85 citizen scientists actively involved in the A further citizen science project that has been Citizen Science Investigations initiative alone, driven via social media engagement is our and it is growing daily. To date they have Westcountry CSI (Citizen Science Investigations) undertaken 236 surveys on around 70 different and River Buffs scheme. Here volunteers carry rivers, streams, books and ponds, which is out surveys of their local rivers and streams impressive. The information too is invaluable, and then help with practical work to restore with for example, a wealth of wildlife sightings 29
Citizen Science at Work in the Westcountry Citizen science assist with glass eel monitoring at the mouth of the river
and accurate locations of the invasive nonnative species Himalayan balsam and Japanese knotweed. This can all be shared via our Facebook groups. From local surveys, we now have some people carrying out catchmentwide surveys and providing data which we are following up with the Environment Agency.
Some of the challenges of citizen science Citizen science has a real “feel good” factor for all those involved but does come with its risks and challenges. Funding being an obvious one. Whilst public involvement often helps with levering funding to kick start initiatives, to run such schemes long-term, needs on-going resources to provide training, oversight and management. The other key challenge is the quality of data and whether it can be used to inform decisions. To help with this it is essential to have good survey methodologies and training.
What next for citizen science? Citizen science, in my view, is still in its infancy. Whilst there are some tremendous examples of citizen science that are paving the way, such as the Anglers’ Riverfly Monitoring Initiative, there is plenty of scope to develop new programmes to better understand and engage communities in 30
looking after our water environment, such as the creation of a network of school-based natural environment observatories. We need to make more of the information being gathered by our growing citizen science community, including working with the statutory agencies to enable them to take full account of this fabulous information resource in their decision making. In the Westcountry Rivers Trust, we are helping to facilitate this by screening the data and making the information available in a format that the statutory agencies can use. To realise the full potential of citizen science will require resources and priority should be given to this. For this is not just about gathering more data, it is a movement, which is about engaging local communities in learning about, valuing and caring for their local environment. It offers the opportunity for people to learn new skills and make them feel part of something larger. It provides a way to capture people’s knowledge. It is often said that anglers are the “eyes and ears of the water environment”, which is still very much the case today, however with continuing pressures on our water environment we need to engage a much wider community in valuing our water environment. Citizen science offers such an opportunity for people of all ages and abilities.
Services offered by Electrafish include on site testing to Environment Agency Services ffered by Electrafish on site to W Environment Agency the supply dards, repairs to aony electric fishing include machines mtesting ade in olverhampton, standards, repairs to any electric fishing machines made in Wolverhampton, the supply of generator and battery pby owered fishing machines, anodes, cathodes, and Honda new gServices offered Electrafish site testing to Environment Agency enerator and battery powered include fishing omn achines, anodes, cathodes, and Honda ric fishing g enerators standards, repairs to any electric fishing machines made in Wolverhampton, the supply of electric fishing generators generator attery powered fishing achines, anodes, cathodes, and Honda also also cnd arry out reconditioning om lder which have ften erformed We new cWe arry oaut rbeconditioning of oof lder machines achines which hoave opften performed many r eliable y ears o f s ervice i n t he f ield. F or e xample, m any m achines b uilt i n 1 999 electric f ishing g enerators y reliable years of service in the field. For example, many machines built ian nd 1999 a have and updated, hereby providing a virtually ew machine before We also bceen arry reconditioned out reconditioning of older tm achines which h ave often pnerformed re have een and updated, thereby providing a virtually new mach at ab m uch rreconditioned educed many reliable years coost. f service in the field. For example, many machines built in 1999 and much ceen ost. raeconditioned reduced re continually aind mproving all tnhereby ew generator and powered before hElectrafish ave b updated, providing ab vattery irtually new machine Generator machines can have sa ockets for gfenerator rom 1 to 6 oar nd more anodes p and 1 or at machines. a much a reduced cost. Electrafish re continually improving ll new battery owered more c athodes, a nd b attery p owered m achines c an b e S mooth o r P ulsed D C o utput o r and 1 Electrafish a re c ontinually i mproving a ll n ew g enerator a nd b attery p owered hines. Generator machines can have sockets for from 1 to 6 or more anodes both. Generator machines can have sockets for from 1 to 6 or more anodes and 1 or machines. cathodes, and bp attery preports owered achines an be Sfmooth oorder. r Pulsed DC output or Regular are pm rovided to ccustomers or every more cathodes, arogress nd battery powered machines an be Smooth or Pulsed DC output or both. The primary driving forces behind ELECTRAFISH have been, and always will be, dedicated customer service, customer support nd product reliability. order. Regular progress reports ap re rovided provided o cacustomers for very order. Regular progress reports are tto ustomers feor every Electrafish m achines are qbuick and easy to operate, abnd extremely effective n any The p rimary d riving f orces ehind E LECTRAFISH h ave een, a nd a ill bie, The primary driving forces behind ELECTRAFISH have been, always nd aw lways will be, harsh a nd c hallenging c onditions c ommonly e ncountered. dedicated customer service, customer support and product reliability. cated customer service, customer saupport apnd product reliability. Quality, mm aintenance and servicing of atll o prioritised in aell d esign ian nd Electrafish achines are quick nd easy oroducts perate, is and extremely ffective any Electrafish achines re quick and easy to operate, manufacturing functions. harsh and m challenging caonditions commonly encountered. and extremely effective in an challenging Quality, mcaintenance and servicing of eancountered. ll products is prioritised in all design and h and onditions commonly manufacturing f unctions. Quality, m aintenance and servicing of all products is prioritised in all design and ufacturing functions.
