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Salmon Roars Back: River Rewiggled, Numbers Soar
14 Nov
Summary
- Salmon fry numbers doubled in two years after river restoration.
- Rewiggled stream provides vital gravel for salmon egg-laying.
- Restored wetland now hosts diverse wildlife, including kingfishers.
An endangered breed of salmon is making a significant recovery in the Lake District following a pioneering river restoration project on Swindale Beck. The stream had been straightened in the 1800s to facilitate farming, which unfortunately scoured away the gravel beds crucial for salmon spawning.
A decade after the collaborative restoration effort by the RSPB and United Utilities, an Environment Agency survey revealed encouraging results. Newly hatched salmon fry were found at three locations, with their numbers more than doubling in the past two years.
This indicates the habitat is successfully providing the necessary environment to boost populations of one of the UK's most threatened fish species. The project involved restoring a 1km section of the river to its natural, winding course.
Further downstream work reconnected other sections with their floodplain, which reduced flood risk and created a richer variety of habitats for wildlife. In addition to salmon, the survey identified brown trout, lamprey, and eels.
The restored wetland has also become a haven for various plants and wildlife, including snipe, kingfishers, and goosander. Fisheries technical specialist Philip Ramsden highlighted the significance of finding more salmon fry and juvenile salmon, suggesting they are now spawning within the restored section.
Ramsden expressed optimism, stating that this marks the beginning of an accelerated establishment of the area as a vital stronghold for spawning and juvenile habitat for these fish, with this year's results being particularly pleasing.
