The Barbel Society

LANCASHIRE REGION: 29th February 2012

2012-02-05T12:32:00.001Z

THE BARBEL SOCIETY: LANCASHIRE REGION

Bredbury Conservative Club,
George Lane.
Bredbury.
Stockport.
SK6 1DH

Wednesday, 29 February 2012
Time 19:30 until 22:30

We are sorry to advise that due to serious ill health, Dave Mason is unable to attend as advised previously.

We have however, been able to persuade Phil Smith to give a presentation. No doubt he will be talking about his recent new barbel river Anker record.

You may even be able to get Jerry Gleeson the Regional Organiser to let you in on the detail of his River Goyt barbel record.

The Barbel Society presents:

An evening with Phil Smith (author and big fish specialist)
and
Rob Swindells (Teme Severn consultant and conservationist)

There will be stands featuring

Teme Severn Baits

Tony Kay Custom rods

Fiskies Fantastic Feeders

There will be a free Lancashire hotpot and raffle with good prizes

Why not come and attend what may be the best angling talk on the circuit

BARBEL SOCIETY MEMBERS FREE
NON MEMBERS £2

Getting there!

2012-01-25T11:09:00.000Z

Anglers win battle in 3 year war for water industry transparency

The Angling Trust's legal arm Fish Legal has won an important victory in its campaign to make England and Wales' biggest polluters come clean about what they put into our rivers, lakes and seas, as well as what they pump out.

Following a 3 year battle and concerted attempts by water companies to prevent an appeal, Fish Legal has finally managed to get the case referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). The Judge at the Upper Tribunal (UT) in London has prepared some legal questions to ask the CJEU to help decide whether water companies are "public authorities" under European legislation, and therefore subject to public scrutiny.
Fish Legal acting on its own behalf and as the legal wing of the Angling Trust with its 350,000-strong membership of angling clubs and individuals, has been battling to challenge a series of decisions, firstly by the Information Commissioner, and then the Upper Tribunal in an earlier case which held that water companies are not public authorities and therefore not covered by European Legislation and UK law - which meant their filing cabinets could remain shut.
As long ago as 2009, Fish Legal asked water companies for information on sewage discharges and clean-up operations at the thousands of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) in England and Wales. Two companies - United Utilities and Yorkshire Water - said they were not "public authorities" and therefore did not need to provide the information by law. United Utilities took about 2 years to get the complete information to Fish Legal, whose lawyers believe the information should be available by right and not just at the whim of the water companies.

The Judge's decision to refer the case to the European courts is exactly what Fish Legal wanted and is the next step in getting the companies to open up to inspection by anyone who wants to know what their local company is doing to their watercourses or beaches.
The Judge will ask the Court of Justice of the European Union to answer questions which help to understand what a "public authority" is in European legislation and whether bodies like water companies are included.
Justin Neal, Head Solicitor for Fish Legal said: "it has taken 3 years to get to this position and we may have to wait another two years for the European Courts to provide answers to these questions. Nevertheless, we hope that common sense will prevail and that they will conclude that the privatisation of the water industry didn't take information out of the hands of the general public."
Leading barrister, David Wolfe, who provided the legal advice and representation for FL, commented, "I have been pleased to assist Fish Legal in getting the case the CJEU. I am optimistic that the CJEU will give an answer which will help everyone wanting information from water companies and other privatised utilities."
Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of the Angling Trust and Fish Legal said: "Water Companies should not be able to hide what they are getting up to. Water quality and quantity affect us all, and our legal team are committed to doing all they can to get access to this vital information not just for anglers, but for everyone who cares about the state of our rivers and coasts. This case could take five years for us to win, but it will be of benefit to generations of anglers and environmental campaigners."
Notes to Editors
1.Fish Legal and Emily Shirley v ICO and United Utilities, Yorkshire Water and Southern Water, was heard at the Upper Tribunal (UT) in London on 10th January 2012.
2.Fish Legal is the legal arm of the Angling Trust and takes legal action throughout the UK on behalf of its membership of angling clubs, riparian owners and fisheries. More information at www.fishlegal.net

Media Contacts
Mark Lloyd 07973 468198 or mark.lloyd@anglingtrust.net

Research and Conservation Auction 2011

2012-01-03T09:49:00.002Z

The Barbel Society is delighted to announce that the 2011 online auction in aid of the Research and Conservation projects undertaken by the Society, raised almost six thousand pounds, with generous donations from tackle companies and fishing days with noted anglers such as Bob Roberts, Martin James, Chris Ponsford and Ian Welch.

"This funding enables us to carry on with the valuable conservation work we are wholly or partly funding on many of the UKs barbel rivers, as well as some ground breaking research into barbel and barbel fisheries" said Pete Reading, BS Research and Conservation Officer

"We raised almost nine thousand pounds this last year, combined with the annual Barbel Society and Roach Club Fundraiser on the Hampshire Avon last autumn"

The Society would like to thank the following donors of lots to the auction

Andy Sliwa Rods
Billy Clarke Tackle, Sheffield
Bob Roberts
Coarse Angling Today
Chris Ponsford
Stephen Harper of Harper Fine Angling Books
Christchurch Angling Club
Climax Tackle, Sheffield Dave Brown
Dave Mason
Dave Steuart
Don Caliendo
Dynamite baits Fishing Magic
Fred Crouch
Gary Mills MillTackle
Gerry Higham
Glyn Gomersall, Three Rivers Baits
Graham Marsden
Ian Welch
International Centre for Birds of Prey
Kevin Clifford
Martin James
Nutrabaits
Pete Reading
Phil Buckingham
Phil Smith
Predator Publications Rich Frampton
Richard Hewitt Fish & Fly
Ringwood and District AA
Rob Burt
Steve Derby Steve Pope
Wickersley Angling Centre Research and Conservation projects: Where the money goes In the last five years, the Barbel Society has funded, or part-funded, the following projects, supporting both habitat work of real conservation value, and positive research into barbel and barbel fishery management; Stocking of the River Dane; following pollution of the river, the BS made a grant to a local club to help establish barbel populations. Stocking of the River Aire; the BS made a grant to a small club to help improve barbel populations on the river. Stour Barbel Project; in partnership with local clubs and the EA, the Society raised over five thousand pounds towards habitat improvement works on the river, involving the reintroduction of gravels, and construction of fry bays. Work on a weir at Throop was recently completed, and further works are planned. The EA and the BS placed 9000 small barbel into the middle reaches of the river in the last three years as part of the project. Arborfield Weir Project; the Society provided several thousand pounds worth of gravel and materials to support this EA led Award winning project on the River Loddon. Bransford Project; The Society worked in partnership with the EA and consultants to skylight a stretch of the Teme near Worcester, bringing life-giving light to the river, as well as providing improved bank stability. Unstable willows were pollarded and coppiced, and woody debris placed in the river, along with planting of fresh willow pollards to retain bank collapse. St Patricks Steam Project; the Society paid for a fish survey and report on this Thames tributary, and will support the resulting habitat works. Bournemouth University Research Project; the Society has funded a major piece of research work, which involves a review of all current barbel research work and tank experiments into competition between barbel and other species, both of which have now been published. The University is also carrying out a scale reading study, using scales provided by the EA and BS members. This study will be the largest of its kind, and will provide information on growth rates and population structure for many UK rivers. A database of all available barbel-related research is to be compiled over time by the University. Barbel and gravels; the Society is helping to fund a PhD student researching the effects of barbel on gravel mobility and structure. River Cherwell Project; the Society is working in partnership with the EA and The Wild Trout Trust, providing funding to provide in stream cover for fish on this Thames tributary, in the form of large tree trunks, woody debris and live hanging willows. Hampshire Avon habitat works; using funds raised in conjunction with the Avon Roach Project, the Society has removed redundant iron pilings from the river, and has several thousand pounds earmarked for further habitat improvements. Barbel Society Handling Code; with help from film maker Hugh Miles, the Society will be producing a DVD and downloadable resources to help educate anglers in the safe handling of barbel, which will be provided free to clubs, tackle shops and other outlets . All these activities require funding, which has been provided by the generosity of major tackle manufacturers, tackle shops, fishing clubs, Barbel Society members and the angling community.

A view from Fred Crouch

2011-12-07T16:58:00.013Z

The latest issue of the members magazine has reached the doormats of the membership and it is usual that all that appears in Barbel Fisher is for members only.
As editor of the magazine and with Fred Crouch’s approval, I thought his views may give you his personal thoughts on the current state of barbel fishing.
If you have a view send it to barbelfisher@btinternet.com.
Better still if you would like your own views published on any matter that affects our fishing why not join the Society and give an open minded audience a chance to read them.

Thoughts from The President.