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Wolverhampton WV4 4PR, England. Electrafish Limited, Registered Office: 48 Warstones Drive, Penn, Email: sales@electrafish.co.uk Tel: 01902 340625 Mob: 07775 608505 Wolverhampton WV4 4PR, England.
Email: sales@electrafish.co.uk
Tel: 01902 340625
Mob: 07775 608505
Electrafish Limited, Registered Office: 48 Warstones Drive, Penn, Wolverhampton WV4 4PR, England.
The Conservation Column
ESSEX Wildlife Trust
The Conservation Column
Derbyshire Wildlife Trust
Valerie Holt illustrates how Wildlife Trusts and others are engaging in citizen science to help the environment. Citizen science: ‘Science done by ordinary people, often for or with the help of scientists.’ Over the past decade there has been a significant increase in the number of citizen science initiatives across a very wide range of projects. These have ranged from surveying species to observational work on habitats and weather. They also vary widely in their project concepts ranging from those led by members of the public or local communities to those led by scientists and experts. What is not in question is the benefits that can accrue from combining environmental research with wildlife recording and environmental education.
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Inspirational In 2012 the UK Environmental Observation Framework published: ‘Understanding Citizen Science and Environmental Monitoring’, which looked at the motivation of volunteers, the range of projects, case studies and a review of technology. It reported that the willingness of large numbers of volunteers to engage in science projects relating to the environment was inspirational. The amateur naturalist now has many projects in which they can become involved and the enjoyment and enthusiasm generated lead to a connection with the natural world which is hugely beneficial, both for themselves and for the science being undertaken.
The Conservation Column iRecord Butterflies Centre Š Ecology & Hydrology
Monitoring and recording plant species Š CEDaR
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The Conservation Column Citizen science seraching for seaweed Š Natural History Museum
Common groundhopper
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water voles and otters using the original sites. Training sessions will be organised for up to twenty people to carry out this work.
Black to Green project
Open Air Laboratories
Most projects, however, would not take place without funding and an example is the Heritage Lottery Fund funded Black to Green project being undertaken by Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. This project is looking to record the changes in the landscape over a three year period in the heart of the National Forest. This is a 10 square mile area that has been reclaimed over the past 18 years from coal mining. It aims to assess the increase in wildlife in the developing green spaces and the value of the wildlife to local people by undertaking specific surveys for bats and hedgehogs. The project has enabled the purchase of specific equipment such as bat detectors, which are moved from site to site and record the sounds from bats. Initially, experts were used to read the results but training has been undertaken to enable the people involved to interpret and submit the results. At the start of the project there were 14 records of bats and at the end of the first year there were 850. This has enthused the local people involved. At present the results are being logged by a member of the Trustâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s staff but after the end of the project results will be posted onto the dedicated website Nature Spot. The data collected will be used by local authorities, landowners, National Forest and other interested groups and it aims to be sustainable in that data collection will be continued for many years.
DerwentWISE project Another funded project is DerwentWISE. Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, as part of a Living Landscape Partnership Project, organise a formal training programme for adults to undertake butterfly and bee surveys. The survey work entails following a transect once a week over 79 sites and the results are fed into national survey work.
Water for Wildlife project The Trust are also resurrecting the Water for Wildlife project from a decade ago to survey for
The Conservation Column
There are very many projects that people can participate in and they can be national, regional or local.
The Open Air Laboratories (OPAL) is a UK wide initiative, funded by the Big Lottery, which started in 2007. This has nearly one million participants covering subjects such as air quality, soil, water and tree health. The data gathering is led by a team from Imperial College, London. It is easy to download the information required, and using simple household items the data can be collected and returned on an on-line form.
