I remember having a chat with an EA regional boss a few years ago on the bank, and Sturgeon came up in the conversation – plan was to remove all none native varieties of Sturgeon and re-locate them into 5 regional land locked still waters , as they apparently carry parasites and diseases native Atlantic Sturgeon can't cope with. It was then hoped that Atlantic Sturgeon would naturally and with a bit of help re-populate British Rivers (Which was actually starting to happen)
It was 4-5 years ago, not heard much about any progress to date, other than Mal's post.
Ps, Wels Catfish were once actually native to the British Isles, when excavations have been being carried out on the British side of “Doggerland” (The area between Britain and continental Europe that was once dry land) fish bones that were found in Neolithic village sites when tested – happened to be Wels Catfish bones!
It was 4-5 years ago, not heard much about any progress to date, other than Mal's post.
Ps, Wels Catfish were once actually native to the British Isles, when excavations have been being carried out on the British side of “Doggerland” (The area between Britain and continental Europe that was once dry land) fish bones that were found in Neolithic village sites when tested – happened to be Wels Catfish bones!
Last one caught in the Wye by all accounts was in the 19th century in 1846 at 182lb which is setup in the Hereford Museum, but I seem to remember reading an article once that I'm sure one of between 60 to 80lb was caught around the time of the 2nd World War.
I have to admit I've caught loads abroad to 114lb and they are an annoyance when not the intended species also some lakes as mentioned when theres only a few they do and I have caught the same fish more than once in the same week.
As a native species to the rivers which is what the article is about "reintroduction of said species" your not going to get anywhere with convincing arguments not to introduce them if the decisions been made, I doubt it will be a success anyway the rivers are a different landscape to what they were a century or more ago hence the reason they died out.
I've still yet to see the devastation that was predicted around 2007 when a lake that the dam wall collapsed on spewing catfish into the Lugg of over 100lb along with hundreds of baby kittens, I though by now there would be reports regularly of them getting caught in the Lugg as well as the Wye which the Lugg feeds into, the EA electro fished the river for weeks locally to the area they entered and only ever caught one small kitten, now they thrive in the **** and the rivers full of it, hopefully they never do populate in the numbers that they can as that would be the kiss of death on the Lugg and the Wye and a fish I detest catching more than a sturgeon.
I have to admit I've caught loads abroad to 114lb and they are an annoyance when not the intended species also some lakes as mentioned when theres only a few they do and I have caught the same fish more than once in the same week.
As a native species to the rivers which is what the article is about "reintroduction of said species" your not going to get anywhere with convincing arguments not to introduce them if the decisions been made, I doubt it will be a success anyway the rivers are a different landscape to what they were a century or more ago hence the reason they died out.
I've still yet to see the devastation that was predicted around 2007 when a lake that the dam wall collapsed on spewing catfish into the Lugg of over 100lb along with hundreds of baby kittens, I though by now there would be reports regularly of them getting caught in the Lugg as well as the Wye which the Lugg feeds into, the EA electro fished the river for weeks locally to the area they entered and only ever caught one small kitten, now they thrive in the **** and the rivers full of it, hopefully they never do populate in the numbers that they can as that would be the kiss of death on the Lugg and the Wye and a fish I detest catching more than a sturgeon.
In reply to Post #1
They are not on the cusp of extinction, there are millions of them in the Pacific Northwest of the USA.
They are not on the cusp of extinction, there are millions of them in the Pacific Northwest of the USA.
In reply to Post #18
Not as many as there used to be, they tag and release Sturgeon in Canada to monitor numbers.
LINK
Not as many as there used to be, they tag and release Sturgeon in Canada to monitor numbers.
LINK
In reply to Post #18
Are they the same species though?
Are they the same species though?
In reply to Post #20
The one in North America and Canada are a different species to the European and Atlantic Sturgeon.
The ones over there are white sturgeon.
The one in North America and Canada are a different species to the European and Atlantic Sturgeon.
The ones over there are white sturgeon.
Horrid things - I know they replaced Salmon in Scotland but recently extinct after the husband bought a caravan with party funds...
In reply to Post #16
, Wels Catfish were once actually native to the British Isles, when excavations have been being carried out on the British side of “Doggerland” (The area between Britain and continental Europe that was once dry land) fish bones that were found in Neolithic village sites when tested – happened to be Wels Catfish bones!
Wow!
I knew barbel were limited to the East Coast, Thames to Trent, everything in the West is stocked by mankind, so Severn and Wye are not indigenous fish.
, Wels Catfish were once actually native to the British Isles, when excavations have been being carried out on the British side of “Doggerland” (The area between Britain and continental Europe that was once dry land) fish bones that were found in Neolithic village sites when tested – happened to be Wels Catfish bones!
Wow!
I knew barbel were limited to the East Coast, Thames to Trent, everything in the West is stocked by mankind, so Severn and Wye are not indigenous fish.
In reply to Post #23
Everything in the west? Really? Surely there must be some species that are indigenous?
Or do you just mean the barbel in the west?
Everything in the west? Really? Surely there must be some species that are indigenous?
Or do you just mean the barbel in the west?
In reply to Post #23
The Thames and trent were once tributaries of the danube.
The Thames and trent were once tributaries of the danube.
In reply to Post #24
Barbel.
Barbel.