With my angling interest dedicated exclusively to barbel for well over fifty five years I have seen a few changes but none as worrying as my present concern for our barbel populations. There can be no doubt whatsoever that in the majority of our rivers barbel numbers have dropped dramatically so in this piece I am taking an in-depth look at just what is happening, the cause and what can be done, if anything, to reverse the decline. The first thing to say is the reduction in barbel numbers has been accompanied by a rapid escalation of individual weights. Barbel angling history shows there has never been such a comparable leap in sizes.
They were originally confined to three English river systems, the Thames, Great Ouse and the Humber/Trent until throughout the 1900’s many transplants took place and they now inhabit numerous rivers in England and a few in Wales. In 1888 a barbel from the Thames set the official rod-caught record of 14lbs 6ozs which stood for more than a century yet such has been the phenomenal increase that barbel of that weight caught today of would hardly cause a raised eyebrow.
As more and more big fish were caught the cause prompted much discussion but unfortunately the truth became clouded by bogus claims, the two most prominent and persistent of which were the barbels’ consumption of high numbers of American signal crayfish and increasing water temperatures due to global warming. Hopefully and at last both of these notions have been discredited by the following truths.
We are well aware it takes just a tiny number of ‘signals’ to find their way into a river for them to rapidly explode into plague-like proportions, a fact that makes a mockery of the suggestion that they were being heavily predated upon by barbel. Anybody that doesn’t accept that should research pre-signal crayfish times and they will soon discover that most of our rivers held substantial populations of European white clawed crayfish but the growth rate of all cyprinid species remained at totally natural levels. That is because the amount of digestible tissue in crayfish is extremely small and a huge number would have to be consumed to promote significant growth but the nail in the coffin of that particular assertion is that barbel have broken many river records on waters that had no signal crayfish.
Another claim put forward was that they eat the newly laid eggs of the barbel but as the fish deposit their eggs in purpose dug pits then cover them with a layer of gravel up to three inches in depth they would be out of the reach of the most persistent crayfish, but more about that later.
The claim that global warming has played a part is even more bizarre as our climate has increased by less than one degree in the last decade and only the most regularly targeted river species have shown massive weight gains. If rising water temperature was responsible all species including gudgeon, dace, roach etc would have grown by amounts to break their respective records by equally huge amounts but they have not.
In a recent issue of a popular angling publication a fish biologist was asked his views on the subject and a couple of his explanations were to put it nicely, ludicrous. He suggested many fish of today’s inflated weights existed in the past but anglers didn’t have strong enough tackle to land them. I’d say if tackle was strong enough in 1888 to land a barbel of 14lbs 6ozs from the Thames the odd fish of two or three pounds heavier wouldn’t have been too difficult. Another reason he gave was that scales of years ago were not as accurate as today and very big fish were probably under-weighed. I don’t think so.
Here are a couple of quotes from ‘Understanding Barbel’ which I wrote more twenty five years ago. ‘Any river, fished or unfished, will only hold the number of fish which it can support with oxygen and food. If one species begins to increase by virtue of its physical advantage an equivalent decline in other species must occur.’ And ‘How the anglers’ bait affects fish stocks is often completely overlooked.’
I used those lines to illustrate how the stock make-up of regularly fished areas is heavily influenced by the nourishment provided by anglers. Stretches most popular with anglers are normally closest to parking facilities and soon become those most favoured by fish and before too long the extra food provided falsely inflates fish numbers which then become acutely dependent on the anglers’ provisions. There are glaring examples of this symbiosis across the land although it may not be immediately recognised. Lack of fish in any stretch of river have often been blamed on the river itself because as anglers we are more familiar with inflated fish stocks and when faced with much reduced numbers living on what nature provides we are mistakenly tempted to focus on the river environment as a cause of something amiss. Here is a perfect example.
The dense healthy fish populations of the historically famous Royalty fishery on the river Avon at Christchurch have been attracting anglers for well over a century but anybody that believes that is purely by virtue of the fertile chalk river may be surprised to discover just above the top weir the same river is devoid of anglers and virtually devoid of fish. Rivers that don’t benefit by a regular supply of extra food will only support a modest natural fish biomass and that can be unbelievably small. It is a mistake to think that stock numbers on a regularly fished section of river is in any way representative of the river as a whole.
A perfect example of just what impact different baits can have on barbel populations occurred on the Royalty back in the 1970’s. From the start of the 1972 season maggots were banned on the fishery after almost fifteen years of heavy use. During the whole of that time the barbels’ weight remained within the normal parameters with the upper weight limit under twelve pounds. Catches were generally made up with fish between three and eight pounds even though hundreds of gallons of maggots were fed into the water every week. The fish could and did gorge on them all day long because the amount and calorific value of digestible material contained within the larvae is small.
A noticeable change took place after 1972 when most Royalty anglers began using luncheon meat as an alternative to the outlawed maggot. Within a few seasons one or two barbel reached 12lb and it soon became clear the massive amount of luncheon meat finding its way into the fishery was having an effect on weights. It must be understood that many anglers used the rolling meat method with large hook-baits which were often dislodged from the hook by weed or missed bites and many attracter lumps were thrown in and it is not an exaggeration to say dozens of tins went into the water every day.
True mixed river fisheries attract various angling styles and all species get a share of the anglers’ baits but as they gain in popularity the barbel are gifted an advantage in as much that the donation from the angler is presented in a way most likely to benefit the bottom feeder and because lesser species are naturally reluctant to compete with much bigger fish the barbel soon begin to dominate. The only species that can challenge the barbels’ dominance is the odd carp providing they are of comparable size to the barbel so it is safe to say that the barbel has virtual carte blanche where available food is concerned especially when it in the form of large pieces or is spread on the bottom. The net result of that scenario is that lesser species decline in numbers to make way for the increase in barbel which is reflects nature’s balancing act.
Now let’s take the angler out of the equation for a minute or two and have a closer look at how, left to its own devices, the barbel fends for itself. In its natural undisturbed environment it will spend roughly 4 to 6 hours per day, normally shared between dawn and twilight, in all but the coldest periods seeking out whatever creatures are abiding in and around the stony river bed. They have to work hard using lots of energy gleaning what provides just a little more than a maintenance diet in the mature fish but that’s all they need to do because the rest of their time is spent at rest. They will extend their feeding time to support their fast growth period - the first 4 or 5 years of their life - after which the males’ growth slows while the females continue to grow at the same rate, a process called sexual dimorphism.
Nature, left to its own devices doesn’t allow for overweight in animal species because of the negative effect on mobility, general life-style, longevity and ability to reproduce. The only time any creature grows to obese proportions is when man interrupts this evolved balance and we do so at our peril because evolution normally gets things right, bringing order to the natural world, but man often get things seriously wrong, bringing chaos. With pets, the correct amount of food and exercise is essential to ensure their stature stays within the parameters for good health but some owners ignore the expert advice and the outcome is normally an obese and uncomfortable creature.
We, as humans are constantly being warned about the dangers of obesity and informed of the cause. It is surely the easiest example of cause and effect we could ever have. If any creature ingests more energy in the form of nutrition than they expend the result will be weight gain. The fish in our rivers don’t grow to monstrous proportions when left to feed as nature intended and if it happens is because they have been overfed with huge amounts of high nutrition food.
It has to be cruel to over-feed any creature to the extent their well-being is impaired and make no mistake it is truly the case but one overlooked element of obesity is that once it occurs the body demands extra food to fuel the extra size and that’s where the real difficulty lies. More and more humans are overriding the guidance they are offered to limit food to healthy levels but at least they can get appropriate advice but lesser animals don’t so they can pay a heavy price when their natural feeding regimes are altered to yield nourishment at far higher levels than nature ever would.
We are all now well aware that obesity effects general demeanour and can massively reduce life expectancy and no-one can deny that barbel, misshapen by being grossly over-weight will find resisting a heavy flow more exhausting than if they maintained their natural shape. This becomes clearly obvious when playing the heavyweights as they ponderously labour against strong flows and cannot match the speed of lighter, slimmer fish without a massive increase in energy output which will place huge physiological strain on every part of their bodies which could mean an earlier death than otherwise expected.
Make no mistake, high nutrition food was developed decades ago for maximum growth in animal farming so we shouldn’t be surprised when it has exactly the same effect on barbel. Next time you see on television the captive, hand-reared salmon in Scotland being fed with just a few handfuls of pellets remember there is a huge number of growing fish in any cage yet I have seen anglers arrive at the river with a bucket full of pellets and leave with it empty! It is not the food itself but the grotesque amounts used that is encouraging barbel and other cyprinids to grow to unhealthy proportions. Our barbel evolved a hydrodynamic shape suited to fast flowing rivers but it isn’t evolution that has caused such a gross distortion of that shape, it is the angler with the careless use of high powered bait!
A little understanding of the barbels’ anatomy illustrates perfectly why nutrient-rich foodstuff has such a potent outcome. They have a relatively poor digestive system consisting of throat teeth that tear, no true stomach and an intestine not much more than the overall length of the fish. They maximise their nutritional intake by eating whole insects and other roughage which have a substantial amount of indigestible content to create a ‘pestle and mortar’ action to break down the soft tissue. Compare that to the human who has a comprehensive set of teeth to cut, grind and crush food which begins to digestive in the mouth then moves into a stomach that continually squashes and liquidises it until it enters a thirty feet long digestive tract where most nutrients are removed.
By feeding high nutrition food to barbel their physiologically balanced system is overridden because the ingredients immediately break down into easily absorbed nutrients. Add to that the effortless way it is gathered and the result is all too obvious. We all know that when animals, including us, were fed an excess of high powered food while expending very little energy the result is rapid weight gain.
There are three more facts that underline the barbels’ limited need of nutrients. 1. Whereas warm-bloodied land animals expend energy to maintain their vital body temperature but cold-bloodied fish is regulated by the water itself. 2. Unlike land animals, fish do not need to use energy by constantly opposing the force of gravity as their swim bladder renders them neutrally buoyant. 3. During severely cold weather they can rest and go without food for several weeks on end with no ill effect.
The successful procreation of barbel is a one of the wonders of nature especially considering the critical factors that have to be met if spawning is to be fruitful. The gravel has to be made up with exactly the right sized stones to allow for correct percolation of oxygen bearing water. Any clogging of the interstices, they are the gaps in between the individual stones, would quickly bring about a lethal drop in vital oxygen levels. The water temperature has to remain between 14 and 18 degrees centigrade, the depth has to remain constant as does the water velocity which facilitates oxygen needs and the female has only forty eight hours to shed the eggs once they are mature.
If the fish get all the right conditions it would stand for nothing if one other vital element is not achievable and that is the successful shedding of the eggs by the female and that is why, as I will explain, the optimum water velocity is so important.
Barbel eggs differ from the eggs of other cyprinid species inasmuch as they have very little or no adhesion on the outside membrane, called the chorion, which makes the placement of them critical if they are to be viable. The male barbel is normally sexually mature at the age of 2 or maybe 3 years but the female isn’t until she is 8 or even 9 years old. At that age under natural condition she may be 6 or 7 pounds but ingesting high nutrition food over a number of years could elevate this to double figures. The difference between naturally being 10 or 11 pounds and being the same weight through over-eating is telling by comparison. Instead of have a long slim body the female will be very stocky but shorter and that could pose her a tremendous problem.
Because of the lack of adhesion the female has ‘trap’ the eggs by covering them with stones. This is done by digging a pit with her tail least three or four inches deep then squirting the eggs into it while immediately covering them by sweeping the stones back. Now here is the problem. To carry out that manoeuvre and accommodate the male as he sheds his milt onto the eggs she has to arch her body up to an angle of 30 to 45 degrees. An over-stocky stature may make it virtually impossible for her to achieve this posture and hold it against the flow making it highly unlikely that the eggs would be deposited in the right place and be secured by a covering with stones. Eggs left exposed would be swept away in the flow to be eaten by all and sundry. As all very big barbel are females we have unwittingly created a huge obstacle to successful recruitment. .
We know for a fact that where anglers are excessively using high nutrition baits numbers of fish have dropped alarmingly as individuals have grown to monumental proportions. Rivers that I am extremely familiar with no longer produce catches of anything like the numbers they did a decade ago and I would be surprised if any members’ mature local waters show a different situation. I use the term mature because rivers like the Wye are young in terms of barbel stocks and yet to reach their potential but as they do and if anglers’ baiting habits don’t change they are certain to follow suit.
Am I just scaremongering? No I certainly am not. My local river, the Lee used to hold large numbers of barbel throughout most of its upper and middle reaches. It never threatened the rod caught record with double figure barbel the exception and fish between 2lbs and 5lbs most common but over the last decade the change has been worrying. In the middle reaches individual weights have spiralled to 17lbs plus which might sound really good until you factor in the accompanying decline in fish numbers which are now only a small fraction of what they used to be. In most of the upper reaches it is as if time has stood still and a 10lbs fish is still a monster but it is possible to hook barbel of less than a 1lb up through every weight class and the reason is in most stretches the over-use of high nutrition baits is still rare.
It seems to me that the practice of loose feeding either by swim-feeder or bait-dropper which was always so popular to get good amounts of particles such as maggots, casters, sweet-corn, chopped up luncheon meat and hempseed onto the gravel bed has been maintained with pellets etc. The big problem is that their nutrient value is far more powerful than the previous favourites and clearly if things don’t change our barbel stocks will continue to dwindle.
Myy personal message is for those that choose to use the baits in question to please keep the loose feed to an absolute minimum and help encourage our barbel stocks to recover to more natural levels. I know, from the many anglers I have asked, the vast majority would love to go back to fishing for fun. Who wouldn’t enjoy going to their favourite river and catching several fish up to 7 or 8lbs with half a chance of a double? To prove my point I would highlight the rising popularity of the river Wye which I honestly believe is soon to become the centre of barbel angling and most fished rivers in the land and yet at the moment there is very little chance of a monster.
We must all accept that holding the record nowadays is pretty well irrelevant and totally false encouraging the practice of intentionally targeting and over-feeding small groups of fish in an effort to create another record. The majority of us are disturbed at the threat to our fish stocks imposed by an increasing otter population. Bear in mind if we continually reduce our barbel numbers by increasing the size of individual fish we create further problems. Big fish are unlikely to out-swim the otter which makes them far more vulnerable and because barbel numbers must decline in keeping the biomass balance when we do lose one to an otter it is obviously a greater percentage of that biomass than a smaller fish would be.
Remember, we can have a large number of smaller fish or a much reduced number of very big ones but unfortunately we can’t have both. Getting the future life-blood of our sport, the youngsters of today, into barbel fishing, is being made much more difficult than it need be because they like to see a bit of action and for that we need more fish not less.
That’s all for, I’m off to the upper Lee for a bit of fun!

Angling Trust

2011-11-20T21:18:00.004Z

Angling Trust Celebrates its 1,500th Member Organisation

This week, the Barbel Society was the 1,500th angling organisation to join the Angling Trust. Since its formation less than three years ago the Trust has grown to represent more than 350,000 anglers, these clubs and river associations are a powerful political force to support the Trust's campaigns to protect marine and freshwater fish stocks and anglers' rights, and are one of the largest networks of clubs and associations of any sport. They range from Abbey Cross Angling Society to Zeal Monachorum Fishing Club and from recently-formed syndicates of 10 members to 10,000-strong clubs with more than a century of history behind them.

Steve Pope, Chairman of the Barbel Society said "The Barbel Society has been watching with interest the development of the Angling Trust since they formed two years ago. Following its recent successes fighting pollution, fish theft, predation by cormorants and getting £100 million Government funding to improve the UK's rivers we decided the time was right to join up and support their work which will benefit barbel angling and therefore our own members."

