Minutes and Presentations for the consultative forum which took place on the 14th Nov 2020 10:00 via zoom video conference

Notes for use of this data.  

These data represent a snapshot of the fish distribution along a river at the time of survey. Surveys capitalise on the natural distribution of fish during the hours of darkness.

Fish density.

The value shown for fish density represents the number of fish per 1000 m³ of water sampled. The colour of the circle denotes the fish density as described in the map legend. The volume of water sampled by the acoustic beam broadly depends on the channel profile and boat speed If the total volume sampled is less than 1000 m³ then the calculated fish density does not represent the actual fish density. Consequently within the data set a value of 0.0 would indicate insufficient sample volume.  Conversely a fish density value of 0.1 or higher indicates that sample volume is sufficient. In most cases insufficient sample volume is a consequence of channel width, depth and / or extensive weed growth.  

Fish size research shows that the strength of a return echo relates to the size of the object producing the return.
The equipment used during surveys is capable of recording return echoes from objects less than 3 mm in size. Objects providing return echoes of this size could include reed stems, weed fronds, fish fry and suspended debris. To avoid erroneous fish counts and density value, return echoes are filtered during post processing. Fish density value reflects this filtering and the return echo strength chosen ensures that the minimum theoretical fish size counted is 1000 mm.

Click the ‘download attachment’ link below to download this report as a PDF

Jeff Compton Bsc Msc

Environment Monitoring officer (A&R) Fish

East Anglia
Environment Agency,
Dragonfly House, 2 Gilders Way, Norwich, NR3 1JB

Click the ‘download attachment’ link below to download this report as a PDF

Jeff Compton Bsc Msc

Environment Monitoring officer (A&R) Fish

East Anglia
Environment Agency,
Dragonfly House, 2 Gilders Way, Norwich, NR3 1JB

This report provides a summary of results from recent fish population surveys on the River Gipping between Stowmarket and Ipswich. The surveys were carried out to assess the health of the river and enable successful management of our principal fisheries.

Click the ‘download attachment’ link below to download this report as a PDF

Jon has also supplied a video clip explainig the teams work on undertaking the survey, below..

Jon Diss

Environmental Monitoring Officer (Analysis & Reporting)

Environment Agency

Kelvedon Office

Rivers House

Threshelfords Business Park

Inworth Road

Kelvedon

CO5 9SE

( Int. 46006

(Ext. 0208 474 6006

Minutes and Presentations for the consultative forum which took place on the 27th June  2020 10:00 via zoom video conference

Please find attached the 2019 Survey report for the Lower Great Ouse, produced by Justin Mould and team Brampton. 

Click the ‘download attachment’ link below to download this report as a PDF

Justin Mould

Fisheries Officer - A&R

East Anglia Area (Cambridgeshire & Bedfordshire and Essex, Norfolk & Suffolk)

Environment Agency, Bromholme Lane, Brampton, Huntingdon, Cambs, PE2 84NE

External Telephone: 02030251870, Internal Telephone: 51870

justin.mould@environment-agency.gov.uk

The Agency has issued the following FBG news letter for Essex Norfolk and Suffolk

Click the ‘download attachment’ link below to download this report as a PDF

Jez Wood

Technical Specialist - Fisheries, Biodiversity and Geomorphology (FBG) | East Anglia – East Area

Environment Agency | Dragonfly House, Gilders Way, Norwich, NR3 1UB

External: 02030255406 / Internal: 55406

Team mailbox: FBG.ENS@environment-agency.gov.uk

The planned meeting for 28th March was cancelled due to the CV-19 restrictions

Hugh Bunker has sent through a briefing note from the Agency on thier activities during this last quarter, which is availble to download below.

We have also started to look at supporting the Fanland Pike Initative in addressing some of the long term issues impacting the Lincolshire Fens.

In these difficult times, I trust everyone can keep safe and well.

Latest update on the Nene from Viktor.