Bioblitz Another way to utilise volunteers and acquire knowledge about a site is to organise a Bioblitz. This is an ideal way to gather information over a short period of time. Usually confined to a particular site the surveys are carried out in a set time period, for example, 24 hours. Experts are involved in an on-site HQ, logging all finds and identifying species. A bat watch and moth trapping could be arranged for dusk. This type of event can involve children with parents or Scout/ Guide groups or schoolchildren with teachers. It is a great way to encourage community involvement and assist the owners of a site to identify species present. In 2013 a bioblitz was organised by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust at Attenborough Nature Reserve. It involved 20 wildlife workshops for members of the public to learn new identification skills, 50 hours of surveying and resulted in 99 new species being recorded, including spined loach.
Citizen Science brings a sense of empowerment Citizen Science is not new but it is now more organised and it is easier for people to become involved. It brings a sense of empowerment, encourages learning of new skills, enhances knowledge, benefits those involved and the environment and assists in a greater understanding of our natural world.
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The Paul Coulson BLOG
The Paul Coulson
had a very interesting first day, which included a presentation by the Chief Constable of Police Scotland, Phil Gormley, as well as the annual dinner and awards presentation. Day two saw us out in the wilds of the Trossachs to visit some locations that are regularly targeted by poachers. Having never visited Loch Lomond and the surrounding area in the past, I was taken aback by just how stunning the area is. It is no surprise that they attract millions of tourists each year, and that anglers travel from all over the British Isles to fish both the loch and connecting rivers. There are also plenty of fish to target. I must try and get back with my tackle.
BLOG A Grand Tour
I have undertaken a bit of a grand tour of the British Isles over the last few months. After my trip to Belfast in January to discuss the Annual Conference I have since visited Scotland (twice), Wales, Loughborough (twice), London, Berwick upon Tweed and Preston. I also managed a trip to A couple of weeks later I travelled to Berwick upon Tweed to attend the Atlantic Salmon Trust Norfolk with the family for a few days. and Tweed Foundation Smolt Conference. Again We will start in Scotland where I attended the we had a very interesting couple of days with annual Scottish Bailiff Training Course, which this speakers from across the UK, Ireland, Europe year was hosted by the Loch Lomond Angling and Canada in attendance. Having a bit of an Improvement Association in Dumbarton. We interest in predators I found the last session on 36
It just shows that it is not only UK fisheries that have to deal with this problem. Following on from my jaunts north we held a couple of events a bit closer to home. The first of these was the annual Certificate Field Course Weekend held at our new training venue of Rempstone Village Hall near Loughborough. This was a great couple of days with some really keen students, nice weather and a lot of fish. We broke the weekend up into morning theory sessions followed by afternoon fish survey practicals. On the Saturday afternoon we undertook a cropping for Nottingham and District on one of their club waters. One pull of the net yielded several hundred pounds of pristine silvers as well as a dozen or so large carp and the odd pike. I think this may have been the most fish some of the students on the course had ever seen. It was also good to see Emma Keenan, who kindly helped out at the weekend, get up close and personal with a carp. We are slowly trying to wean her of her beloved salmon.
The Paul Coulson BLOG
the impacts of predation on smolts fascinating; in particular the talk by Niels Jepsen from DTUAqua in Denmark. The figures he highlighted for the numbers of cormorants over-wintering in Denmark, upwards of 200,000 in some years, and the impacts of these birds not only on smolts, but a wide range of species, was frightening.
monitor and manage the anglers, biosecurity, stock and water quality very closely. Makins on the other hand has 600 pegs spread over 18 lakes in three phases. This makes the management of the anglers very difficult. They do however work very hard to ensure that the health of the stock is paramount and that anglers follow the fishery rules. This was followed on the Sunday by a netting practical on a local water, even though we didn’t have quite as many fish as the previous week. Thanks to Roy Marlow, the team at Makins and Jon Wall for his assistance at the weekend and not forgetting the usual suspects Ian Wellby and Iain Turner. As I’m sure you are aware we have been working on a couple of specialist events over the last few months. The first to be held was the Renewable Energy and Fisheries – plugging the gaps conference. This took place at the Coldra Court Hotel in Newport, Wales on April 25th and 26th.
