DYLAN Roberts, a fisheries scientist at Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT), is drumming up support to secure much-needed funds for a revolutionary piece of technology that could unlock the mystery of declining sea trout numbers.
Donations received through the latest fundraising appeal will be used to buy data storage tags which are inserted into adult sea trout and record the temperature and depth every two minutes.
Each tag, roughly one inch in size, contains several sensors to measure crucial information to an internal memory. They need to be recovered to analyse the data and allow an insight into their marine behaviour.
Costing £300 each, the Trust is hoping to buy 300 tags across the duration of a five-year project called SAMARCH (SAlmonid MAnagement Round the CHannel - www.samarch.org).
The project is co-funded by the EU’s Interreg channel programme, which covers 69% of the overall cost, with GWCT left to stump up the rest (www.channelmanche.com).
“As a lifelong fisherman, I have fond memories of catching my first sea trout as a boy. The sight of a sea trout – or sewin as we know them in Wales – leaping in abundance, was a joy to behold, our rivers were full of these enigmatic fish,” recalled Dylan.
“Sadly, today our sea trout are in serious trouble with stocks at historic lows.
“But, by donating £93 (or £75 plus Gift Aid), you will cover the entire cost of a data storage tag to the GWCT and make a real contribution to the future of sea trout survival. This could provide an important insight to improve the way we manage coastal areas to reduce mortality. All donors will receive updates about the findings from the tags we recover.
“If you can, a donation of £125 will support not only the purchase of a tag, but also catching a sea trout and fitting the tag humanely. Please give whatever you can to support our work today.”
It is estimated that sea trout have declined by 70% since the 1970s. There are concerns regarding the bycatch of sea trout from coastal fishing activities and impacts from coastal developments and renewable energy schemes such as, wind farms, tidal lagoons and underwater turbines. Knowing where sea trout spend their time at sea will provide crucial evidence to help limit deleterious impacts.
Our research also shows that 80% of the young sea trout that leave our rivers die at sea, a figure which is continuing to grow. If we can increase the survival rate through more effective, evidence-based management, more adults returning to our rivers to spawn.
Dylan added: “Your support in buying new tags could help us find the answers to help our sea trout as time is running out and, if we don’t act quickly, it will be too late.”
To donate, visit https://www.gwct.org.uk/seatrout
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Notes to editors
The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust – providing research-led conservation for a thriving countryside. The GWCT is an independent wildlife conservation charity which has carried out scientific research into Britain’s game and wildlife since the 1930s. We advise farmers and landowners on improving wildlife habitats. We employ 22 post-doctoral scientists and 50 other research staff with expertise in areas such as birds, insects, mammals, farming, fish and statistics. We undertake our own research as well as projects funded by contract and grant-aid from Government and private bodies. The Trust is also responsible for a number of Government Biodiversity Action Plan species and is lead partner for grey partridge and joint lead partner for brown hare and black grouse.
For information, contact:
Eleanor Williams
Telephone: 07592 025476
Email: press@gwct.org.uk