The Barbel Society are the 1,500th angling organisation to join the Angling Trust

Clubs like the Barbel Society pay a subscription of between £50 and over £600, depending on their size, to become part of angling's unified representative body. They receive highly preferential rates for specialised civil liability insurance which is essential in the modern world. They also benefit from advice sheets on a wide range of subjects, a free (optional) listing on the Angling Trust's find a club web page, and (for the 900 clubs who have opted to join Fish Legal) free legal action if their waters are polluted or damaged.

The Trust will be introducing new benefits for member clubs in the coming months. Individual membership of the Trust, which costs just £25 a year, is also increasing and has reached 14,335.

Angling Trust Membership Manager Will Smith is determined to increase this number further and said: "All serious anglers should join the Angling Trust as individual members to support the work we do fighting pollution, tackling cormorant predation and representing anglers. Individual members provide the resources and the political clout to enable us to do more for the benefit of all anglers. As a member of the Barbel Society myself, I'm delighted that they have joined, but I'm also an individual member of the Trust."

Pete Reading, Secretary and Research & Conservation Chairman of the Barbel Society said "I am delighted that the Society has now given full support to the work of the Angling Trust. The Research and Conservation work of the Barbel Society shares the common aims of the work of the Trust, and we look forward to working together to protect and improve the quality of our riverine environment."

Mark Lloyd, Angling Trust Chief Executive said "The Angling Trust is delighted to welcome the Barbel Society as new members of the Trust. Specialist and single species anglers are particularly passionate about their fishing and this is reflected in the growing number of them who are supporting our work to protect and promote fish and fishing. We recognise the fantastic work that the Barbel Society does to protect and increase understanding of the barbel and its natural environment."

Contact Details:
For further quotes or high resolution images/logos please contact
Will Smith
Angling Trust Membership Manager
will.smith@anglingtrust.net

See: www.anglingtrust.net and www.barbelsociety.co.uk for more information on both organisations.

Research and Conservation Auction 2011

2011-11-16T23:50:00.002Z

Auction Lots

Bidding in the Auction can and will start tomorrow, 17th November for a full list of lots so far,

see here R & C Auction

You need to be a member to bid for the Lots, or you can have a member bid on your behalf..a proxy bid

You may wish to take advantage of the part year membership offer if you wish to take part personally in the auction which is on the private members forum JOIN NOW

See the website for details.

More lots are welcome, so if you have something that you will donateand you wish to support the R&C fund please email barbelfisher@btinternet.com with the details .

Please tell your angling pals, there will be bargains

Yorkshire Environment Agency Report

2011-11-13T11:33:00.006Z

John Austerfield attends the meetings of the Environment Agency in the Yorkshire Region on behalf of the Society the following is part of their recent report:

If you would like a copy of the full report email barbelfisher@btinternet.com

Fisheries in Yorkshire
November 2011
Stocking Fish
•
New live fish movement regulations will be introduced on 1 April 2012, replacing current stocking and removal authorisations, and licences to keep non-native fish. There will be less paperwork, but fisheries and the wider environment will continue to be protected. We will focus on those movements which pose a greater risk to fisheries and the environment. We will let you know more nearer the time, but for now, please contact Nigel Hewlett (01480 483969) from our fish movements team if you have any questions. The new scheme involves:
o
a single, permanent fish movement permit for each fishery;
o
a single, permanent permit for fish suppliers to operate;
o
carrying consignment notes with fish in transit;
o
telling us in advance of certain high risk movements.
•
To get your Site Permit, all you will need to do is phone or email us - no forms are involved. If you can think ahead about what fish you plan to stock or remove in the foreseeable future, we can make your permit flexible to meet your needs, although you will be able to call us if you need to make changes. Your fish supplier will need a copy of your permit, or your reference number to get a copy from us.
•
This autumn sees a significant event in the recovery of the River Don. Our release of 1,000 young barbel will mark the end of our regular stocking plan for this river. Environment Agency fisheries teams generally stock rivers to restore fisheries, for example following water quality, or habitat, improvements or significant pollution events. As natural populations recover and become self-sustaining we are able to reduce the number of fish we stock.
•
This autumn we will be stocking:
o
River Aire: 2,500 barbel
o
River Colne: 250 dace
o
River Derwent: 1,000 barbel
o
River Don: 1,000 barbel
o
River Rye: 1,000 chub, 1,000 barbel
o
River Swale: 1,000 barbel
o
River Whiske: 500 dace
•
Next summer we will be stocking:
o
River Colne: 4,000 grayling
o
Costa Beck: 500 grayling
o
Pickering Beck: 500 grayling
o
Isle Beck: 500 grayling
o
Kilpin Beck: 500 grayling
o
River Skell: 1,500 grayling

Research & Conservation AUCTION

2011-11-01T05:12:00.009Z

Just some of the confirmed Auction lots

Redditch Perfection 4" in silver. 1 of 25 limited edition centrepin reels from Gary Mills

Fred Crouch Aerial reel, choice of wide or narrow drum.

Day for two on fabulous River Test on Dave Steuarts private fishery
A guided day on the River Kennet with Steve Pope

Day on the Hampshire Avon with Pete Reading

Day on the Dorset Frome grayling fishing with Pete Reading

Barbel Society all fisheries ticket
Day on the Kennet with Rich Frampton

Manchester United tickets for two in Knights Lounge,.

Skies of Fire Rivers of Gold, Fred Crouch, leather bound limited edition

Catch a Big Fish David Carl Forbes, First Edition mint, classic Sixties title

Trent barbus fixed spool reel, high capacity

Shimano Baitrunner DL 4000FA fixed spool reel

Martin Hooper Barbel Rod, 12` pound and a half classic rod from Sundridge

Phil Smith’s new book Targets set and Achieved.

Paul Cook’s new book Lost in a Quiet moment

Chris Turnbull’s new book Reflections

John Wilson’s 1001 Top Angling Tips

Christchurch Angling Club membership
A day with Steve Pope on the Wye

Ringwood Angling Club membership

A day at the International Centre for Birds of Prey

Mr Crabtree Fishing book, Third Impression 1956 SIGNED BY BERNARD VENABLES

Carp Catchers Club by Maurice Ingham. No 69 of 99 leathers, signed by Bernard Venables.

1998 Medlar Press Limited Edition

Rod and reel Combo, Wychwood Signature 12` 1.5lbs and bait runner reel

Fishing magazine from No.1 to No.37, May to October 1963 in official Fishing binder.

(Classic mags full of articles from FredJ, Peter Stone, Dave Steuart, Dick Walker and others.

Fascinating reading but a rare collection)

Very limited edition booklet Abbey Cross AC, Post War to New Millenium, mint

Pair of hand made rod rests, fashioned from seasoned hazel wood, heavily varnished with whippings and fire-hardened points. (Will be personalised for the winning bidder)

Day with Martin James on the Ribble between November and March

Day on the Kennet with Dave Brown

Fox Specialist landing net 30”

Nutrabaits bait package, 2kg Trigga Ice, pack of new Hemp Fudge boilies
A day with Steve Pope on the lower Severn.

Trakker Xcell Half zip jacket, Medium

Terminal tackle pack; line, hooks, leads, feeders

If you would like to make a bid you must be a member of the Society or have a member bid on your behalf email barbelfisher@btinternet.com
or
Why not take up the membership Special offer and take part yourself http://www.barbelsociety.co.uk/join.asp

On line Research & Conservation Auction 2011

2011-10-31T16:42:00.004Z

The annual on-line R& C auction

The auction listing will start on the 17th November.
We will list the lots available for bidding to take place over a period of up to 5 days in early December.

We have forty excellent lots already, with fishing days, books, tackle, bait and a couple of exceptional and unusual items.

You are invited to donate items and days out, so please help if you can, and send the details to barbelfisher@btinternet.com

Please ask you local tackle dealers and clubs if they can help, or simply donate a piece of old tackle, the more valuable the better!

Research and Conservation projects

In the last five years, the Barbel Society has funded, or part-funded, the following projects, supporting both habitat work of real conservation value, and positive research into barbel and barbel fishery management;

Stocking of the River Dane; following pollution of the river, the BS made a grant to a local club to help establish barbel populations.

Stocking of the River Aire; the BS made a grant to a small club to help improve barbel populations on the river.

Stour Barbel Project; in partnership with local clubs and the EA, the Society raised over five thousand pounds towards habitat improvement works on the river, involving the reintroduction of gravels, and construction of fry bays.

Work on a weir at Throop was recently completed, and further works are planned.

The EA and the BS placed 9000 small barbel into the middle reaches of the river in the last three years as part of the project.

Arborfield Weir Project; the Society provided several thousand pounds worth of gravel and materials to support this EA led Award winning project on the River Loddon.

Bransford Project; The Society worked in partnership with the EA and consultants to skylight a stretch of the Teme near Worcester, bringing life-giving light to the river, as well as providing improved bank stability. Unstable willows were pollarded and coppiced, and woody debris placed in the river, along with planting of fresh willow pollards to retain bank collapse.

St Patricks Steam Project; the Society paid for a fish survey and report on this Thames tributary, and will support the resulting habitat works.

Bournemouth University Research Project; the Society has funded a major piece of research work, which involves a review of all current barbel research work and tank experiments into competition between barbel and other species, both of which have now been published.

The University is also carrying out a scale reading study, using scales provided by the EA and BS members. This study will be the largest of its kind, and will provide information on growth rates and population structure for many UK rivers.

A database of all available barbel-related research is to be compiled over time by the University.

Barbel and gravels; the Society is helping to fund a PhD student researching the effects of barbel on gravel mobility and structure.

River Cherwell Project; the Society is working in partnership with the EA and The Wild Trout Trust, providing funding to provide instream cover for fish on this Thames tributary, in the form of large tree trunks, woody debris and live hanging willows.

Hampshire Avon habitat works; using funds raised in conjunction with the Avon Roach Project, the Society has removed redundant iron pilings from the river, and has several thousand pounds earmarked for further habitat improvements.

Barbel Society Handling Code; with help from film maker Hugh Miles, the Society will be producing a DVD and downloadable resources to help educate anglers in the safe handing of barbel, which will be provided free to clubs, tackle shops and other outlets.

All these activities require funding, which has been provided in the past by the generosity of major tackle manufacturers, tackle shops, fishing clubs, Barbel Society members and the angling community. All donations gratefully received.

Our Rivers Latest News: October 2011

2011-10-31T12:21:00.010Z

A picture is worth a thousand words...

Do you have a picture of yourself near your local river? Or an image that captures the essence of your river?
So far around 1,500 of you have sent a letter to the Minister asking him to act now and use the upcoming White Paper as an opportunity to protect our rich river biodiversity from future degradation.
We want to show the country that as a group we care and are standing up for our rivers by developing a photo montage of the Our Rivers supporters, which can be used to increase awareness of the Water White Paper campaign within the media.
If you are happy to be involved and to have your picture published please send your photo to ourrivers.campaign@googlemail.com, with your name and the name of your river and your local town by November 10th.

Rivers running dry

From the Kennet to the Dore, we’ve been hearing stories of rivers running dry (or very low) across the country. The low flows are caused by a culmination of factors including lower the average rainfall and high levels of abstraction. While we can’t make it rain more, we can do something about the current levels of unsustainable abstraction.
The Water White Paper is our opportunity to get the Government to commit to a plan for how we will reduce and reform the current abstraction system - leaving more water in our rivers, ensuring they are better equipped to deal with the longer, dry spells that are expected as a result of climate change.
If you haven’t already than please send a letter to the Minister and spread the word to your friends and family. This is our last chance to influence the content of the Water White Paper

Send your pictures

5th October 2011

2011-10-11T12:28:00.000+01:00

Another successful Avon Fundraiser.

A fantastic day was had by all at the 3^rd Annual Avon Fundraiser, organised in conjunction with The Avon Roach Project. Between us, and with the help of over fifty generous supporters, we raised almost five thousand four hundred pounds, to be shared equally between the Roach Club project and the Barbel Society.

The stews for the young roach to grow on in are increasing in number, and the costs of constructing and maintaining them is considerable. The costs associated with rearing and feeding the thousands of baby roach are considerable too, but with the help of anglers both locally and nationally, Trevor and Budgie are putting back some precious stock that will help to kick-start the Avon roach populations back up to self-sustaining levels.

