Considering the idea of “future-proofing Sidmouth” by looking after the Sid, what better can we do than ensure salmon can once again find their way up the river. Not only would this be a sure way of ensuring the health of the river itself, it would also promote the health of the wider environment which feeds into and relies on the River Sid.
The plan is that we should try restoring the River Sid to ‘good ecological status’ – and that means helping salmon along the Sid. Meanwhile, along the River Exe. the annual Salmon Run raises the profile of this most iconic of fish species.
The catchment areas in the South West can take courage from successful attempts to do just that in others parts of the country as fish passes are bringing salmon and eels back to rivers.
As reported in the Herald and on BBC Spotlight this week, a project to help Atlantic salmon in Devon is showing signs of success:
More than 1,000 tonnes of gravel has been added to a river since 2015 to improve Atlantic salmon populations. South West Water (SWW) and Westcountry Rivers Trust have worked on the project for 11 years to restore spawning habitats at the River Teign, below Fernworthy Reservoir.
Olivia Cresswell, head of fisheries and ecology at WRT, said: “Dams and reservoirs reduce the natural supply of gravel and stones to downstream spawning grounds. We’ve brought the habitat back to something very close to pre-reservoir conditions.” She said salmon and trout species, which used gravel to create nests, were “already utilising these habitats” – heading further up the river than previously recorded.
Dr Georgina Samoluk, fisheries and biodiversity advisor at SWW, said the work was “vital”. “None of the 16 principal salmon rivers in Devon and Cornwall currently support support sustainable salmon populations,” she said. “Every step we take is important. Managing flows and protecting the fragile ecosystems that salmon rely on are at the heart of our work within the environment team.”
After all, as also reported by the BBC after the fish lift on the Sid in November, we can say that salmon are functionally extinct in this Devon river, due to the weir. That is something the various stakeholders will be addressing in earnest over the coming year.
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