4 March 2010, 8:43 am
Salmon have to ascend two major obstacles. The first is a set of hatches at Bindon Mill and the second is the Loud’s Mill Weir at Dorchester. Once beyond there, the fish can reach the rich spawning gravels of the upper Frome and tributaries.
Analysis, by the Centre of Ecology and Hydrology (C.E.H) of tagged smolts (young salmon migrating to sea) indicates that survival of salmon parr (baby salmon in the river) is less than 30% in the main stem of the middle river and as much as 80% in upper river tributaries. This underlines the value of making it as easy as possible for salmon to reach the upper catchment.
The Environment Agency first improved the Bindon Mill hatches in 2008.
Then the completion of the Loud’s Mill fish pass in January 2009 at Dorchester and was partly funded by donations given to the FP&WDFA. Oliver Letwin MP officially unveiled the new fish pass at a special ceremony.
Charles Dutton, Richard Slocock with Richard Cresswell (Regional Director SW from Environment Agency)
Press coverage: Environment Agency and the BBC (including a video clip)
Filed under Conservation, Dorset Wildlife Trust, East Stoke Fishery Research Station, English Nature, Environment Agency, Fish Pass, Funding, Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, Loud’s Mill, Salmon, Westcountry's Rivers Trust.
3 March 2010, 8:02 pm
Annual gravel cleaning and redd counting: 44 more redds recorded in 08/09 above Dorchester for the first time;
Continuing the promotion of river-sensitive farming methods in the upper catchment;
New hatch opening regime implemented at Palmers’ Brewery in Bridport, allowing Sea Trout and Salmon access to new spawning grounds;
Successful campaigning against the closure of England’s top Fishery Research Station at East Stoke;
Ongoing consultation with the EA regarding the implementation of the Frome water level management plan and the Salmon Action Plan.
Annual gravel cleaning and redd counting: 44 more redds recorded in 08/09 above Dorchester for the first time;
Continuing the promotion of river-sensitive farming methods in the upper catchment;
New hatch opening regime implemented at Palmers’ Brewery in Bridport, allowing Sea Trout and Salmon access to new spawning grounds;
Successful campaigning against the closure of England’s top Fishery Research Station at East Stoke;
Ongoing consultation with the EA regarding the implementation of the Frome water level management plan and the Salmon Action Plan.
River Frome Webcam
