Written By: Mairi Hextall
On Date: 3/3/2010
Since inception, the Tyne Rivers Trust has taken great care to consult widely, develop a strong workable strategy and devise high quality projects that, when implemented, will provide best value for the Trust’s hard won money while addressing the Rivers’ most urgent remedial and conservation needs. It is a pleasure therefore to report in early 2010 on the very considerable progress made during 2009 in beginning the process of actual project execution on the ground. The following are some of the achievements made in the past year:-
Strategy
A major early planned project was the aerial mapping and surveying of the catchment with specific concentration on those river channels where obstructions, siltation and gravel accumulations etc would repay remedial action. Known as THIS-GIS, project outcomes in 2009 included:
► Catchment area surveyed ~ 3,250km2
► Channel high-resolution photographs ~
189.3km (131.5km delivered to date )
► Walkover salmon habitat surveys ~ 142.8km
(130.7km delivered )
► Channel habitat interpretation for juvenile
salmonids ~ 189.3km (96.4km delivered )
Implementation
► Hexham Fish Pass pre-feasibility study and
public consultation undertaken during the year:
draft report received February 2010
► Obstructions to fish migration ~ 18 sites have
been surveyed.
► Habitat monitoring (including electrofishing) ~
11 ‘river fly’ sites & 8 electrofishing sites.
► Riparian fencing ~ 1373m completed; 9km more
is planned for imminent implementation.
► Erosion control ~ 1,734m river has been protected.
► Invasive plants ~ 35.4km of river surveyed for Balsam,
Japanese Knotweed and Giant Hogweed
► Invasive plants ~ 2.8km of river bank have been cleared
► Habitat improvement sites ~ 14 habitat projects on
different sites are currently in progress; 3 have been
completed. Shown below are work stages/end result. Public liaison / education / angling development
► Database entries and correspondence over Second Tyne Tunnel (TT2) issues ~ 700 entries
have now increased to 2,000. TRT made 70 detailed responses to TT2 issues raised with us.
► Public events run in 2009 ~ 15 were attended by 1,094
people. (not including 2 village societies and angling
club – evening talks)
► River Watch groups ~ 4 groups are now active and a
further 2 are latent.
► River Fly monitors ~ We now have 25 volunteers at 23
sites, from 58 people trained.
► Press reports during year ~ 9 have appeared in the
regional press, and 5 in local newsletters / magazines
► Radio broadcasts during year ~ 3 river forecasts for
Tynedale Radio, one interview on Radio Newcastle
► Website page views ~ over 90,000 per peak month for TRT and Fish Tyne
► Tyne Angling Passport beats ~ there are now 27 operational beats in the catchment
31st January 2010
Tyne Rivers Trust ~ Project Progress in 2009