Quick update from myself on all things Nene Valley;

Resilient River Project:

• Nassington (Wellington Fishery run by PDAA) is still on hold due to weather obstructing access. The fencing contractors are currently not operating due to the situation so as soon as they are, coupled with the lack of rainfall and dropping river levels, this will get completed ASAP. It is likely the tree works will be put on hold until September to avoid bird nesting season. Tree planting to occur in November.
• Electric Cut, Peterborough is currently with Peterborough City Council to get permissions for the scheme and for drone monitoring which will look at the extent of re-sedimentation & vegetation in future years. Aiming for September/October on this one.
• Wellingborough Embankment floating islands had a bit of a setback with the identified additional funding from Wellingborough Council not being secured. They have been able to provide a small amount however but it still leaves a shortfall for the most basic design so Whitworths have been asked to top up the pot and I am awaiting a response.
• Lilford Backchannel permit has been submitted and I am now working on the landowner consent documents with the view that EA FCRM budget will be made available to deliver the project in the 20/21 financial year.

Wellingborough Waterside Group:

• Public consultation of the potential improvement works in and around Wellingborough Embankment was live in Jan & Feb, with 3 days of consultation in the Swansgate Centre, Wellingborough. We had a majority good feedback on this. I know WDNAC were concerned they had not been consulted before this went live, however I spoke to numerous members of the committee, including Howard, about why this was. In essence the group was only pulling in the right stakeholders at the right time and as fishing rights were not to be affected by any of the proposals WDNAC were not consulted with beforehand. This is because the improvements are only ideas and a version 2 design with public informed ideas will be produced as an outcome of the consultation. Then work will start to put the improvements in to action. I was also representing WDNAC and other fisheries here whilst on the group so they were not forgotten about, as is always the case normally! Rest assured I always have done and will continue to represent angling at all meetings or during consultations to the best I can.

Nene Valley Catchment Partnership:

• The NVCP will soon have a new storymap website going live which is accessible to all. It holds a huge amount of information and data which can be explored. Once live I will provide a link to everyone so they can have a look at it.
• Challenges and Choices consultation is open until 24^th April and the NVCP will be submitting a response to it. I would prompt anyone interested in submitting a response or sending us comments to be included in our response. https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/environment-and-business/challenges-and-choices/?dm_i=3O4M,12NEZ,D6EWF,3QDC6,1

Others:

• The EA have made ecological monitoring data publically available. You can access years of fish, invert, macrophyte & diatom data in spreadsheet format. It can be tricky to read however I suggest hiding irrelevant columns and putting filters on columns so you can flick through it much more easily. I am going to be looking at it and trying to run some data analysis on the relevant sites to the restoration works if data is available to see what has happened over the last few decades in terms of fish populations and species populations too. https://environment.data.gov.uk/ecology-fish/?utm_source=CaBA+and+Rivers+Trust+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=36d13b8b67-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_05_29_02_38_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5785643b8e-36d13b8b67-92775589&mc_cid=36d13b8b67&mc_eid=fdc0bfd494

I think that is all,

Take care everyone and hopefully we will be back out fishing soon!!

Cheers

Vik

Regards

Kelvin and David

Please find attached the 2019 Survey report for the Lower River Cam, produced by Justin Mould and team Brampton. 

Click the ‘download attachment’ link below to download this report as a PDF

Justin Mould

Fisheries Officer - A&R

East Anglia Area (Cambridgeshire & Bedfordshire and Essex, Norfolk & Suffolk)

Environment Agency, Bromholme Lane, Brampton, Huntingdon, Cambs, PE2 84NE

External Telephone: 02030251870, Internal Telephone: 51870

justin.mould@environment-agency.gov.uk

Please find attached the 2019 Survey report for the Lincs Drains, produced by Jake Reeds. 

Click the ‘download attachment’ link below to download this report as a PDF

Jake Reeds

Fisheries Officer - A&R

Northants and Lincs Area 

Environment Agency, Stepping Stone Walk Winfrey Avenue, Spalding Lincsolnshire PE11 1DA

Telephone: 0771754872

jake.reeds@environment-agency.gov.uk