Anglers are being offered a chance to see behind the scenes at the Environment Agency’s fish monitoring facilities at Riding Mill near Corbridge in Northumberland.
The facility monitors salmon and sea trout in the River Tyne and collects information on the number of adult fish returning to spawn and juveniles migrating out to sea. Hosting a fish counter, an underwater video system and two fish traps, one for smaller fish and one for adults. The information gathered at Riding Mill is used to help manage the fishery.
Open Days are being held on Friday 9th and Saturday 10th of November. Visitors will be given a guided tour of the Mill which will enable them to see at first hand how the centre works.
They will also be able to take part on a fish scale reading workshop, where the techniques used to assess the age and growth of fish will be demonstrated, and see how electric fishing is used to survey populations of juvenile salmon and trout in the Tyne.
Expert staff from the Environment Agency will be on hand to answer questions and provide an update on progress with the salmon and sea trout monitoring work underway on the river.
Niall Cook, ecological appraisal officer at the Environment Agency said: “In providing valuable information on fish catches and fishing effort, anglers play an important role in our monitoring work. These open days give us a chance to explain to them how this and the information we gather from our monitoring at Riding Mill helps us to conserve and manage stocks of game fish on the river.”
Visitors are being offered a choice of attending one of four sessions spread over the two days.
Session 1 – Friday 9th November – 10am to 12noon
Session 2 – Friday 9th November – 2pm to 4pm
Session 3 – Saturday 10th November – 10am to 12noon
Session 4 – Saturday 10th November – 2pm to 4pm
Entrance to the open day is free but spaces are limited to a maximum of 15 visitors per session. To reserve a place on one of the sessions please ring the Environment Agency’s external relations team on 0191 203 4179 or email elizabeth.bunting@environment-agency.gov.uk