Over 80 delegates were in attendance for two days of presentations that covered a wide range of subjects, regions and technology. Day 1 centred on Marine Tidal Power and the Severn Estuary. We started with a session on tidal power which was very interesting and as expected generated a lot of questions and debate. This was followed by a session on assessment approaches in which we were lucky enough to have Graham Daborn Thanks to all the students and members of the IFM Training Team who helped make it such a fun from Acadia University in Canada in attendance, he gave an excellent presentation on the potential couple of days. for tidal power in the Bay of Fundy and how they A couple of weeks later we were back in identify and mitigate the risks to fish. After lunch Rempstone for the first field course weekend for we moved on to look in more detail at the fisheries the new Award in Applied Fisheries Management of the Severn Estuary and were treated to talks that we deliver for the Environment Agency. Again concerning shad and salmon as well as the we had a really keen bunch of students and often-overlooked marine species of which there we followed a similar format to the Certificate are many. Weekend, however this time we visited a couple of local commercial style fisheries on the Saturday Day 2 kicked off with a double session on hydropower. We started with an eye opening afternoon, followed by a fish survey practical on presentation from Ian Cowx, which looked at the Sunday. various large-scale projects across Asia and Brazil, We had a really interesting afternoon on the and the work that is being done to mitigate the Saturday, firstly visiting Roy Marlow’s The Glebe impacts of dams on these culturally, economically Fishery followed by a tour of Makins. The contrast and environmentally important waterways. This between the management regimes of the two was followed by talks on a number of different, fisheries w.as very interesting. The Glebe is a and slightly smaller projects from the UK, Ireland members’ water, and as such they are able to and Scotland. 37
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The Paul Coulson BLOG
The Paul Coulson BLOG
We finished the conference with a session on new technology; again there were some really interesting new developments covered. These included new Venturi turbine systems, new pumps and Archimedean screw designs, a novel project to fund small-scale hydro projects and a very interesting project looking at power generation through the concept of ocean thermal energy conversion. If you would like to see the presentations from the conference they can be found on our website homepage. We must say a big thank you to all the speakers and delegates as well as Tidal Lagoon Power for sponsoring the conference and to APEM, Aquatic Control Engineering, Fishtek and Fish Guidance Systems for attending with their trade stands. Big thanks as well to Nicola Teague and Emma Keenan from the IFM Wales Branch for their help and support in hosting the event. My final jaunt around the country was for two days at Myescough College near Preston where I delivered a course in fish monitoring and electric fishing to the students. This finished with a practical on the River Brock that runs through the college campus. I think it is fair to say that the students and staff were quite surprised by the results of the survey as we caught a nice range of species including large trout and parr, eels of all sizes and lamprey ammocoetes, not to mention bullheads, stone loach and one lonely stickleback.
As the winter league has ended I have moved on to fishing a few ponds locally. I managed to get one match in on a water that I hadn’t match fished before. The intention was to fish for bream and bits early on, and then hopefully catch a few carp later as they move into the margins. Well after four hours of ‘not’ catching bream and bits I was just about to call it a day and trudge home defeated when I had a last gasp drop in on my margin line. To my surprise the float sailed away instantly and I was attached to 8lbs of angry carp. This was the As you will be aware (hopefully) the main event first of three large carp, a tench and a bream that I for the summer is the First UK International Eel caught in the last hour, which propelled me to 35lb Science Symposium that we are hosting at the and fourth overall. This was last in the money so I Zoological Society of London in June. If everything even went home with a few pennies in my pocket. goes to plan we should have a great week with over 20 countries represented and 200 delegates Aside from the fishing we also had a nice family in attendance. There will be a full report in the next trip down to Norfolk to see some friends at Easter. The weather on the first day was warm enough to edition of FISH. lead to some quite sunburnt arms, however that was the last of the sun as for the rest of the time it On to the Ponds was back to jumpers and jackets. You can’t beat Our winter on the East Yorkshire ditch came to an global warming for wrecking your plans for a few uneventful end for Mike and I. Thanks to our busy days on the beach. work and social calendars (yes we do have one) we were forced to miss a couple of matches of the winter league. This meant that going into the last match we had nothing to fish for, this was quite a Paul Coulson - Director of Operations relief as we both drew poor pegs and ended up Paul.coulson@ifm.org.uk nowhere in our respective sections. We will be back to challenge for the title next winter. 07960 939 836
Tight lines.