The Barbel Society funds are held in the Research and Conservation Fund, and are earmarked for habitat works on the Avon. We recently completed our first project, with the removal of some old redundant iron piling from the river near Ringwood.

The bank had eroded behind the piles, and they were deflecting the current towards the bank and causing more erosion, as well as making the swim very difficult to fish.

It was decided that such unnatural structures were best removed, and the BS paid for a machine to pull them out and dispose of them.

Some other lumps of metalwork were pulled out of the river bed at the same time, and the smoother flow that now follows the natural bankline should minimise any further erosion.

Looks a good barbel swim again; last time I fished it, several years ago, before the bank washed out, I had a nice thirteen pounder.

Pete Reading

Membership Special offer

2011-09-21T07:40:00.003+01:00

1st October 2011 to 15th June 2012

The Barbel Society is pleased to announce a Special Offer with effect from the 1st October to reduce the membership fee for the remainder of the membership year to 15th June 2012.

The Special Offer is £15 for full membership, but there are concession rates for under 18's, registered disabled and those of pension age.

For details how to join see http://www.barbelsociety.co.uk/join.asp

or contact Dave & Marilyn Brown on 01524-389360

Membership benefits include the only specialist barbel magazine Barbel Fisher, our Newsletter and savings on all of our events including next years Barbel Show to be held on Sunday 3rd June.

There is also and the opportunity to assist in our Research & Conservation Fund efforts on river improvements and research of barbel habits

Members permits to our four syndicated river fisheries are also reduced for the remainder of the season to 14th March 2012 see http://www.barbelsociety.co.uk/fisheries.htm

Upcoming Research and Conservation Fund Auction

2011-09-21T07:39:00.003+01:00

Reminder of what has been done with amounts raised from previous auctions.

This year the auction commences on the 17th November

April 2011
Just to let you know how the funds get spent

Research and Conservation Report

Firstly, I must give thanks all who have donated in one way or another to the Fund, and this includes many members who just add on an extra bit of cash to their subscriptions, not just major contributors to the fundraising events.
Without this income, we could not have the effect we certainly do have in research and conservation of barbel and barbel rivers.
A heartfelt thank you to you all, it is very much appreciated, not least, I hope by the barbel!

We raised over seven thousand pounds in all, with a tremendous result from both the online auction and the Avon Fundraiser in partnership with the Roach Club; take a look at Trevor and Budgies website, by the way! AVON ROACH PROJECT

The first part of the report is an historic announcement in many ways, because we are involved in a major piece of research work that we are funding in partnership with Bournemouth University.
It will involve three main aspects; firstly, the development of the first archive of all barbel-related research work in the UK, which will pull together all current published work on barbel and barbel rivers, and the result will be a database of national importance.
Secondly, our current scale collection project will be extended, and the existing scale archive from the Hampshire Avon will be extended to as many other rivers as we can manage.
The EA are currently reading and analysing the scales, but the University has the expertise to continue with this and will contribute to a data set that is again unique, and of tremendous value to the pool of knowledge about barbel ages and growth rates.
Finally, the University will be carrying out some tank experiments to compare growth rates with temperature and food supply, to get a better picture of growth rates.
It is expected that the project will continue over time, but our contribution of four thousand pounds will ensure the first two years is funded.
More details in the Press and on the website in due course.

Teme at BransfordWe have planned a programme of works to make further small scale improvements to some of the thick willow trees by the Railway Bridge, and the coppicing of some dying or diseased alders which will be brought back to life. The cuttings from the willows will be used to further reinforce the bank, when planted at water level, and strategic planting of willows will produce the valuable low level cover that both provides cover for fish and prevents undue erosion.
There are many smaller willows that are to be felled, but will remain alive as in stream cover.
This work has been consented by the landowner, the EA, and Natural England, who have been so impressed with the work that the fishery is used by them to show trainees examples of “good practice”
The extra light that the pollarding of the larger willows allowed to reach the water has increased low level bankside growth, and will be increasing the productivity of the stretch.
The further work at Bransford this year was paid for by the Severn Rivers Trust ( from original BS funding) who are backing similar work elsewhere on the Teme, and also use Bransford as an example of “good practice"

Dorset Stour ProjectThe first stocking of small barbel, three years ago, and the most recent stocking has been a success, in that fish of the right sizes have been spotted and caught in small numbers close to the stocking points.
The bigger fish are now three of four pounds, and although they have been seen, none have been positively identified as stockies yet, but it is early days.
The recent turmoil in the EA, facing 30% staff cuts and 25% funding cuts, means that slow progress has been made on the habitat works, but we retain the committed funding and maintain contact with local clubs and fisheries officers.
Fry bays, trees dropped into the river and other repairs to the recovering Stour are all on the cards.

Arborfield on the LoddonBy the time you read this, the extra gravel that the Society is paying for to enhance this project should have gone into the river as part of the reinstatement project, and I am sure Ian Watson will deliver a detailed article in the next issue of Barbel Fisher.

St Patricks Stream, TwyfordWe have agreed to contribute a significant sum to the habitat improvement work suggested in the survey that we paid for on this distributary of the Thames, and would expect work to take place shortly.
The work will involve excavation of shallow fry bays, proven to be used by baby barbel as well as other species, and some gravel reinstatement.

The sort of work that can be carried out on our smaller rivers can be done relatively cheaply and can have tremendous benefits, and although the pruning of large old trees, and digging out of material can look rather drastic and unsightly at first, the eventual plus points far outweigh the apparent destruction!
Placing trees in the water deliberately, rather than relying on good luck to drop one in the right place, is a positive boon to a fishery, and avoids action by flood defence operatives more concerned with allowing water to flow away, and preventing erosion.

Scale surveyThe results of the scale readings on the samples we provided to the EA are in the process of being analysed, and a sample of fifty odd fish gave data that was extremely valuable, and showed that some fish are much older than we think.
The bigger fish were, as expected, over twenty years old, but some smaller fish of only six pounds were found to be as old as fifteen. They grow fast in the Hampshire Avon, but not all will reach double figures.
87% of the fish were over ten years old, but there was evidence of strong year classes that should provide a sustainable population for the future.
I would like to extend the survey next season to the Teme, Trent and Swale, so those of you that are interested need to contact me in order to receive training and advice on how to remove and send in the scales.
The removal of scales is of no harm to the fish, and is less than will occur naturally.
Similarly, all permit holders will be asked to send in catch returns using the standard form as supplied in this newsletter and permit, and available soon on the website. This information tells us how well our fisheries are doing, and provides crucial information on trends over time.

Spawning surveyWe will continue with this spring, and hope that all anglers, not just members, will contribute. The information received last year was welcomed by the EA on one stretch of the Cherwell, and helped with planning habitat improvements, but also alerts them to spawning areas and affords them some protection.

Pete Reading, Research and Conservation Chair

Dorset Stour : Works completed

2011-09-04T07:13:00.009+01:00

Stour works completed
From Pete Reading's River Diary on the website http://www.barbelsociety.co.uk/RiverDiary.htm

12th August 2011

The Barbel Society has just contributed towards an EA-led project to improve the habitat in the Dorset Stour,
and 2K from the Stour Barbel Project funding has been used to provide materials for croys which form part
of a reconstruction of a washed -out weir at Throop. The EA used hundreds of tonnes of stone to reshape
the weir, and re-profiled the gravels above and below, creating habitat for many species, but especially
potential spawning shallows for barbel. The BS has worked in partnership with both the EA and local
clubs to try and repair the damage caused by the brutal dredging of the river in the Eighties. I provided
them with 30 year-old pictures of the dragline piling up gravel from Barbel Bend, a fantastic barbel area at
that time, where we used to wade across the river on the fast gravel shallows, The same spot is now
fifteen feet deep and full of Canadian pondweed. The extensive dredging removed gravels throughout the
river, and at least eight of these cobbled stone weirs were put in to try and retain water levels after this
almost criminal exercise. Salmon fishing was almost immediately destroyed, with Stour salmon virtually
extinct these days. Barbel have taken longer to decline, but loss of spawning gravels has undoubtedly
been a massive contribution to their decline in the Stour. With some careful support stocking, and
associated habitat improvement to help the river repair more quickly, we could see the barbel recovering
soon. The local EA Officer with responsibility for the Stour is working tremendously hard to put together
more projects to restore the river, and the BS will try and help as much as we can with our limited
resources. The stone croys above and below the reconstructed weir will help to create current diversity,
scouring the new gravel riffles, and also provide habitat for fry just downstream.

2011-09-02T09:16:00.003+01:00

The Barbel Society Research & Conservation Fund : NEWS

Dorset's famous River Stour has received a major boost with the successful completion of river restoration work at Glen’s Weir on the Throop Fishery near Bournemouth .

A number of improvements have been carried out by the Environment Agency including riverbank repairs, habitat creation and the re-instatement of spawning grounds. The works will help a variety of species including salmon, barbel, trout and chub.
Extensive dredging in the 1970's removed thousands of tonnes of gravel from the Stour for flood risk purposes. The works caused the loss of miles of spawning habitat for species including barbel, chub, salmon, sea trout and brown trout.
The Agency has worked with the Barbel Society and Ringwood & District Angling Association to identify the best sites for river restoration. Glen's Weir on the lower Stour was identified as a location where the best results could be achieved.
The latest project has resulted in the successful restoration of a previously dredged area of the river and created a valuable new spawning habitat. The £20,000 improvements included placing nearly 600 tonnes of Portland stone into a collapsed bank and old weir and re-profiling a weir pool. Refuge areas were also created for young fish.
The work at Glen’s Weir is the latest in a series of projects carried out by the Environment Agency on the River Stour over the past nine years. The improvements are important because they will help the river achieve good ecological status under the European Water Framework Directive.
'It has been a fantastic collaborative project and I am extremely happy with the end result. We've successfully restored more than 100 metres of river habitat,' said Jim Allan, for the Environment Agency
'This type of work not only improves a local habitat, but boosts the biodiversity of the whole river. I fully expect to see salmon spawning on the Stour this winter with barbel and chub spawning over the newly re-profiled gravels next spring. My special thanks go to Ops Delivery who have done a first class job, the Barbel Society for its funding and continued support,' said Jim Allan.
The River Stour used to be one of the UK ’s top salmon rivers famous for its large ‘multi-winter’ salmon. These are mature fish that have spent several winters at sea and return to the river of their birth to spawn – often weighing more than 20lbs. The largest salmon caught on the Stour was an impressive 40lbs. Extensive dredging more than 30 years ago contributed to the collapse in salmon numbers on the Stour .
Thanks to the Agency’s river restoration work, there are signs salmon are already making a comeback with adult fish seen lying in the pool below Glen’s Weir. A photo of the improved section of river is available from the Agency’s regional press office on 01392 442008

From this week's AnglingTimes

2011-08-25T18:04:00.001+01:00

Barbel School

Last weekend!

2011-08-23T10:01:00.010+01:00

Upper Benyons Fish- In

Just a short report as the full details will be in our Newsletter in mid-September.

Two doubles,Richard Parson's with one of them.
Also a 9lb 5oz fish ,plus a good few around the 6 to 8lb mark.

Next one on the Kennet Lower Benyons 15th & 16th October .

From our facebook page

Something that makes it all worth while and shows what the Barbel Society really is about

From Barry Fisher,one of this seasons new members.
If I'd of known what a bunch of top people were on this page who are always on hand, I would of joined this months ago.

If it wasn't for this page, I wouldn't own the lovely greys prodigy rod I bought today or be a part of bs, so many thanks to whom ever is responsible for bringing the barbel society to the world of fb, a stroke of genius me thinks, and thanks especially to the lads I have regular correspondence to who without this page, I would never have had the good fortune to have met otherwise.
Many thanks and tight lines!!!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_127485443977171&ap=1!/photo.php?fbid=482146144638&set=o.127485443977171

The syndicate water at Topcliffe on the Swale

2011-08-16T21:05:00.005+01:00

Hampshire Avon Fund raiser

2011-08-03T06:35:00.002+01:00

You are invited to attend the third annual Barbel Society and Roach Club Avon Fundraiser, to be held on the weekend of 1st and 2nd of October.
The event starts with a day fishing on the Saturday, on the Somerley Estate waters on the Hampshire Avon, by kind permission of the Estate and Christchurch Angling Club.
After the fishing, an evening meal at a local hotel is combined with an auction, where a range of excellent lots will be available; rods, reels, fishing days and other unique items.
A cased Cooper bream and a flask of Redmire water donated by Chris Yates are examples from last year, along with fishing days on the Avon, Kennet, Test and Evenlode.
The Sunday is available for fishing on the Estate for those who want to make a weekend of it. Proceeds are shared equally between the Barbel Society and Roach Club, for stocking, conservation and habitat works on the river.

