Monthly Archives: November 2015

Dear Anglers, I’m hoping to meet lots of you out on the banks of the glorious River Teme over the next couple of years, whilst I carry out research for a PhD with Bournemouth University. The project is in collaboration with the Severn Rivers Trust, the Barbel Society and the Environment Agency. The research focuses on the European barbel, but river fish communities and interactions will also be investigated. I’ll be studying a number of stretches from Ashford Carbonell all the way down to the confluence at the Severn, covering around 55 kilometres of the River Teme.

I’m investigating what environmental factors may have a role to play in the successes and failures of the barbel population since their introduction to the River Severn in the 1950’s. There are five main subjects I am hoping to look at during my research in the River Teme:

1. Historical and current population levels of barbel and other coarse fish
Fish populations are cyclic, increasing and decreasing over time, these changes can be caused by both natural and human factors. We are investigating changes in the River Teme barbel population levels over time. I am collecting data from a number of sources, however, local anglers are a vital source of information and this is where I am looking for your help. I’m collecting historical catch records from local anglers, I also want to collect current catch data over the next three years in an online survey.

2. The health of the River Teme barbel and other coarse fish
We can tell a lot about the health of a fish by looking at growth rates. We will be collecting information of sizes of fish, as a minimum we want to collect length information. […]

This year’s Rivers Trust Autumn Conference is being hosted by the Severn Rivers Trust at the Engine Shop, Ironbridge Gorge Museum, Coalbrookdale, Shropshire, TF8 7DQ on Tuesday 24th November 2015. The conference will be the launch of our HLF “Springs of Rivers” project with a review of the WWF and Rivers Trust WaterLIFE project. We will also be discussing ongoing projects and the Catchment Based Approach.

We invite you to attend the conference, as our guest for the day and the draft agenda is below. We hope that you will be able to join us. Please advise the undersigned if you are able to attend the conference and or the field trip as soon as possible. Further details will be circulated nearer to the event.

The Rivers Trust Autumn Conference 2015

Tuesday 24th and Wednesday 25th November 2015

The Engine Shop, Ironbridge Gorge Museum, Coalbrookdale, Telford, Shropshire TF8 7DQ.

Hosted by the Severn Rivers Trust

Springs of Rivers

Book Here

Draft Agenda

Tuesday 24th November 2015

09:00 Arrival & Registration

09:30 Welcome & Announcements

09:35 Opening Comments Arlin Rickard CEO The Rivers Trust

Session 1: Springs of Rivers Chair: Tony Bostock CEO Severn Rivers Trust

09:40 The Severn in Trust Tony Bostock Severn Rivers Trust

10:00 HLF Springs of Rivers Project Mike Morris Severn Rivers trust

10:25 Teme SSSI Lynne Farquhar Natural England

10:50 Q&A

11:00 – 11:30 Tea and Coffee Break

Session 2: WaterLIFE Chair: Rob Collins, Head of Policy The Rivers Trust

11:30 WaterLIFE Overview – One Year On Hannah Blackburn, WWF-UK

11:55 Progress in the Camlad Catchment Peter Powell, Severn Rivers Trust

12:20 Progress in the Soar Catchment Ruth Needham, Trent Rivers Trust

12:45 Q&A

13:00-14:00 Lunch

Session 3: Species Chair: Mike Morris, Deputy Director – Severn Rivers Trust

14:00 Teme Barbel PhD project Catherine Gutmann-Roberts, Bournemouth University

14:25 Shad-Unlocking the Severn for People & Wildlife Peter Birch, […]

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