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IFM News
IFM News
Dates for your diary
Event
Date
Certificate Course Exams
10th June
Diploma Course Exams
17th June
International Eel Science Symposium
13th -15th June
ZSL London Zoo
48th IFM Annual Conference “The Big Fish”
10th to 12th October
Belfast, Ireland
Diploma Field Course Weekend
21st – 22nd October
FSC Centre, Preston Montford
David Bunt’s first 100 days When FISH editor, Lawrence Talks, invited me to reflect on my first 100 days I felt a combination of ‘honoured’ and also ‘anxious’. Honoured, because such privileges usually go to Presidents and Prime Ministers; and anxious, because it won’t be as colourful as a certain D. Trump or T. May (thankfully!). So, please humour me…. Being the Institute’s Executive Director (previously ‘Executive Officer’, previously ‘Secretary’) is an honour for several reasons. Firstly, to follow in the footsteps of IFM legends such as Robin Welcomme and John Gregory is a real privilege. Secondly, this is an important position in the Institute and crucial to keeping the wheels of our £180k business running smoothly. And lastly, as also Vice Chairman, there is a strong possibility of the even higher accolade of Chairman in the future and this role will prepare me well. This has all been possible, because since last October, I left the Environment Agency after 30 years and became self-employed, which has given me the flexibility and time to undertake this important job. So, highlights and reflections of my first 100 days… January saw me having a handover meeting with our Chairman, Eamon, and with Ian Dolben who 40
Location
had been covering the role with Steve Axford since we lost John. My key roles will be to maintain Council and Executive meetings, and to be the IFM’s conscience to keep all our strategies on course. Chief ‘Nagger’ then! I attended my first Executive Committee meeting on 30 January in Nottingham. In February, we started a review of honoria for voluntary officers – Jim Gregory and Steve Axford are leading this. I also met Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of the Angling Trust to get to know each other and explore how IFM and Angling Trust can work better together. More partnership working will be essential to get the best for fish and fisheries management, especially as Government budgets get tighter. In March, we started a position statement on Brexit. Our Policy Director, Miran Aprahamian is leading this. It needs input from quite a few of us and, with Brexit being controversial and uncertain, is taking longer than most of our position statements to complete. We’ll publish it on the website as soon as it is ready. In April, we had another Executive Committee meeting, this time in London. Later in the month I attended a Salmon and Trout Conservation Cymru workshop in Builth Wells. As well as catching up with Wales colleagues such as Pete Gough, Dave Mee and Graeme Harris, whom I hadn’t seen for 20
IFM News
David Bunt (left), assisting (well – watching) the installation of an eel pass on the Somerset Levels, 16 March 2017
outlook. British law is often more stringent than EU legislation – a good example is the Eels (England & Wales) 2009 regulations which gave Also in April, I attended the IFM’s Renewable the Environment Agency greater powers than the Energy Conference in Newport and experienced an 2007 EC Eel Regulation. As a result, hundreds of example of what IFM does best: excellent speakers eel passes have been installed on these shores in presenting informative papers from around the the past seven years and the British Government world. Interests as diverse as the Angling Trust has overseen greater improvements for eel than and Tidal Lagoon Power presented, which led to a anywhere else. In my day-job with the Sustainable balanced and respectful debate. It was an excellent Eel Group, I have first-hand experience of this. conference, which was professionally organised by This outcome for eels was in part, due to the Iain and Paul, with help from Emma Keenan and excellent fisheries managers we have in the country Nicola Teague of our IFM Welsh Branch. lobbying government to do the right thing, and Thanks to you, and to all the delegates and the Institute will continue to do this where it feels speakers for attending. necessary. This is indicated by the IFM signing a And so to the future? What of Brexit and the next joint letter to Theresa May from the Wildlife and Government (I write this exactly a month away from Countryside Link at the end of March. The Prime Election Day). Changes in how the country is run Minister’s reply is published in this edition of FISH often lead to changes in fisheries management. and indicates the Government’s commitment You can chart the wax and wane of river boards, to ‘leave the environment in a better state than agencies and the number of fisheries jobs in the we found it’. These are laudable words, but as British Isles with changes in Government. Many professional fisheries managers it shall be our worry that the future UK Government will weaken collective duty to hold the next Government to EU legislation. However, I have a more positive account to do just that. years, an excellent talk by Graeme filled a 20 year gap in my knowledge on the biology of sea trout.
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IFM News
IFM News Belfast
IFM Annual Conference Update The Institute’s 48th Annual Conference “The Big Fish” will be held in the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland from Tuesday 10th to Thursday 12th October 2017. Hosted by the Ireland Branch, which organises on an all island basis, it promises to be one of the major gatherings of fishy folk within these islands in 2017.
The conference dinner will be held on Tuesday 10th October in the grand surroundings of the Belfast Harbour Commissioners offices.
“The Big Fish” call for papers has now closed and the conference programme and booking will be available from July 2017 on the Institute’s website. The conference will be held in the Hilton Hotel in Belfast City centre which is serviced well by Belfast Harbour Commissioners offices rail, air, ferry and road links from all parts. Some accommodation has been reserved at the Hilton for delegates wishing to stay at the conference venue and a preferential rate has been secured. Belfast offers the standard array of hotels but early booking is advised. Highlights of the conference will include a keynote address from Prof Paulo Prodohl, Queens University of Belfast on the subject of “Genetics as an applied tool in conservation biology”. Sessions will also be held on lake fisheries management, management of the European eel, governance and enforcement, catchment management, rare fish monitoring and management, telemetry and tracking.
Notice of AGM The IFM AGM will be held during the Annual Conference in Belfast on Tuesday 10th October 2017 from 16:30hrs
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IFM News
Behind the scenes at IFM The IFM’s business and direction is governed by the IFM’s ‘Council’. This is made up of 30 people who are each elected to stand for three years at a time. Council makes the big, strategic decisions for the Institute and meets three times per year: in January, July, and at the Annual Conference in October. The day-to-day running of the Institute is then overseen by the Executive Committee. Their job is to ensure the effective running of the Institute and that they carry out the work and deliver the direction agreed by Council. The Executive Committee is made up of 11 officers of the Institute, many of whom are the leaders (Directors) of committees and teams who do the work: e.g. Training and Membership. The Executive Committee meets four times a year.