Please pm me for further details, but be quick, as there are only fifty places available.

Email: pete.reading@lineone.net

Holiday Venue Review

2011-07-28T16:40:00.002+01:00

Flanesford Priory Goodrich: Members review

After a recent stay a Flanesford Priory I would recommend it to anyone.
The area is beautiful and its not far from Ross or Monmouth and the nearest supermarkets.
The accommodation is clean comfortable and the kitchen is well equipped for a short stay.
If you are combining a holiday with fishing I'd say its almost perfect.
There are lots of places of interest to visit with only a short drive required,there are 2 pubs within walking distance[although I didn't visit either]and a restaurant just a couple of miles away "The Millrace" which serves lovely food.
As for the fishing, there's a stretch of the Wye a mile and a half or so long, which has loads of swims most of which have features and look fantastic.
All have access steps cut into the bank, and the whole stretch is accessible by car,so no walking.
If its wet the track is slippery.
The week I was there the river was very low and clear so not easy, but in 6 short evening sessions I had 20 Barbel to 8lb 8oz, 15 chub to 4lb6oz and an eel.
On 2 occasions I had an Otter for company, the 2nd time he tried to take an 8lb Barbel which I was trying to net.
Needless to say I was most impressed and I'm going back for another week in September.

Lee Hayes

Sometimes, it is all worth it!

2011-07-16T09:37:00.008+01:00

Part one: The Barbel School

There are times I wonder, but last weekend's Barbel School on Dave Mason's stretch of the Teme gave me back that faith.
20 people signed up, 20 people turned up!
For a start, that in itself proved, it is all worth it.

After a greeting fry-up breakfast, great presentations by Dave, Rob Swindells and Steve Pope kept everybody interested.
This was followed by a walk along part of the stretch by the 30 ish of us in attendance. I think the bankside numbers kept the barbel at bay, but as usual first on the free munch within seconds, were highly visible the chub!!

Back for tea and biscuits and the rest of the day before a BBQ until about 6pm fishing on what what said by Dave to be the lowest he had seen the Teme in 10 years.

A first for Shaun Plenty of Bristol

2 barbel were caught in this time, one by a first timer, ably assisted by Dorian in swim and tackle selection, he landed his first barbel of about 4lb.
A few of us fished again after the BBQ, but the call of laughter from around base camp called many of us back at dusk to sit around the camp fire, drinking chatting and generally having a good laugh.

Some of us fished on and off through the night, and some of us bedded down to start a fresh in the morning.

All in all a very worth while experiment that will be followed up.
FJB

Part two: The Avon Roach Project update

An excellent award winning project, that once again the Barbel Society have no problem in promoting .

A Hugh Miles film

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TH_3D0feF7U&feature=player_embedded#at=72

http://www.avonroachproject.co.uk/index.html

Cormorants – Biodiversity in Danger

2011-07-04T21:54:00.005+01:00

From our friends at the Avon Roach project
My colleague Trevor Harrop and myself Budgie Price co front The Avon Roach Project here in Hampshire, with the aim of reinstating a self sustaining population of roach in the river’s middle reaches, where they have suffered a dramatic decline over the past three decades.

As an accompaniment to this we have been compelled to help form a coalition of interested parties in a cohesive drive to do something about the biggest threat to not only our roach, but to all inland fish species; The Cormorant, carbo sinensis, a foreign invasive species from mainland Europe that began its rapid UK colonisation in the 1980’s and now number some 23,000 wintering individuals.

We have co-written the attached factual document for mass circulation, to clarify the situation and forge a united front, something we are sure you’ll agree, angling is not readily known for, and to gather as much support as possible.

Being such an emotive subject, I suspect this may not be the only quarter you receive the document from, so we are sorry if we’re not the first.

So then, we are pleading for your help and support in lobbying for a change in legislation in the forthcoming DEFRA review of the Cormorant Licensing System, to have the cormorant placed on the ‘General License’ by signing our ON-LINE PETITION to environment minister Richard Benyon at http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/cormorants-biodiversity-in-danger.html

This will allow the legal control of cormorant numbers to protect our already struggling fish stocks.

Full details and further background information can also be found, along with the link to the petition at http://www.avonroachproject.co.uk where you will also find the full story of our roach project.

This is possibly the only chance we will all get to make the difference so desperately needed.

With your help we can make the difference. Without it, we can’t!

Thank you.

Budgie Price and Trevor Harrop

Forthcoming Book Reviews in Barbel Fisher

2011-06-25T15:58:00.012+01:00

REFLECTIONS by CHRIS TURNBULL Cloth-bound edition with dust jacket £30 plus £6 P&P
Leather-bound edition (few copies only remaining) £195 plus £8 P&P

Chris Turnbull is well-known throughout the UK angling world as a successful and innovative big fish angler, writer, artist and fisheries conservationist. As an artist and illustrator, Chris is credited as being one of the UK's foremost angling artists with his cover artwork fronting many well-known angling books.
This, his latest book, Reflections. Highlights from an angling life features a collection of new paintings and illustrations created especially for this autobiographical account of his fishing life, which includes the detailed stories of the captures of many big fish of many different species.

LOST IN A QUIET WORLD by PAUL COOK Cloth-bound edition with dust jacket £30 plus £5 P&P

Leather-bound edition (few copies only remaining) £195 plus £8 P&P

Paul Cook has become well-known for his commissioned artwork and the illustration of several angling books for various publishing houses, and his skills at hand-building traditional fishing tackle.
This, his first book, harks back to a time when carp fishing was still very much in its formative stages.
Lost in a Quiet World is an autobiographical account of childhood experience concerning one boy's pursuit of this species at a mysterious and private estate lake, through failure and success. Carefully re-drafted from diary accounts, and lovingly illustrated by the author with specially created artwork more than three decades later, the book not only serves as a charming reminder of the wonder that all anglers commonly share in the learning and understanding of their craft, but also offers an alternative, more gentle approach to our sport.

For full details of available books and forthcoming titles, please visit:

Book shop

Come and join us

2011-06-11T12:45:00.003+01:00

Membership Year June 16th 2011- June 15th 2012

You can now join using

http://www.barbelsociety.co.uk/Paypal.htm

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.xtranormal.com%2Fwatch%2F11187884%2Fcome-and-join-us&h=8c3e6

Members Fisheries: Season June 16th 2011to March 14th 2012

2011-05-13T18:58:00.005+01:00

Syndicated fishing season permits members rates for the coming season.

Fishery Permit Cost

........................................................................................Adult SeniorCitizens/RDP

River Teme, Bransford .................................................... £55.00 £40.00

River Trent, Sutton ......................................................... £40.00 £30.00

River Swale, Topcliffe ..................................................... £35.00 £26.00

Warwickshire Avon, Wick ............................................ . £30.00 £20.00

Reading & District AA .................................................... £56.00 £28.00

NATIONAL SPAWNING SURVEY: 2011

2011-04-21T17:28:00.004+01:00

NATIONAL SPAWNING SURVEY: Year Three

The Barbel Society is spearheading a national survey of barbel spawning sites on UK rivers. The purpose of the survey is to gather data on the dates and times of barbel spawning activity, and to build a central national register of barbel spawning sites in order to improve our understanding of barbel recruitment factors, as well as to enable better protection of those sites.

The survey will continue in the long term, and provide data to indicate any patterns or changes in spawning behaviour.

Historical and anecdotal information is also valuable, as long as a reliable estimate of date can be supplied.

Your contact details; name/ tel/ address (CONFIDENTIAL)
Name of river
Name of stretch/nearest town
Brief description of site; eg 100 metres upstream of weir, left bank
Grid reference
Controlling club/riparian owner
Date
Time
Temperature
River conditions, high/low/clear/coloured etc.
Sizes and numbers of fish observed
Duration of activity
Any other comments

Angling clubs, riparian owners and individual anglers are invited to contribute to the survey. Anglers should ensure they have permission from controlling clubs/landowners to be present on the river bank.

The information received will remain confidential to the BS and EA, especially specific locations, but the general conclusions will eventually be shared as much as possible.

Please ensure your observations of spawning fish do not disturb them in anyway.

This form is available on-line to complete at http://www.barbelsociety.co.uk/Spawn.htm

Or, please send it by post in a sealed envelope marked SURVEY to :

The Barbel Society 8 Bain Rise Market Rasen LN8 6LF

The Barbel Society: New Research Partnership

2011-03-28T13:33:00.002+01:00

Press release 28th March 2011

The Barbel Society is delighted to announce today a programme of collaborative research with Bournemouth University.
Describing the work, Pete Reading, Barbel Society Research and Conservation Officer, said
“This project is a major development in our barbel-related research, and represents an exciting opportunity to ensure our research and conservation measures are based on contemporary and objective scientific knowledge. We are delighted to be able to work with the University in providing the opportunity to increase our knowledge about such an iconic species”.

The work will initially focus on deriving an increased understanding on the growth and recruitment of barbel in rivers and lakes in the UK, the importance of growth and recruitment in providing sustainable angling opportunities, and developing a knowledge baseline on the ecology of barbel from across their range to identify potential threats and opportunities to the sustainability of their populations.
Work will include age and growth analysis of scale collections and review of scientific literature.
Dr. Rob Britton, project manager at Bournemouth University, commented
‘In completing this work, we aim to provide constructive and objective information on barbel ecology that will help the Barbel Society identify their research and conservation priorities in years to come”.

Contacts: Pete Reading pete.reading@lineone.net

Dr Rob Britton: rbritton@bournemouth.ac.uk

The Barbel Society, Then and Now

2011-02-18T15:21:00.005Z

If you have ever wondered about joining the Barbel Society, this article should help you to understand how the Society has evolved.

This article, written by Steve Pope our Chairman, was recently published in Coarse Angling Today. It should be of interest to those who may not be aware of the history of the Society.

It’s hard to believe that fifteen years have flown by since a small group of barbel devotee’s met in the historic riverside pub at Upton upon Severn and agreed to support the new organisation that was set to become The Barbel Society.
Hardened specialist anglers, all committed to putting something back into this thing we all love, barbel and barbel fishing. On the surface it would appear strange that single minded anglers would dedicate such a great deal of time and effort to establish an organisation that has gone on to give so much pleasure to so many, but the generosity of spirit of fisher folk is always there, just beneath the surface, and will always respond when the call is loud enough.

Much water has flowed under the wonderful old bridge at Upton since that spring day, many have come and many have gone, including some of the original members, but others have stepped forward to fill the breech to keep the train rolling. It is the nature of all things.

My enthusiasm is every bit as strong as it was way back then, the years have passed and the body may not be quite so agile but the mind certainly is and hey, we are anglers, we stay forever young anyway, we have the secret of Dorian Gray. And if that doesn’t convince you well just remember that sixty is the new forty anyway!

But lets not digress too far away from the subject matter.
When Marsh Pratley walked into the upstairs room at the Star Inn with Peter Stone by his side back in 1995 I knew that the Barbel Society was going to succeed, and succeed it has on many fronts.

One of the very first jobs we tackled was the production of a Barbel Handling Code. A document we hoped would become as widely accepted as the one the Pike Anglers had put together for the protection of their own species. http://www.barbelsociety.co.uk/handling.htm
Many fishing clubs and groups have since adopted the BS code and universal acceptance was confirmed when the NFA, ten years after we first published it, incorporated the code into their good practice advice to all their members.

