Protecting diversity, the environment and salmon restoration in the River Dove

NEWS

Headlines

2007

Annual General Meeting 2007

The Annual General Meeting will take place on Thursday 15th November from7.00pm at the Quality Hotel, Ashbourne, Derbys.

In addition to the normal AGM business the Wildlife Trusts are giving two short presentations. The first concerns their water vole project. This is a project the Trust is actively supporting because of the importance of the species to the riverine environment.

The second presentation will be about a proposed scheme to monitor the activities of crayfish, with particular reference to the activities of the invasive American Signal crayfish.

Anybody in with an interest in the work of the Trust is very welcome to attend. There is no entry fee.

SALMON in the CITY

The Mayor of Derby Councillor Pauline Latham OBE launches the salmon in the City project by releasing salmon into the River Derwent from the steps of the Council House. For more in depth information go to Salmon in the City

Presentation by the Trust to Derbyshire Wildlife Trust

The Trust attended The Eco Fest at Derby's Markeaton Park in September. We were priveleged to have the Mayor of Derby Councillor Pauline Latham OBE present on our behalf a cheque for £1000 to the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust to support their very successful Water Vole project

Alan Titchmarsh with trustees David Hunter and Tony O'Dowd

Alan Titchmarsh hosted the series finale of the "Saving Planet Earth" series at Kew. Alan is the President of the Chatsworth Game Fair and he was able to snatch some time from a very busy show schedule to visit the Trent Rivers Trust stand. Alan demonstrated that he had a depth of knowledge and interest in the importance of the work being carried out by organisations such as the Trent Rivers Trust.

Toyah Wilcox and her film crew came to last years stocking in order to make a programme specifically as part of the successful BBC series Saving Planet Earth which was shown during the Summer. If you missed the programme it can be seen on the BBC Stoke & Staffs web site. The Saving Planet Earth charity appeal was launched at the same time with the specific intention of assisting endangered species. The Trent Rivers Trust is hoping to secure the support of this funding for work it is carrying out during the course of 2008.

BBC presenter Dominic Heal at Spring Watch Derby

Dr Nick Everall and his very able assistant were the stars of the Trust's display at the Derby Spring Watch event held at Osmaston Park on a very damp Sunday at the end of June. The theme of this event was that we should all pledge to "DO ONE THING" for nature .

Thursday 11th January,

7.30pm

Quality Hotel

Ashbourne

The Trust is holding an open meeting at which the guest speaker will be Bob Marsden who is DEFRA's Catchment Sensitive Farming Advisor for the Peak District. Bob will be giving a presentation on his work and objectives which include improving water quality in the Peak District. He is very interested in working on target rivers such as the River Manifold and Hamps. How he aims to achieve this will be in his presentation. If you are interested in improving water quality in our rivers then this is your chance to put your questions and air your concerns.

2006

A film crew making a series about endangered species for the BBC spent the day with us to film this year's stocking of a further 160 000 parr. To our surprise the film crew were accompannied by Toyah Wilcox who will be presenting this episode.

Toyah dressed up in her wet suit to get into the river to help David Hunter put the new fish in the River Dove.

The Trust's Roadshow will be attending the Chatsworth Country Fair on 2nd and 3rd September 2006. At least 2 of the Trustees will be present. Please feel free to drop in for a chat and a cup of tea.

The Trust's Roadshow attended the Chatsworth Angling Fair on 20th and 21st May 2006. And the three of us were kept busy talking to new friends and supporters throughout a very wet and muddy weekend..

Work has started on the constructioon of a fish pass on the weir at Tutbury. To give an idea of the scale of what is involved in such a project here is a series of photographs showing various stages of the project.

Site of fish pass

River held back and weir breached

Side view of the breach

Construction gets underway

Aerial view

Completed pass looking downstrem

View from below the new fish pass

2005

Autumn 2005 saw the stocking of our 1,000,000 parr.

Pupils of the Abbotsholme School introduce the 1.000.000 salmon parr to the R. Dove

This picture taken by a Hull University fishery scientist on a mobile phone is the first recorded capture of an adult sea trout for almost 100 years. The presence once again of these fish is a direct result of the work carried out by the Trust on the salmon re-stocking project and is yet another example of how having a healthy population of salmon in the system is essential to re-storing bio-diversity to the river.

Smolt traps in position on the lower River Dove

Trapping, tagging and releasing smolts as they leave the river will form part of a scientific investigation into the salmon's life cycle. It will also measure the sucess of the re-introduction programme.

This year, 2004, 160,000 parr have been stocked into the R. Dove system. Become a supporter of the Trust to receive advanced notice of stocking and locations.

Geof Nickolds (Trustee) showing the quality of the stock fish to Midlands television camera man.

November 2004

Environment Agency staff find dead salmon

November 2004

Large salmon attempting to jump a weir. (photo courtesy of Burton Mail).

2003

August 2003

Environment Agency scientists confirm that juveniles found in the River Dove are not stocked fish but are true native fish spawned in the river!!

August 2003

At almost 6" this smolt is nearly ready to make its journey from the River Dove to the sea.

In July/August 2003 BBC Radio 4 broadcast a 5 part series entitled The Philosopher, the fish and the Dove. This programme was a celebration of the 350th anniversary of the publication of Izaak Walton's "Compleat Angler". The Trust was featured in the fourth of these programmes which had the theme of Salmon.

David Hunter (Sec. of the Trust) being interviewed by BBC Radio 4 for The Philosopher the fish and the Dove. The salmon were dealt with in Episode Four.

2001

October 2001

The return of the first salmon to reach the upper reaches of the River Dove. It is incredibly difficult to get a Photograph of a leaping fish, this time we were lucky!!