Anglers are being offered the chance to visit the Environment Agency’s fish monitoring facilities at Riding Mill.
The site hosts a fish counter, an underwater video system and two fish traps, one for smolts and one for adults.
The site is set up to monitor salmon and sea trout in the River Tyne. It collects information about the number of adult fish returning to spawn and juvenile fish migrating out to sea, as well as the timing and nature of their migrations. The information collected is used to inform the management of the fishery.
Anglers will also be offered the chance to sign up to the Environment Agency’s log book scheme. This is a written record of catches made on the Tyne and the information is used alongside that from Riding Mill.
Niall Cook, ecological appraisal officer for the Environment Agency said: “It’s important that we have information about fish stocks and their migratory patterns, both for the management of the fishery and to help us assess the impact of the proposed second Tyne Tunnel on salmon and sea trout.
“The information collected at Riding Mill and via the log book scheme gives us the detailed information that we need to protect these valuable resources and make decisions about their management.â€
The Tyne is widely regarded as one of the best salmon rivers in England and Wales, with a record rod catch of 4,122 fish recorded in 2004. Last year was the second highest rod catch on record with 3,590 salmon declared caught by anglers.
The open days will take place on 20 and 21 May at 10am and 2pm and last approximately two hours. To book a place contact our External Relations team on 0191 2034176.