I mentioned Peter Stone; his involvement as President in the formative years of the Society was pivotal to our prosperity.
Along with Dick Walker and Fred J. Taylor his name was synonymous with specialist angling, these three men paved the way for all that followed.
Peter was my personal hero, I had read all of his books and along with Mr. Crabtree and my dad he was the inspiration to me back in the early sixties.
It’s been said many times what a wonderful man Peter was, and he truly was. I feel it has been an honour and privilege to have known him for those last few years of his life and the memories will stay with me forever.
When Peter died the Barbel Society focussed on how it could leave some sort of permanent memorial that would help keep Peter’s name alive.
This led to one of the Societies finest achievements.
On an overcast April day in 2003 a group of anglers along with Peter’s family gathered by the Toll bridge over the Thames millstream in Wolvercote to witness the unveiling of a plaque to honour the great man.

The words on that plaque were simple, “ Peter Stone, The Gentleman of Angling, 1927-2000, Author and Broadcaster of Wolvercote. His good name is his best monument. From his friends in the Barbel Society.”
That other great angling gentleman Peter Wheat came up with those words for the inscription and they are without doubt the perfect sentiments we could possibly express.
The Society also produced a booklet titled Peter Stone, The Gentleman of Angling, in which many of those who had known Peter contributed a short story or anecdote.
We also helped Peter’s lovely wife Sue to auction Peter’s tackle, the monies raised going to her grandchildren.
You can see from the above the esteem in which Peter Stone was held by us all and may his memory live on in the hearts of everyone who casts a line.

Fred Crouch, who had been instrumental in setting up the Society became its second President and still holds that position today, Fred is known as Mr. Barbel and rightly so.

Peter Wheat, another legendary name in the barbel world, became Vice President.
Fred had played a major role in the Peter Stone memorial and his other huge input to the Society came when the close season on rivers found itself under threat.
With Fred at the helm we were able to mobilise barbel anglers and that led to a 6000 name petition being presented both to the relevant Ministry and to the House of Commons itself.
Alongside a high profile media campaign there is no doubt the Barbel Society made a significant contribution to the eventual outcome, which maintained the status quo.
Peter would have been proud; as anyone who witnessed his last address at our conference was left in no doubt how committed he was to seeing the close season retained.
I wish I could say that the campaign to prevent barbel being stocked into stillwaters had been a success but hand on heart, I can’t.
We definitely highlighted and brought to public attention the taking of barbel from rivers to assist stocking in some stillwater fisheries and have also influenced the EA with regard to its requirements for stocking. Indeed we made representation to the Freshwater Fisheries review panel where we put forward our case.

I’m sure in years to come our stance on this emotive issue will be seen to have been correct.
The Barbel Society has never stepped back from expressing a view on the big issues affecting barbel fishing and obviously when you do that you are likely to make a few enemies as well as friends, but always the views expressed are put forward with the best intentions, the welfare of the barbel and the interest of the barbel angler.
Another hugely influential person and Founder Member was Mike Burdon. He was in at the very start of the Conservation side of the Society and paved the way for what was to follow. Following his untimely death in 2005, Pete Reading took over the reins and things have since moved forward at a tremendous pace.
You can’t do very much in life without money in the bank, and due to the outstanding generosity of Society members and supporters we have managed to raise getting on for £30k. solely for spending on research and conservation projects.
Let me give you some idea of the kind of thing we have been involved in.

On the beautiful river Teme in Worcestershire, in conjunction with the EA, we have carried out habitat restoration works including the coppicing and pollarding of trees, which helps to skylight the river while increasing instream cover and low level growth.

We have contributed financially to the stocking of barbel into the River Dane and River Aire, initiatives that have directly resulted in thousands of pounds worth of stocking elsewhere.
We have paid towards a habitat survey and electro fishing on the St. Patrick’s Stream to establish populations leading to options for future enhancement.
The Barbel Society initiated the stocking of 9000 barbel into the Dorset Stour together with associated habitat works. Funding also came from local clubs and the EA, which will eventually lead to a project investment of £40k. for the river.
Habitat and restoration works are in the pipeline for the Upper Thames, Loddon and Hampshire Avon, we have finances set aside for this.
We will always consider giving financial help to small fishing clubs to improve rivers as well as give advice on habitat improvement work, so get in touch if you feel we can be of help.
Because of our strong links and excellent working relationship with the Environment Agency it is likely we will be helping out on research works on the Great Ouse, as well as the ongoing scale reading survey underway on the Teme and Hampshire Avon that will assist in monitoring barbel populations.
We are in the process of collating information to enable the setting up a national database of spawning sites and spawning activity, which the Environment Agency will find most useful and will also provide some measure of protection for those sites.
Growth rates in both stillwaters and rivers need to be studied more, and the effects of climate change need to be fully understood. Big fat barbel may not be very good breeders and they may have shortened life spans. Much opinion has been expressed, but very little is based on true science.
As you can see we are very active in the area of conservation and we are becoming far more involved in research projects. It is a major part of what the Barbel Society is about.
How did we get into the position to help out financially?
Well, both Pete Reading and myself recognised that the only way we were going to make an impact on conservation works was to build up a sizeable bank account, life tells you that without money you can do very little.
Fortunately for us, BS stalwart Barry Norris came up with the answer, our online Auction
This is held every year and the brilliant support we receive from members, the trade and barbel enthusiasts has seen us accrue a very tidy sum indeed.

Along with Pete I said that the R and C side of the Society would become the biggest boost to the BS in terms of recognition and membership since it was founded. The gravitas we have achieved, especially in relation to bodies such as the Environment Agency, Rivers Trusts and Natural England has been immense, some habitat work we have carried out has been used as an example of good practice in riverine management by Natural England.
So as you can see, we mean business, and there’s no doubt this aspect of the Society will continue to flourish.
Another area we have excelled in is putting on a show!
Since the NASA shows came to an end we have done our best to fill the gap, the carp and pike anglers have been well looked after and the Barbel Society has looked after the barbel fisher.
Everyone, and I mean everyone who is anyone, has put on a presentation at our show these past fifteen years and they have left some memorable moments for those lucky enough to have been there.

Chris Yates waxing lyrical about the joys of gudgeon fishing, Martin James in full Isaac Walton costume, Jeremy Wade, Matt Hayes, Gary Newman, Hugh Miles and Lee swords. We cover the whole spectrum, old and new.
Who will ever forget the time Stoney, Fred J. Taylor and Peter Wheat sat on stage and kept their audience truly captivated as they recalled one tale after another?
Truly magical and captured on disc for all time.

Every year we present the Gordon Scott award in memory of one of our founder members and a main player; the recipients have included such luminaries as Andy Orme, Phil Buckingham and Trefor West.
Listening intently to Peter Wheat as he builds up the tension before the audience eventually realise who will be the recipient is yet another joy and a moment looked forward to each year.
Peter puts great store on the spirit of friendship that runs through the Society, when he gives his annual address you can hear a pin drop in the hall, we are extremely proud and honoured to have men of such great standing in our ranks.

We are always pleased to be able to put on a fantastic show for everybody and every year more unforgettable moments are created, make sure you don’t miss out when the next one in June comes around.
Although the annual show is the big one, during the course of the year regional meetings take place across the country and once again just about every well-known name has presented at these.
Pubs, clubs and halls have been filled from Lands End to John O’Groats, slight exaggeration there but you get the drift, and these days there is a new generation of speakers ready to carry on and keep the ball rolling.
Talking of the next generation, the Barbel Society has always endeavoured to do what it can to bring the barbel fishing experience to as many people as possible.

We have actively helped many youngsters catch their first fish under the guidance of accredited tutors on rivers all over the country.

But it isn’t just about helping juniors, we are now embarking on an ambitious project to help and assist anglers of any age who have yet to enjoy the thrill of catching a wild barbel.

The Barbel School will be up and running in the summer and we expect many converts from the carp filled pools once they have felt the pull of a barbel in a flowing river in superb surroundings guided by the massive experience the BS has to offer.

Keep an eye out for the time and places, it will be well advertised.

The Barbel Society also produces a superb magazine for its members, The Barbel Fisher. Since the very first issue this flagship has evolved with the help of Kevin Clifford and his team, to become the finest read on offer to the barbel angler. You can get a taster of the content by clicking on to the Society website, http://www.barbelsociety.co.uk/BarbelFisher.htm

Over the past fifteen years the Society has controlled many different stretches of prime river fishing for its members.
Stretches on the Severn, Trent, Teme, Ouse, Bristol Avon, Swale, and others have all been the scene for great catches at one time or another.
Nothing stays the same however, and venues change and we have to be ever mindful that anglers preferences change as well, its not easy because every water taken on is a potential risk and in the times we now live in one eye must always be on costs.
But be assured the Society is always on the look out for prime stretches of river that would be of benefit to the members.
So to sum up, the Barbel Society is a great place to be, as a member you can find new friendships with like minded anglers, you can contribute to the conservation work we undertake, you can fish some excellent waters, you can share the experiences gained by writing for and reading the magazine, you can help out newcomers to barbel fishing, you can enjoy the meetings and Show and generally heighten your whole barbel fishing experience.
The Barbel Society was founded on solid and sound guiding principles and can be proud of its achievements in its first fifteen years. We’ve come a heck of a long way since the guys from the Barbel Catchers and Association of Barbel Enthusiasts put their collective heads together.
Peter Wheat once said, there is a freshness and friendliness about the Barbel Society that transcends differences and he was right.
I think it was Gordon Scott who wrote in one of our very first newsletters that The Barbel Society was a precocious infant, well, we’ve moved on fifteen years into adolescence.
And you know what teenagers are like? They don’t run out of steam; they are anxious for more, so don’t be misled into thinking we have reached our final destination, the journey has only just begun!
STEVE POPE Copyright November 2010

Barbel School

2011-02-18T10:56:00.003Z

We are pleased to tell you that Dave Mason and Rob Swindells are heading this up for the Society.
There are plans for a structured weekend which should certainly mean we will be flooded with enquiries.
Over the weekend just about everything will be covered and there will be ample opportunity to socialise whilst enjoying breakfasts and a barbeque.
Keep an eye out for details on how to apply, information will be on the Barbel Society Blog and website as well as other media outlets.

For those who are new to barbel fishing or just want to brush up on your skills make sure you don’t miss out on this.

Our Rivers Campaign

2010-12-21T14:26:00.001Z

It’s been a wonderful year for the Our Rivers Campaign – from sending out a strong message to the Government and others to take action to protect and improve our rivers to thousands of you voting for your ‘best’ and ‘worst’ river in England and Wales.
And because of all this amazing support we’ve had from you we’ve been able to make some great headway in our mission to protect and preserve our precious rivers.
The Our Rivers Awards were one of the main highlights of 2010 and as a special gift to us one of our supporters, documentary film maker and passionate conservationist, Hugh Miles has produced a short film about the winning river – the River Wye.
So get a small glass of mulled wine, mince pie and sit back and appreciate the beauty and wonder of the wildlife that lives on our rivers.

Phase two of River Aire re-stocking programme

2010-12-17T12:15:00.007Z

UPDATE

December 10 2010 John Austerfield wrote:

A further 1000 barbel were stocked in to the River Aire at Kildwick Bridge and Bingley today by the E.A. The new fish carry a red tag mark on their heads.
A further 1000 next Thursday will be stocked Nowsthorpe.

Yesterday:
The EA have introduced a further 1000 barbel in to the River Aire this afternoon in the Leeds area.
It is planned to continue the re-stocking for a further 2 years.

Red marking

Average stamp

OTTERS - THE FACTS

2010-12-12T23:51:00.015Z

This is a partnership publication by:
Natural England
Angling Trust
Environment Agency

The purpose of this fact sheet

The recovery of otters in the UK is impacting inland fisheries through predation. The situation is complex, and it is not clear why some waters have not been affected, even though otters are present.

The Angling Trust, Environment Agency, Natural England and others are working together to improve understanding about the interactions between otters and fish. This document summarises our current knowledge and is intended as a starting point for further work. It does not present solutions; these can only be found by working together and will be explored in further publications.

Introduction

The only otter species in the UK is the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), one of a number of species found worldwide.
Otters re-colonised the British Isles after the last Ice Age, and they were widespread across the whole landmass during much of the intervening 10,000 years. More recently, otters were present throughout Great Britain in the early 1950s, but from the mid-1950s to late 1970s there was a dramatic decline. This mirrored what was happening across much of Europe. The decline occurred across Scotland, England and Wales, but it was most dramatic in England. By the late 1970s the only healthy populations were in parts of Scotland, although small populations remained in Wales and northern and south-western England.

