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Fish

It is widely accepted that there has been a global decline in Atlantic Salmon and our Salmon & Trout Research Centre at East Stoke in Dorset monitors this decline using a fish counter which was first installed in 1973. It is one of the most comprehensive records of salmon movement in England ...

Barrel jellyfish

Barrel jellyfish You may see jellyfish washed up on the seashore at various times of year, but we’re coming into the season where you might encounter one of the biggest: the barrel jellyfish (Rhizostoma pulmo). We have six species of jellyfish around the coasts of Britain, and two visiting jellyf...

Monitoring for Migratory Fish (MorFish)

In June 2012 the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust Fisheries department was successful in its €2.5 million Interreg IVA channel programme funding application to the EU. The project is called MorFish (Monitoring For Migratory Fish) and involves working in partnership with the Institut Nationa...

Fish

Salmon survival in the sea: Bigger is better

Key points Atlantic salmon populations have declined recently because they are surviving their time at sea less well. It is thought that factors like food availability for young salmon (smolt) in rivers during their freshwater life-phase could affect body size, therefore impacting their subseque...

How does river flow and temperature affect survival of young European grayling?

Key points European grayling are important for fisheries across Europe. However, some populations have declined in recent years. This study aimed to understand how river flow and temperature can affect how well they survive from eggs to young fish. Every autumn between 2009 and 2016, young grayl...

Position statement on the tighter regulation of salmon farming

The MSA has already confirmed that it supports the urgent implementation of a new system of regulation for fish farms. This regulation must include: The clear identification of a Scottish public authority with the statutory function of protecting wild fish from the negative interactions of salmo...

Which river characteristics provide better habitat for young salmon and trout?

Key points Salmon and trout populations are declining, perhaps partly because of changes to their freshwater habitats.  Understanding which river characteristics provide better habitat for young salmon and trout can help river managers to maintain healthy populations of these fishes. This study ...

Bullhead

Bullhead Every so often you come across a plant or animal that looks as if it might be in the wrong place. When I first saw a bullhead (Cottus gobio) on a fish survey in a stream near the coast of Anglesey, I thought it was a marine goby that was terribly lost. The bullhead is a member of the spi...

Electro-fishing and parr tagging on the River Frome

Each September, our fisheries team catch, weigh, measure and tag over 10,000 salmon parr. A process called electro-fishing, in which an electric current is used to stun the fish so that they can be caught in nets, is what makes this huge endeavour possible. The tagging of a significant proportion...