Council and Executive Committee* is made up as follows:
Pete Spillett* Eamon Cusack* Valerie Holt*
President Chairman Vice President
Steve Colclough Chair of Marine and Transitional Waters Specialist Section
Chris Mills Steve Axford* Vice President Nicola Teague Welsh Branch Chair David Bunt* Executive Director & Alan Brothers PR Officer Vice Chairman Richard Noble Ian Dolben* Director of Finance Ian Wellby* Director of Training Paul Coulson* Director of Paul Johnston* Director of Operations Membership Adrian Taylor* Director of External Affairs Miran Aprahamian*
Iain Turner Development Officer
Director of Policy
Jim Lyons Chair of Fish and Environment Finances Specialist Section Ian Dolben has taken over from Richard Noble as Lawrence Talks
Editor FISH
Shaun Leonard Director Wild Trout Trust Mike Lee Careers Officer and Yorkshire Branch Secretary Simon McKelvey Scottish Branch Chairman Paul Knight CEO Salmon and Trout Conservation UK Scott West Chairman 44
South West Branch
Finance Director. We are hugely grateful to Richard for six years of sterling service in keeping our accounts up to date and IFM budgets on target. Finances are healthy, though finely balanced: in 2016 total expenditure was £180,000, with income of £152,000. The balance came from a drawdown of capital investments which currently stand at £450,000. Income comes mostly from: membership subscriptions (23%), Training (23%) and conferences (34%). This pays for two full time officers (Paul Coulson and Iain Turner) and honoraria for about 20 volunteers to provide a wide range of services to members, e.g. discounted conference fees, courses and FISH.
IFM News
IFM is in the process of adjusting to becoming VAT registered in the future. More on this later in the year. Honoraria for officers are being reviewed as there have been a number of changes in roles and responsibilities.
IFM Training Report IFM Training continues to be a key component of our offer to Members and the wider fisheries industry. Our course portfolio continues to grow and is increasingly popular. We are now the largest provider of fisheries-related training in the UK. An update on our recent activities is below
Pete Turner, Certificate Course Tutor, helping out with the netting operations - A big thanks to The Nottingham Anglers Association for allowing us to use their lakes.
Long Courses Certificate In total 32 students took the latest set of exams in January and they submitted 77 papers. Following these exam results 16 students completed the course. This is the highest number of Certificate students weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had completing the course after any round of exams since it was relaunched in 2013. Congratulations to all of the successful students and we hope to see some of you enrolling on the Diploma in September. Emma Keenan delivered a lecture on invertebrates. Once again weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had a really good enrolment in January and 14 new students have joined and so looking forward we have 41 students due to take papers on June 10th.
This is the last year that the Diploma course will carry Open University Accreditation due to changes in OU Policy. IFM Training are currently in discussion with the Office of Qualifications and Examinations We would like to welcome Emma Keenan and Sam Regulation (Ofqual), which regulates qualifications, examinations and assessments in England, to have Chapman to the IFM Training Team. They will be taking on tutor roles on the Certificate Course in the our qualifications recognized through Ofqual. coming months. Enrolment for the 2017 course begins in June so if you would like to enroll or would just like more Diploma information about the course please get in touch with Iain Turner on iain.turner@ifm.org.uk We currently have 17 students enrolled on the course and they are looking forward (!) to taking their exams in June, this will be followed by the field course weekend in October, which is much more fun. This year we will changing to a new exam format for the June exams, with the students completing Time Limited Open Book exams. We hope this makes the process easier for the students whilst maintaining the high academic standards of the course.
IFM Award in Fisheries Management (Environment Agency) The award commenced on October 1st with 18 students enrolled on the full course, with a further seven taking individual units. We are in the process of developing a further unit - Fish Health and Initial Response to Mortality - to start in 2017. 45
IFM News
In April we held the first field weekend for the IFM Award in fisheries Management. This was another busy weekend that had a mix of talks, visits and practical sessions. You can read more details of the weekend in Paul’s Blog but a big thank you to Ryan Taylor, Chris Williams and Amy Reading for taking the time to attend and give talks to the students. Enrolment has started for the next course and details will be circulated internally within the Environment Agency.
Short Courses IFM Training continue to run several short courses. In the coming year we have courses planned in Electrofishing, Fish Rescue Techniques and we are hopeful of running a Freshwater Fish Identification course. The Enforcement Workshops, developed with the Angling Trust and the Environment Agency continue to be delivered and more are booked for autumn 2017. There is continued interest in our courses from Ireland and we are hoping to run our first electric fishing course over there this year. We recently delivered another fish monitoring and electric fishing short course to Myerscough College students in May.
