News

Last night’s Panorama (BBC 1, 20 May 2019) considered some of the environmental impacts from salmon farming. Many of the issues raised in the programme were addressed in a report to Scottish Government by its own Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee (REC), in November 2018, available here

Sadly, this report (and the Panorama programme) greatly underplayed the potential impact on sea trout populations from salmon aquaculture, highlighted by many scientists, including in WTT’s 2019 Salmo Trutta by Paddy Gargan:A PDF of that article is available here.

This role will be in the region of 3 days per week and £18,000 p.a. + pension contribution, mileage expenses and holiday entitlement pro rata 25 days/year + public holidays; initial 12-month contract.

The Wild Trout Trust (WTT) is a registered charity dedicated to the protection and survival of the iconic brown trout, a living indicator of the health of the landscape around us (www.wildtrout.org).

WTT works with a variety of stakeholder groups to further the conservation of wild trout, including NGO’s, fishing clubs, farmers, riparian owners, community groups, academia and government agencies.

Job Vacancy - Wild Trout Trust Conservation Officer

Salary £25,000 - £30,000 (depending on experience) + pension contribution, mileage expenses and holiday entitlement of 5 weeks/year; initial 24 month contract.

The Wild Trout Trust (WTT) is a registered charity dedicated to the protection and survival of the iconic brown trout, a living indicator of the health of the landscape around us (www.wildtrout.org).

There’s still space to join WTT’s 10th 3 Fly fundraising day at Meon Springs Trout Fishery in Hampshire on 15 June. This is a terrific day of fishing and great fun with friends, all in support of WTT. It’s a points-based competition, playing for the top prizes of Sage rods and trophies. Tickets cost £100 for the day, including breakfast, drinks through the day, an excellent lunch and afternoon tea and cakes.

The day commemorates Pasco James, a young man who adored the river Meon and this fishery, who tragically died far too young, in 2010.

Book through the Meon Springs website www.meonsprings.com/bookeo; go to the ‘Events’ tab.

We at WTT are sad to report that Mike Blackmore is leaving us, ending his time as our Conservation Officer in the south west. But the good news is that he’s not migrating far, joining the Wessex Chalk Stream and Rivers Trust as their Head of Project Delivery and Mike’s move will surely strengthen still further the excellent existing partnership between the two trusts.

Mike joined WTT in the spring of 2012 and he has done a simply brilliant job for us, expanding hugely what we do in the south west, with a host of partners who’ve become firm friends. Perhaps most outstanding has been the sheer amount of work Mike’s done in the river; he holds certainly a WTT record (maybe even a world record, who knows) for the most practical days in the river in one calendar month: 21 days in October 2015. He’s contributed massively to making a great many river reaches much better places for their trout and all manner of wildlife and he’s been a fantastic member of the WTT pack.

Mike will finish formally with us at the end of July 2019 but through the autumn will deliver a number of projects that he’s currently got on his books, wearing both his trusty WTT and shiny, new WCSRT hats.

The Grayling Research Trust has released its excellent Practical Conservation Guide as electronic copy, available HERE as a free download. It’s a very readable overview of the biology, ecology and management for grayling.

The Cheriton Stream is widely recognised as the primary headwater of the River Itchen in Hampshire. This section of river was one of the country’s first ever Wild Fishery Protection Zones, where no stocking is permitted by the Environment Agency. It is crucial therefore, that habitat quality is good enough to support a healthy and vibrant wild trout population. Unfortunately, historic channel modifications, coupled with excessive grazing pressures, has left a wide, uniform and very shallow river channel.

Following a successful project delivered by the WTT further downstream last year, the Environment Agency have funded a further phase of work at the very top of the Tichborne fishery. This fishery is managed by the Tichborne Fly Fishers and volunteers from the club, led by WTT Conservation Officer Andy Thomas, have been busy improving a 100m section of channel to create enhanced habitat for all the life stages of brown trout, as well as providing improved cover for native white clawed crayfish.