Reason for Decline
The decline of otters was closely linked to the introduction of certain organochlorine pesticides – such as dieldrin – that were used in agricultural seed dressings, and sheep dips. When first used these chemicals were applied in very high doses and caused large-scale mortalities among many animals. Their impacts were greatest among top predators, notably birds of prey and mammals, because of the way these chemicals build up in the food chain.
After dieldrin and related chemicals were withdrawn from use, bird populations recovered relatively quickly. Otters that had survived in areas with low-intensity agriculture also responded, though more slowly because of their relatively low breeding rate and, unlike birds, their inability to cover large distances.

Recovery
Natural Recovery
At the lowest point of the decline, in the late 1970s, otters were absent from parts of Scotland, much of Wales and most of England. In England, the first national otter survey in 1977-79 found evidence of otters at only 6% of sites examined. Since then, the surviving otter population has expanded eastward and southward from Wales, south-west and northern England; Wales and Scotland are now extensively occupied and England’s population, though still expanding, has few large gaps outside the south-east corner of the country (see the Fifth Otter Survey of England report 2009-2010, available from the publications calalogue on the Environment Agency website http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/).
Direct counting of otters is impossible due to their mobility, often secretive behaviour and largely nocturnal habit. Otter surveys are therefore based simply on presence and absence of otters as shown by field signs such as spraints (faeces) and footprints. It is not possible to use these data to estimate numbers, given the flexibility in the size of otter territories and the inability to distinguish between individuals using field signs. While the distribution and frequency of field signs is used as an indicator of the health of the population locally, any estimate of numbers would be highly speculative. Nevertheless, it is likely that there are several thousand otters present in England today.

Role of Reintroductions
In the early 1980s, when it looked as though otters might be lost completely from England, the Nature Conservancy Council (now Natural England) worked with the Otter Trust to develop a reintroduction programme to repopulate parts of Eastern England with captive-bred otters. The intention was to try and ensure some continuation of occupancy and allow any surviving otters to interbreed with released ones and perhaps keep any locally adapted genes in the population. At that time there was no evidence of a natural recovery, but as this situation changed and there were signs of a slow natural recovery, most organisations involved in otter conservation preferred to rely on this rather than on re-introductions to restore otter populations in the UK.
The Otter Trust released 117 captive-bred otters between 1983 and 1999, mostly on East Anglian rivers, but with some elsewhere. Their last release was of 17 otters on the upper Thames catchment over a six-month period in 1999.
The Vincent Wildlife Trust released a further 49 rehabilitated animals (i.e. orphaned and injured wild otters kept in captivity until fit for release) between 1990 and 1996, many of these as part of a release programme in Yorkshire.
By the early 1990s it was clear that a strong natural recovery of otters from their strongholds in Wales and south-west England meant that reintroductions were no longer necessary, and by the end of the decade the Otter Trust’s programme was wound up. Now descendants of the released otters form only a tiny proportion of the otter population of England, and most wild otters are the result of the natural recovery of the species after the banning of toxic pesticides.
The Environment Agency, Natural England and the Wildlife Trusts concentrated on encouraging natural recovery through improving river habitat, and they continue to do so.

Release of Rehabilitated Otters
A few orphaned and injured otters are taken into care by the RSPCA and other wildlife rehabilitation centres each year. The RSPCA has developed a protocol for the care and release of these animals which has been agreed with the Otter Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) Steering Group (see below). Other rehabilitation centres are encouraged to follow these guidelines.

There is a legal requirement to return these animals to the wild once they are fit for release. Cubs may be kept for over 12 months as they need to be mature enough to fend for themselves before release. The numbers involved are very small compared to the numbers of wild otters now present – on average less than ten otters a year. Releases should be as near as possible to where they were found, but pairs of cubs found in different locations that are later reared together may go back to the point of origin of one of them. There is no programme of using rehabilitated otters to colonise currently vacant catchments.

Institutional Roles
Natural England is the statutory body that advises government on the natural environment. Among other duties, it administers a system of wildlife management licences in accordance with national and international law (see ‘Legal status’ below).
The Environment Agency is the government’s leading environmental regulator and has statutory duties which include:-
to further the conservation of species associated with the aquatic environment.
to maintain, improve and develop fisheries.
Along with the Wildlife Trusts, the Agency is the lead partner for the otter under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP).
The Otter BAP Steering Group is a national steering group that co-ordinates and advises on actions for the recovery and conservation of otter populations in line with the UK BAP.
The members are:-
Countryside Council for Wales
Environment Agency
A representative from the Otter Specialist Group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Joint Nature Conservation Committee
Natural England
Northern Ireland Environment Agency
Scottish Environmental Protection Agency
Scottish Natural Heritage
Water UK
The Wildlife Trusts

Otter Biology

Diet
Most of the otter’s diet is fish (usually 75-95%) but amphibians, crayfish, waterfowl and small mammals are also taken. Otters are opportunistic feeders and show no strong preference for one fish species over another. They will take them in proportion to their local and seasonal availability. Eels are often cited as a ‘favourite’ food source, and where present and abundant they are frequent prey. However, studies across the range of the Eurasian otter show that there is no general dependence on any particular prey species – they will exploit those species available locally. Where eels have declined, otters will take a higher proportion of other species, some of which may be more abundant as a result of the lower number of eels.
Otters catch and eat predominantly live animals; there is limited evidence of dead fish being eaten, although this does occur occasionally. Their average daily consumption of food in captivity is about 1.5kg/day.

Habitat
Otters have been recorded on virtually every type of water body. Otters in England and Wales are mainly found on freshwater systems but they can also exploit coastal habitats, and there is growing evidence that they are doing so more often as populations recover. In Scotland they are familiar animals of rocky coasts, where they are sometimes referred to as ‘sea otters’, but they are in fact the same species.
An otter will occupy a ‘home range’, which on fresh waters usually includes a stretch of river as well as associated tributary streams, ditches, ponds, lakes and woodland. The size of a home range depends largely on the availability of food and shelter, and the presence of neighbouring otters. On rivers, a male’s home range may be up to 40km or more of watercourse and associated areas; females have smaller ranges (roughly half the size) and favour quieter locations for breeding, such as tributary streams. Although their social behaviour has some flexibility, on river systems otters are strongly territorial, with both sexes defending occupied territory from others of the same sex. Fighting is common, particularly in populations which are nearing carrying capacity, and this may result in death.
Otters without an established home range are known as ‘transients’. They are mostly juveniles looking for a territory of their own, or adults that have been pushed out of their territories. Transient otters may use an area for a short while, but they will move on if conditions are not suitable or if they are driven away by resident otters. Transients will have been important in extending the range of otters during the recovery process, but they are very difficult to identify from field signs.
Within a home range an otter may use many resting sites. These include above-ground shelters, such as stands of scrub or areas of rank grass, and underground ‘holts’ – for example, cavities under tree roots and dry drainage pipes.

Breeding
Otters breed at any time of year. Females normally breed in their second or third year and select an undisturbed holt close to an abundant food source, giving birth to two to three cubs. The cubs remain in the holt for about three months and stay with the mother for up to a year. Male otters occupy separate holts and play little or no part in the rearing of the young.

Lifespan
Most otters live for three to four years in the wild, although they can live longer. Mortality is high among young animals looking to establish their own territories, particularly in areas with well established populations. The most common natural causes of death are likely to be starvation for young otters unable to fend for themselves or establish a territory. For adult otters, injuries sustained from territorial fighting are common causes of death. The most frequent reasons for non-natural mortalities are road kills and drowning in fish and crustacean traps.

Otter Activity and People
In fresh waters, otters are mainly active from dusk to dawn, when most people are unlikely to see them. Activity of coastal otters is linked to the state of the tide, and they can often be seen during the day. Even on rivers activity in daylight is becoming more common. This reflects not only their increasing distribution but may also show that, with the lack of persecution, otters are becoming less wary of people. Habituation to people may result in some individuals being more approachable, but these are not tame animals.

Impacts on Fish Stocks
Eurasian otters eat a range of fish species, but generally they take whatever is most abundant. Studies reveal that on average the fish they take are less than 300mm length; although very large fish can be taken, their choice of fish prey generally reflects what is available in the environment around them.
For a variety of reasons fish populations in some river and still water fisheries have come to be dominated by large individuals. Large fish may be more vulnerable to predation, and their loss will be more noticeable.
However, it is clear that not all fisheries are being adversely affected by otters. Evidence gathered so far indicates that specimen barbel and chub populations have been hit hardest in smaller rivers, particularly where stocks are dominated by older fish, but rivers in the north and west, where otters have always been present, appear to be less affected.
Otters have the most visible impact on unprotected stillwater fisheries that contain fewer but predominantly large fish, especially large carp. This does not mean that otters do not take smaller fish, or that they do not take fish from densely stocked fisheries, but in these cases their impacts are less noticeable.

Legal Status
Otters are now protected principally under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations (2010), with additional protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981), as amended. The combined effect of these is that a person is guilty of an offence if he:
deliberately captures, injures or kills any wild otter;
deliberately disturbs wild otters including, in particular, disturbance which is likely to
impair their ability to survive, to breed or reproduce, or rear or nurture their young; or
affect significantly the local distribution or abundance of the species;
damages or destroys a breeding site or resting place of such an animal.
Or if he intentionally or recklessly:
disturbs an otter while it is occupying a structure or place which it uses for shelter or protection; or
obstructs access to such a place.
The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations provide for the granting of licences to prevent serious damage to livestock, foodstuffs for livestock, crops, vegetables, fruit, growing timber or any other form of property or to fisheries. However, a licence cannot be granted unless the licensing authority is satisfied:
that there is no satisfactory alternative, and that the action authorised will not be detrimental to the maintenance of the population of the species concerned at a favourable conservation status in their natural range.
Licences for the prevention of damage in England are determined by Natural England.
Satisfactory alternatives might include exclusion techniques (e.g. fencing) or the use of deterrents. However, it should be noted that the use of deterrents themselves, in some circumstances, may require a licence.
For more details contact Natural England’s Wildlife Management and Licensing Service:
Natural England, Burghill Road, Bristol, BS10 6NJ. Tel: 0845 601 4523 (local rate); Email: wildlife@naturalengland.org.uk

The Way Forward
There is a need for further studies to examine why otters seem to be having a more noticeable impact on some fisheries and not others. This will be explored in future publications from this group. These will seek to better understand the impacts on fish stocks and the likely long-term response of these fish populations.

Further Information/References
Chadwick, E.A., 2007. Post-mortem study of otters in England and Wales 1992-2003. Environment Agency Science Report SCO10065/SR. Environment Agency, Bristol.

Chanin, P.R.F. & Jefferies, D.J., 1978. The decline of the otter (Lutra lutra) in Britain; an analysis of hunting records and discussion of causes. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 10(3): 305-328.

Crawford, A.K., 2003. The fourth otter survey of England 2000-02. Environment Agency, Bristol.

Crawford, A.K., 2010. The fifth otter survey of England 2009-10. Environment Agency, Bristol.

Jefferies, D.J., Wayre, P. & Shuter, R., 2000. A brief history of the Otter Trust’s successful programme of repopulating lowland England with otters bred in captivity with a special emphasis on East Anglia. Otters, Journal of the Otter Trust, 2000 3(4): 105-117.

Jay, S., Lane, M-R., O’Hara, K., Precey, P. & Scholey, G., 2008. Otters and Stillwater Fisheries. The Wildlife Trusts, Newark.

Kruuk, H., 1995. Wild Otters, predation and populations. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.

Kruuk, H., 2006. Otters: ecology, behaviour and conservation. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.

Mason, C.F. & MacDonald, S., 1993. Impact of organochlorine residues and PCBs on otters (Lutra lutra) in eastern England. Science of the Total Environment 138: 147-160.

Strachan, R. & Jefferies, D.J., 1996. Otter Survey of England 1991-1994. Vincent Wildlife Trust, London.

