Sussex Piscatorial Society has leased a short stretch of stream located on the upper Itchen near Arlesford for about five years in addition to its trout lakes in Sussex. The river is within a SSSI and Special Area of Conservation (SAC).

The committee realised last year the need to improve the management of the stream and needed advice on how best to this; our experience of chalk stream management is limited so it was decided to approach the WTT and arrange for an Advisory Visit. We received Vaughan Lewis’s report and it was agreed that we should put some of the recommendations into action.

The river was identified as important for recruitment of wild trout as a nursery area. To this end we are formalising an agreement with the Environment Agency as a ‘Wild Fisheries Protection Zone’ (as is the stretch below us): the first in the region. We plan to maintain streamside vegetation to give cover for fish but without sanitizing the stream, as has been the practice on some chalk streams.

We plan to cut back some vegetation (trees and bushes) to allow entry of more light. The large pieces of cut timber can then be placed in the stream and fixed by pegging to create riffles as well as scouring out the bottom to create refuges for trout.

With the help of the EA fisheries team guided by Fisheries Officer Andy Thomas, work has started on placing some timber weirs and installing faggots along the edge of the banks to narrow the stream.

We take the view that the work should be phased over a number of years so as to reduce the visual impact on this beautiful, unspoilt area of the country. During the fishing season we employ a river keeper for a few hours each month to maintain the banks.