
Lower Kennet Restoration Campaign


PETITION TO ENCOURAGE THE URGENT RE-STOCKING OF THE RIVER KENNET IN THE READING AREA!
After many years in serious decline, fish stocks
in the River Kennet around Reading have reached such perilously low
levels, that most species of coarse fish are now at the
brink of total extinction from many stretches.
This
perilous position has been reached despite the fact that, today the Kennet provides an
excellent habitat for most native species of coarse fish.
The local
organisation that manages most of the waters under threat is the
Reading and District Angling Association (R&DAA). For a
number of years, the association has worked extremely hard in a well
intentioned effort to improve the river environment and thus help fish
numbers recover. This approach, with its focus on long term
sustainability, depends on the existence of a viable population of each
fish species.
Unfortunately, fish
stocks in the River Kennet around Reading have
already fallen well below the level at which they are able to
regenerate themselves naturally. In light of the many threats posed
to coarse fish in the waters, only a major re-stocking programme can
offer any hope of restoring the river to its former glory.
With only a
few very large, elderly specimens of Chub and Barbel still lurking in a number
of stretches of the river in this area, the overall picture
is extremely grim, especially when compared to the healthy river that
existed less than thirty years ago.
In
the 1980’s fish stocks in the Kennet were very healthy
and most river species (Chub, Barbel, Dace, Roach, Perch
and Gudgeon) were present in abundance. Anglers flocked to the banks
in great numbers, some from long distances. Those that were able to
master the appropriate technique for fishing fast flowing water were often
rewarded with impressive catches.
There
are many factors that have contributed to the almost total decimation of the population of
coarse fish in the River Kennet: Predation by Mink, Cormorants and
Otter; water extraction;the damaging impact on the natural
habitat by‘Red Signal’ Crayfish; illegal poaching and the
loss of spawning areas due to silting of gravel beds.
Whilst
the collapse of fish stocks in the river has seen anglers desert the Kennet in
vast numbers, most still view the water with great affection. Many
of these disenchanted anglers would happily abandon commercial carp
fisheries and return to the beautiful River Kennet, if only there was a
realistic hope of catching something.
Despite
the best efforts of the association over many years,it has been
unable to regenerate the fish stocks in the River Kennet by focusing on
habitat alone.Without a sufficient breeding population or large
enough head of juvenile fish, the River Kennet stands no chance of recovering.
The
only hope for a recovery in fish stocks in the River Kennet around
Reading lies in a change of policy by the R&DAA and an urgent and
sustained re-stocking programme.
Whilst
the association has long been happy to invest in stock fish for its still water
venues, it has up to now steadfastly refused to extend this approach to the
River Kennet. However, with the natural habitat of the River Kennet
now restored to such good condition, a significant and
sustained re-stocking programme has a high probability
of success. The river can once again be the jewel in the
R&DAA’s crown if only the association is prepared to invest in its
greatest asset.
What
can you do to help save the Lower Kennet?
1. Please sign this petition, (to help demonstrate to the R&DAA the weight of feeling).
2. If
you are a member of a club associated to the R&DAA, speak to your club
secretary. Ask them to lobby the association and request an urgent change
of policy. Ensure that they apply real pressure for change at association
meetings. Local anglers pay a lot of money to fish waters that are almost
devoid of fish and have a right for their concerns to be addressed.
3. Regardless
of whether or not you are an R&DAA member you can contact the association's
fisheries officer, Del Shackleford, direct via Twitter @Delshack. Be
polite, but keep up the pressure for change. The R&DAA has tried the
same approach for many years and it is clearly not working. It is time
for change!
4. Spread
the word! Blog,
email and Tweet about this topic, mention it on Facebook. Speak to other anglers about getting the
R&DAA to start re-stocking the Kennet.
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