How can you help? IFM Training have always relied on a small group of dedicated individuals and I would like to thank all the people who are so actively involved in the delivery of our courses. It has been an absolute pleasure to work alongside everyone in IFM Training Ian Wellby tests student’s identification skills and I continue to be amazed by the dedication of our band of tutors, verifiers and helpers. However, Scottish Bailiffs Course as always, there seems to be more work than time, The Scottish Bailiff Training course continues to be so if you would like to volunteer for any role in IFM the ‘go to’ training for anyone working in Scotland. Training you would be very welcome. As I have said it is an excellent team of people and there is Over 360 Bailiffs have been trained in the last 10 all the help you could need to gain the skills to help years. Numbers taking exams this year were low; this is likely linked to the uncertainty around the Wild deliver our courses. We would be particularly keen to hear from anyone who would like to take on the Fish Reforms and the make up of the Trusts and development of online resources. DSFB’s moving forward. We would like to welcome Edward Rush to the roll Ian Wellby of Bailiff Training Coordinator for Scotland. He takes IFM Director of Training over the roll from Brian Davidson. This summer will see a number of short courses for bailiffs begin. These began in May with a course on rod and line techniques and continue with a course on Freshwater fish disease sampling, identification and biosecurity. This will be hosted by the Cromarty DSFB and their office in Ross-shire. The date for the course is June 15th and full details can be obtained from Edward on scottishbailifftraining@ gmail.com
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Membership Paul Johnston has taken over as Membership Director from Ian Dolben. Paul will be supported by Iain Turner and Emma Keenan. There were 173 new members in 2016 and IFM had 715 members at the close of 2016. We have 115 Chartered members (C.Env) and congratulations are due to Bruce Stockley (Westcountry Rivers Trust) and Ian McCulloch (Natural Resources Wales), who qualified recently.
IFM News
Operations Most of Paul Coulson and Iain Turner’s time is spent organising and providing short courses, such as electrofishing, workshops and conferences. The Renewable Energy conference in April received over 75 delegates, whilst the International Eel Symposium in June is set to attract 200 people. We are pleased to announce that Nigel Milner is to be our representative at NASCO – a role vacant due to John Gregory’s untimely loss last year.
Branch Contacts If you want more information on IFM activities in your region, please contact the branch secretaries through the email addresses below: East Anglia: Andrew Sadler andrew.sadler@environment-agency.gov.uk
Policy IFM has produced or been co-signatories to Government on a number of policy documents. Here, IFM provides the voice for fisheries managers, in a non-political way, based on science and evidence, to inform Government policy. Topics that we have been co-signatories to with Wildlife and Countryside Link in recent months are Ofwat and Brexit. We are preparing a further statement on Brexit, with the aim of stating IFM’s position in providing the best protection for fish and fisheries management when Britain leaves the EU.
External Affairs Members will be aware that the IFM magazine, FISH, is now provided in digital format. The number of people preferring digital to printed format is much higher than expected, showing what a progressive bunch us fisheries managers are! IFM is always seeking new and keen people to help to run the Institute. If you’d like to help out, however large or small the role, it will help to run our IFM professionally. Please contact david.bunt@ifm.org.uk
Ireland: Art Niven Art.Niven@loughs-agency.org London & South East: Steve Colclough srcifm@gmail.com Midlands/Lincolnshire: Ryan Taylor ryan.taylor@environment-agency.gov.uk North West: Paul Coulson paul.coulson@ifm.org.uk South West: Iain Turner swest@ifm.org.uk Southern: Iain Turner
iain.turner@ifm.org.uk
Scotland: Brian Davidson brian@rafts.onmicrosoft.com
Other contacts
Wales: Emma Keenan
For help with careers in fisheries, contact
emma.keenan@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk
Careers Officer Mike Lee, careers@ifm.org.uk
Yorkshire & North East: Mike Lee
For advertising in FISH or on our website, contact Iain Turner, advertising@ifm.org.uk
michael.lee@environment-agency.gov.uk
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Breaking IFM News
Breaking News
Fish can solve problems collectively Some fish can pool their experience to solve problems collectively, according to new research from scientists at the University of St Andrews.
Genes that help trout find their way home A recent study pinpoints genes that help fish navigate by the Earth’s magnetic field.