THANKYOU

2010-12-12T11:55:00.006Z

Donors to The Barbel Society Events 2010

(The Barbel Society/Avon Roach Project day & The Research & Conservation auction)

A huge and grateful vote of thanks must go to all the contributors and donors of prizes to Barbel Society Research and Conservation fundraising this year. With their generous help, we have raised over seven thousand pounds for the Research and Conservation Fund, which will enable us to continue with research projects and habitat improvements on a number of rivers, all for the benefit of barbel and indeed all fish species and wildlife generally.

Climax Tackle, Sheffield

Steve Derby

Chris Holley

Wickersley Angling Centre, Sheffield

Leeda Tackle

Fred Crouch

Paul Garner

Terry Eustace, Gold Label Tackle

Korum UK

Martin James

Billy Clarke Tackle, Sheffield

Glyn Gomersall, Three Rivers Baits

Gary Knowles

Ringwood and District Anglers Association

Christchurch Angling Club

Paul Seacole

Ade Kiddell

Gary Mills Engineering

Ultima UK

Rods and Reels Tackle, Hinckley

Dave Mason

Rob Swindells

Yum Yum Baits

Dave Steuart

Twyford and District Fishing Club

Sonik Sports

David Seaman

Fish & Fly Ltd

Fishing Magic.com (Jeff Woodhouse)

MacDonald Compleat Angler Marlow

Chris Yates

Hugh Miles

Ringwood Tackle

Davis Tackle, Christchurch

Paul Cook

Medlar Press

Little Egret Press

Roseworld Productions Ltd

Southern Fisheries

Shimano UK

Bob Gibbs

Daiwa Sports UK

David Miller

Gerry Higham

Kevin Grozier

Graham Elliott

Darren Slavin

Steve Pope

Joe Mullinger

Dave Brown

Nutrabaits

Welcome aboard Paul

2010-12-08T08:44:00.003Z

I've been approached by the Barbel Society to act as regional organiser for the Hampshire and Dorset region.

I saw this approach as a great honour and didn't take much convincing to accept the role.
Please bear with me as I get to grips with things but hopefully in the near future, I'll be able to announce a date for a meeting and will be looking to all you local anglers for your input, contributions and attendance at the regional meetings.
I'll also be extremely interested to hear from anyone who would be willing to be a guest speaker at an event in the future.
The plan long term is to not only host regular meetings with guest speakers and a raffle etc but to also host more informal get-togethers in a local pub where fellow anglers can meet up and have a chat and share stories and information over a pint or two.
For those of you who may not already be Barbel Society members and are looking to join, please keep an eye out in your local tackle shops as I will be looking to distribute flyers and membership forms out in due course.

Tight lines to you all

Paul Martin

You can also post your comments below

Research & Conservation Auction 2010

2010-12-06T19:08:00.001Z

The annual auction to raise funds ended yesterday and once again it was a resounding success.
With fifty four items on offer realising bids from £15 up to £270 there really was something for everyone.
Fishing days with well known barbel anglers, items of tackle, books, pictures, club tickets, all were on offer and the Barbel Society members really entered into the spirit and each lot reached its reserve price.
Taking into account the current financial climate which has impacted on us all the total of £4444 which was achieved is simply amazing.
This means that once again the Barbel Society is able to add to its significant reserve which will be used to help fund more conservation projects across the country.
Working alongside the Environment Agency, Natural England, The River Trusts and local Angling Clubs, the Barbel Society is able to contribute to all manner of projects which help to maintain and protect our riverine environment.
We are only able to do this because of the support and loyalty of our membership, the Angling Trade and the individuals who support our conservation efforts.
Each and every member of the Barbel Society can feel proud to be involved with the conservation initiatives the Society undertakes, without the loyal support we maintain year on year we simply would not be in a position to do this.
So a massive thank you from me on behalf of the Barbel Society management team.
If you want to be part of this organisation which is at the forefront of barbel related matters then join up now, it has never been easier, just go to the website and pay on line http://www.barbelsociety.co.uk/join.asp
The Barbel Society has a fantastic future to look forward to, those charged with managing the Society are committed to ensure that The Barbel Society continues to maintain its prominent position in the angling world.
We are the friendliest bunch of barbel fishers you could ever wish to meet and along with the Research and Conservation projects there are more exciting initiatives on the way for next season.

Steve Pope, Chairman

THE ANNUAL SHOW 2011

2010-11-29T11:12:00.002Z

A note for your diaries:

The Annual Show this coming year will be held on Sunday 5th June

We will be at the usual venue of the Hinckley Island Hotel.

Why not book an overnight stay and meet up Saturday night for a pint and a chat ?

More details to follow

Welcome to The Barbel Society Blog

2010-11-25T13:27:00.003Z

This is the place for you to ask a question about The Society, our Research and Conservation Fund, Membership, Barbel School, and our Fisheries, or anything else you may want to know.
Your question and the answer will be published on this site at the same time..

Post your questions in comments below, or email barbelfisher@btinternet.com

Pete Reading's Diary

Extracts from the experiences of a river angler.
http://www.barbelsociety.co.uk/RiverDiary.htm

From the archives

You can view, on a regular basis, an original article from the last 15 years of the bi-annual Barbel Fisher, The Society's members magazine.
Click on the Barbel Fisher cover on the right hand side of the Blog >>>>>

R&C INFORMATION : Survey

2010-11-24T15:22:00.001Z

Our Rivers Latest News: November 2010

URGENT ACTION NEEDED Water White Paper – another chance to get our rivers recognised

Hot on the heels of the Our Rivers Awards, we’ve got another chance to protect our rivers by encouraging the government to include impacts on rivers as an issue in their upcoming Water White paper, planned for summer 2011.
Before the 30th of November, we are trying to get as many people as possible to visit a survey by DEFRA http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Water-WP   and let the government know that the state of your local river is something that concerns you.
According to the government The Water White Paper “will focus on the future challenges facing the water industry around maintaining water supplies, keeping bills affordable and reducing regulation”.
We want to ensure that the impacts on rivers associated with these issues, such as water availability and sewage, are taken into account in the Whitepaper.
With only 26% of rivers in England and Wales meet the required standards, it’s important that our much loved rivers are not forgotten in this white paper.

What needs to be improved?
If you have the time it would great if you could also tell them what needs to be done to improve things. The partners of Our Rivers are all also involved in the Blueprint for Water http://www.wcl.org.uk/docs/2010/Blueprint_for_Water_2010.pdf which clearly sets out a ten step guide to sustainable water by 2015.

Take part in the survey   http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Water-WP

Paypal

2010-11-16T23:51:00.002Z

Making life easier

Joining The Barbel Society with the half year membership is now made easier with Paypal.

http://www.barbelsociety.co.uk/join.asp

SPECIAL OFFER

2010-11-14T18:18:00.003Z

Just a reminder, there is a half year membership and end of season fishery offer.
£15 will get you membership until 15th June 2011. ttp://www.barbelsociety.co.uk/join.asp

To buy in the R&C Auction why not take advantage of the membership offer, or failing that bid by proxy if you have a Barbel Society contact/friend.
There are and will be bargains to snap up.

Simon Asbury's River Dove record: 17lb 10ozs

2010-11-09T14:04:00.005Z

Drennan & Fox Weekly Cup winner

Barbel School

2010-10-20T20:04:00.004+01:00

Design by Aaron Darlington

During the course of this next year the Barbel Society will be planning and putting together a series of "Barbel Schools" across the country.
The idea is to give an arena where anglers can come and learn the finer details of Barbel fishing.
Whether experienced carp anglers or people just picking up a rod for the first time,the idea is to help all who attend to leave the day with a clearer understanding of the Barbel Society and,more importantly,a greater level of confidence to river fishing.Experienced barbel anglers will be present to simply help and guide.
As details and locations are finalised the information will be on the BS website,on here and in the press.
Keep your eyes peeled and be sure to let others know so that they can take advantage of this exciting initiative.

Half Season Offer

2010-09-29T09:05:00.001+01:00

A Great Opportunity for all Barbel Anglers!

The Barbel Society which is now in its fifteenth year, is pleased to announce a special half season offer on membership and also on fishery permit rates to new and existing members.
From 1st October, membership will cost £15, and will run until June 2011. This includes the joining fee.
Fishery permits are all offered at half price from 1st October until 14th March 2011.
The Barbel Society fisheries include Sutton on the Trent ( £20), Topcliffe on the Swale (£18), Bransford on the Teme (£25), Wick on the Warwickshire Avon (£15) and Downton on the Hampshire Avon (£10).
This offer enables barbel anglers to take advantage of the range of benefits that membership provides, including access to BS fisheries, high quality magazines and newsletters, access to the BS website and forum, and the opportunity to support the research and conservation work of the Society, plus the chance to meet up with many keen barbel anglers from all over the country.
More details on the Barbel Society website at http://www.barbelsociety.co.uk
Membership will allow participation in the upcoming research and conservation online auction, and use of the Question and Answer facility on the website, where a panel of leading barbel anglers can answer your questions individually.
The Society is especially keen to recruit the large number of newcomers to barbel fishing, on joining they will meet many other like minded anglers in a very friendly environment.
Payment can be made for membership and fishery permits by cheque, made out to The Barbel Society and sent to:

The Membership Secretary. 1 Larchwood, Castlegate, Scotforth, Lancaster LA1 4QG

The Avon Roach Project

2010-09-24T13:29:00.000+01:00

Fundraiser
A huge thank you to all participants, especially Barbel Society members , who contributed to the annual Avon Fundraiser jointly organised by the Barbel Society and the Avon Roach Project.
Over fifty anglers fished for the day on the glorious Somerley Estate on the Hampshire Avon, and at the evening meal and auction we raised a new record of almost five and a half thousand pounds.
Donations to the auction were fantastic, with a Cooper cased bream fetching five hundred pounds, and a bottle of Redmire water donated by Chris Yates was worth seventy quid!
Rods, reels, books and guided days fishing all proved popular lots.
The spirit of friendship,generosity and partnership shown during the event was wonderful.
The cash raised will be shared between the Avon Roach Project and the BS Research and Conservation fund.
The Roach Project will shortly be excavating more stews to grow on roach fry to boost the ailing Avon roach population, and the BS cash is ring fenced for habitat work on the river, with quotes being sought for an instream project near Ringwood.
Grateful thanks to all the participants,donors of lots, and to Christchurch Angling Club and Somerley Estate for hosting the fishing.
Some barbel and roach were caught this year, as well as some big chub and a sprinkling of dace, grayling, trout and plenty of minnows!
http://www.avonroachproject.co.uk/

2010-09-08T13:52:00.006+01:00

Barbel Society Research and Conservation Online Auction 2010

The fourth annual online auction will be occurring in November 2010, and as ever all proceeds will go to the Barbel Society Research and Conservation fund.
The fund has raised over twenty thousand pounds to date, and the bulk of it has been spent or committed to a variety of projects which are intended to support barbel populations, the habitat in established barbel rivers, and research into the species.
Much of the habitat restoration work is also of benefit to other species of fish, and riverine wildlife.
Projects to date, funded wholly or in part, or that are in advanced planning stages, include;
:Restoration work on the River Teme, where bankside trees were coppiced and pollarded to skylight the river and encourage low level growth, Instream cover was also increased.

:Electro fishing and habitat surveys on the St Patricks Stream, where fish populations were monitored and habitat assessed, and options for enhancement outlined.

:Stocking of barbel into the River Dane in Cheshire

:Stocking of barbel into the River Aire in Yorkshire.

:Stocking of 9000 barbel into the Dorset Stour, and associated habitat work; funding from BS, Environment Agency and local clubs contributed to an estimated project cost of over forty thousand pounds.
:Gravel improvement works on the Upper Thames and Loddon.

:Restoration projects on the Hampshire Avon.
:Scale reading of barbel in the Teme and Hampshire Avon, to assess age, growth rates and population structure.
Some habitat work by the Society has been used as examples of good practice in riverine management by Natural England. The Society has very positive links with the Environment Agency, Natural England and Rivers Trusts .
Donations of guided fishing days, books, bait, new and vintage tackle are all welcomed, and the auction is open to members only on the BS website.
Non - members can place bids by proxy with a member.
All contributors are listed and thanked in Barbel Society newsletters and other publications.