| International
Conference Heralds New Era in Partnership Working |
Over 200 delegates from around the world travelled to Newcastle-Gateshead
in October for the 15th International Salmonid Conference, the
first time the event has ever been held in the UK. The event
was hosted by the Association of Rivers Trusts (ART), the umbrella
environmental charity of the Rivers Trust movement. It also incorporated
ART's Annual Awards Dinner and witnessed a significant step forward
in the development of the Rivers Trust movement in England & Wales
with the launch of a Partnership Agreement with the Environment
Agency (EA).
The conference drew scientists and practitioners from North
America, Russia, Iceland, Scandinavia and EU member states. Held
at the impressive BALTIC Centre for Contemporary ART overlooking
the River Tyne and with the conference title “Salmonids
in the 21st Century”, speakers and field visits focussed
on four themes:
- Post Industrial River Recovery
- Marine & Climate Change
- River Basin Challenges
- Fisheries Management
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Speakers on
the first two days of the event painted a complex picture
and highlighted concerns over salmon survival at sea,
habitat degradation and disease including Gyrodactylus
Salaris. However there was much to be positive about,
with the recovery of the Tyne leading a number of post
industrial improving rivers in the North of England
including the Mersey, together with many smaller improving
rivers in Wales. Presentations from North America were
able to contrast management issues relating to Pacific
salmon and other native species and compare surviving
pristine habitats with those impacted by the activities
of man. 2006 has just recorded one the highest average
summer temperatures on record in the UK, and
James Savereide of the Alaska Department of Fish and
Game reminded us that even their vast wild salmon stocks
are vulnerable to climate change.
With regard to global warming all was not doom and gloom.
In the face of low summer rainfall, heavy abstraction and
increasing temperatures, the Spanish representative Juan
Antonio Lázaro Menéndez explained how salmon
and trout in Asturias not only survive but provide exceptional
sport for some 40,000 anglers in this picturesque region
of Northern Spain. The conference field visits taking place
on the final two days were strongly supported
by overseas visitors and were hosted by the Tweed Foundation,
Eden Rivers Trust and the recently formed Tyne Rivers Trust
on their respective rivers. Delegates saw salmon and sea
trout being tagged for research on the Tweed, the EA’s
Kielder hatchery, fish research traps and counter on the
Tyne and habitat restoration and use of underwater “ROV” cameras
used for education on the Eden. |
| Netting Salmon on the Tweed for research |
ART
is extremely grateful to all our sponsors for their
generous support of the Conference, which effectively
allowed us to break-even. They were:- American Fisheries
Society, Trout Unlimited, WWF/HSBC, Environment Agency,
Atlantic Salmon Trust, The Fishmongers’ Company, Union des Terres
de Rivieres ( EU Interreg IIIC), Atlantic Salmon
Arc Project, APEM, Salmon & Trout Association, Barbour
Trust, ACA, Wild Trout Trust, Institute of Fisheries
Management, Blackwell Publishing and Fishway Engineering.
Generous backing was also given by Greggs, the bakers,
who also provided the packed lunches for the field
visits. |
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