While individual fish might only have a little bit of information about their environment, within a large group, different individuals might have separate but complementary information about a particular problem - some may know where to find food but not how to access it, while others might know how to get at it but not where it is hidden. In a set of experiments, scientists at the School of Biology used sticklebacks to determine whether leadership – the pulling of the group by informed members – could allow groups of animals to pool their experience in order to solve problems collectively. Their findings, which could have implications for businesses and even bio-inspired swarm robotics, are published on the Nature Ecology & Evolution website. http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/29040/fishcan-solve-problems-collectively/
In the spring when water temperatures start to rise, rainbow trout that have spent several years at sea traveling hundreds of miles from home manage, without maps or GPS, to find their way back to the rivers and streams where they were born for spawning. Researchers have identified genes that enable the fish to perform this extraordinary homing feat with help from Earth’s magnetic field. https://www.sciencedaily.com/ releases/2017/04/170426153804.htm
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Scottish fishermen have uncovered an intriguing way to supplement their income: they have added squid to the menu of marine creatures they regularly pull from the sea. A species normally associated with the warmth of the Mediterranean, rather than the freezing north, may seem an odd addition to their usual catches of cod and haddock. Nevertheless, squid has become a nice little earner for fishing boats from Aberdeen and the Moray Firth in recent years.
“Our first genetic studies, plus knowledge of the geological history of the region, suggest the cave loach population is amazingly young, certainly not older than 20,000 years,” says Jasminca Behrmann-Godel at the University of Konstanz in Germany, who led the team that analysed the https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/ fish. “Despite this short time span, the fish show trademark adaptions to cave life compared with jan/08/fish-ocean-warming-migration-sea loaches from surface locations nearby, including a pale body colouration, much smaller eyes, plus Fish migration tracked by testing DNA larger nostrils and barbels.” in seawater https://www.newscientist.com/article/2126523A bucket of seawater contains more than meets first-ever-cavefish-discovered-in-europe-evolvedsuper-fast/#.WONA4jsaMLc.mailto the eye - it’s chock-full of fish DNA. Scientists are now putting that DNA to good use to track fish migration with a new technique that involves a fraction of the effort and cost of previous methods. DNA strained from samples drawn weekly from New York’s East and Hudson Rivers revealed the presence or absence of several key fish species passing through the water on each test day. These findings correlate with knowledge from migration studies conducted over many years with fishnet trawls. https://www.sciencedaily.com/ releases/2017/04/170412145219.htm
First ever cavefish discovered in Europe evolved super-fast Europe’s first cavefish has been discovered by a cave diver in Germany. The pale-coloured loach, shown above, is thought to have diverged from surface fish as glaciers from the last ice age receded some 16,000 to 20,000 years ago.
Breaking News
How warming seas are forcing fish to seek new waters
Book Review
Book Review
Megan Boyd The story of a salmon flydresser By Derek Mills and Jimmy Younger Review by Lawrence Talks Not familiar with the world of salmon fly tying, I found this book a charming and delightful read that has been lovingly put together. It provides a glimpse into a world where someone has dedicated their life to the art of tying beautiful salmon flies. Based on letters and papers that Megan Boyd gave to a neighbouring fly tier and friend Jimmy Younger before her death in 2001, together with fascinating first-hand accounts from those who knew and loved her, this is a beautifully published book that celebrates the life of a legend in the world of salmon fishing who is renowned the world over for her exquisitely and precisely tied traditional salmon flies. Living in a remote cottage near Brorar in the north of Scotland, for over 50 years, Megan Boyd tied salmon flies for visitors from all over the world, from Royalty and captains of Industry to locals, and those who came to fish the Highland rivers for salmon, who would stop by her cottage to watch her tie flies and place orders. Included in the book are photographs of Megan in her garden workshop overlooking the North Sea just north of Brora and colour plates and patterns of some of the salmon flies she tied, which included the salmon fly ‘Megan Boyd’. As well as this book, an indication of how well she is esteemed and thought of is the award winning film Kiss the Water. This book will appeal to salmon fishers and fly tiers a like and is a fitting tribute to a lady who excelled in her chosen craft.
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Megan Boyd The story of a salmon flydresser By Derek Mills and Jimmy Younger Published by Merlin Unwin Books RRP £20.00 Length 114 pages ISBN 978-1-910723-24-1
DVD: Kiss The Water Directed by Eric Steel
Fish and eel pass design, fabrication and installation, including full CAD capabilities Tidal gate fish passage mitigation, including design, fabrication and installation of bespoke dampers and spring retarders Fisheries assessments and surveys, including PHABSIM studies, electro-fishing, quantitative mapping, advanced quantitative experimental design, migration and barrier studies Fisheries monitoring and R&D, including pit-tagging, DIDSON/ARIS & camera monitoring, telemetry studies, field-based experiments and product development Fisheries impact assessments of hydropower installations and appropriate mitigation measures In-house civil construction design and project management
Unit 1 Shinners Bridge, Webbers Way, Dartington, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 6JY www.ďŹ shtek.co.uk
+44 (0) 1803 866680
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Members and their FISH Adrian Taylor with a nice barbel from Symonds Yat on the River Severn
Do you have a picture of yourself with a fish? If so FISH would like to hear from you.
Send your images to: fish@ifm.org.uk