Some History of Salmon Catches River Wye 1956 to 1993
There have been major fluctuations in the success of Salmon fishing on the River Wye in the last 50 years with a 95% reduction in catches during the period 1986-1995. There are many reasons for this massive decline, this article makes no attempt to determine right from wrong simply to record historical information.
Following are notes and articles on the rivers performance and reason retrieved from a number sources including the annual Wye River Board and National River Authority annual reports for the period.
The Wye River Board (WRB) report for 1956 mentions the death of Robert Pashley, renowned for reputedly catching in excess of 10000 Wye salmon. Robert Pashley had been a member of the WRB since 1912 and it's chairman and vice chairman for a number of years. Fishing in 1956 was reported as disappointing except for below Monmouth. The river being very low through spring and summer with continuous frost and 'floating ice through February and March! More than half the total rod catch of 2042 fish (average weight 12.6lb) was taken in the lower river (Ross to Sea) with more than a third (739) being taken in four fisheries with both Bigsweir 274 and Beaufort Hotel (Cadora) 195 recording their best ever recorded figures! The river nets also had their best year for 20years recording 20982 fish. Although spawning was considered less than for the previous 5 years due to low water redds were reported right up to Pant Mawr on the Plynlimon approaches and as low down as Brockweir with the favoured fords in the middle and upper river the most prolific.
After what was described as a promising early spring 1957 again proved a disappointment for rods. The lower fisheries, however, had a fairly good year with the largest share of the catch of 2733 fish (average 13lb). The improvement over 1956 was all attributable to the middle ( Hay to Ross) and upper river (above Hay) with large numbers of fish reported remaining in the tidal waters due to low flow. Fish of 40.5lb at Bartonsham in March, 43lb at Wyelands in April and 40lb at Bigsweir in May were reported. Interesting to note that much discussion took place in report re what was considered to be the reasons for poorer catches generally in the upper river. It was stated that 'it was an incontrovertible fact that to stock the upper waters well with fish a good supply of salmon and a sufficiency of running waters was essential. Neither could be taken in isolation! It seems that as far back as 1944 Robert Pashley had determined that in order for salmon to run to any extent the river must be above 2ft on the gauge at Hereford.
Interesting to note that in 1958 the WRB employed 10 full time (paid) Water Bailiffs and 17 Honorary (unpaid) Fisheries Bailiffs! There was again an improvement in the 1957 rod catch to 3619 fish ( average 14.2lb) a figure only bettered in 12 years since beginning of century. Interesting to see that whilst the average was improving it was still considered lower that 'in the past', no details provided but the mind boggles! Early spring river levels were good with a record 21 fish recorded in January and the upper river benefiting with 1027 being caught above Hay for the season, 371 of which were caught above Builth Wells! A fish of 44lb was caught at Stacklands in May. Netting total for the river was very poor with only 1375 (compared with the 20982 recorded in 1956) recorded. Demand for Salmon for food was considered very high and average fish market prices of 8s 4d ( 42p) per lb were recorded! 375 fish deaths were reported mainly in the area between Builth Wells and Hay due it seems to hot low summer water, although this number was considered low!
The 1959 season petered out in early June due to dead low water, Of the 2845 fish caught (averaging 14lb) 2619 were caught before end of June, mainly in the middle river ( Hay to Ross) in April and May when exceptionally good water conditions were experienced. A fish of 41lb was recorded at Lower Winforton in April. No changes in the general condition of the water were reported, the rivers and streams considered generally satisfactory. However, whilst the second stage of the Ross sewage scheme was complete and discharge of crude sewage to the river was considered to have stopped, heavy discharges of domestic sewage was still being made at Builth, Hay, Leominster and Bromyard despite the requirements of the Prevention of Pollution Act (1951). A further 13 applications were approved during the year for discharge to the river!
Reports of a huge 51.5lb fish, caught at Bigsweir in May, marked the 1962 season (3107 fish, average weight 13.7lb). As in 1961, the most prolific reach of the river was the lower from Ross to the sea. This was due to the fact that in June, July and August river levels were too low to enable fish to ascend the river. The October catch of 61 fish was taken entirely above Builth Wells!
By 1964 the WRB staff included 13 full time (paid) Water Bailiffs and 22 Honorary (unpaid) Fisheries Bailiffs and there were 27 prosections for such offences as 'groping for trout', 'in possession of light and gaff', 'fishing with maggot or prawn' and 'fishing with unlicenced instruments! The rod catch for 1964 was considered good at 3667 (average weight 14.2lb) although was lower than the 4505 fish recorded by rods in 1963. However due to the long summer dry period most fish were caught below Hereford and which compelled fish to stay in the lower reaches. One fish of 41.5lb was recorded at Symonds Yat in May. Spawning activity for the year was considered excellent as indeed it was in 1963 with. Poaching activity as a result was high with at least on van from London being detained for illegally transporting fish! A smolt tagging scheme recorded recaptures of 109 tagged fish from a release of 21254 tagged fish in the Wye, Usk and Severn. Of these 109 recaptures 7 were made in gill nets in Greenland, 1 in sea off South Devon, 12 in River Parrett estuary, 47 in Severn, 36 in Wye and 6 in Usk!
The 1965 season opened well with plenty of water and by the end of March was about the same as previous seasons. However the April catch of 1260 fish was greater than the April catch for the last 4 years combined! The total season catch of 4171 fish (average weight 13.8lb) had only been exceeded three times since 1945. It was noted that there appeared to a tendency also towards bigger grisle runs including a very heavy run of late autumn grisle which did not enter river until after the end of the fishing season. One fish of 42lb was recorded at Erwood in April. A number of good sea trout were reported in catches including two at Hay weighting 4lb and 5lb and eight at Erwood including a fish of 8lb!
During the period 1966 to 1971 the annual rod catch had averaged 5413 fish with a peak of 7864 fish in 1967 of which 4842 were recorded as being over 15lb! 1971 saw 5094 fish (average weight 1.44lb) caught including two good fish of 34.5lb and 39lb in March. Sustained high water in June resulted in a months catch of 1687 fish, spread out well throughout the river! As a result probably of the high numbers of fish in the river there was a considerable increase in poaching activity, particularly around Chepstow and a marked viscious streak in attacks on bailiff's property and anonymous 'threatening phone calls. The Wye River Authority (WRA) by now having replaced the old WRB responded by increasing bailiffs to 12 paid and 30 honorary resulting in 36 prosecutions! Spawning activity was recorded exceptionally early in 1971 with redds being observed at Newbridge on Wye on 6th September! UDN (Ulcerative Dermal Necrosis) first seen in the river in 1968 had become firmly established by 1970 and was reported as markedly reduced in 1971, although observed in salmon, trout and other species. Whilst it was considered that UDN did not appear to have affected spawning the effects were observed in significant numbers of kelts and dramatically increased at the end of the spawning period. The total fish recorded as having died from UDN was 2831 in 1968 and by 1971 had declined to 741 . Its interesting to note that many more fish were recorded as spawning in 1971 compared to 1970! Minks, Herons, Cormorants, Mergansers and Goosanders were all considered significant menaces and the Authorities were offering �2 per head for Mink killed. Herons werepresent in large numbers and had bred well during 1970 and 1971. Cormorants were considered as 'much too numerous'!
The 1973 season opened on a very high note and a 34lb fish was taken on opening day. A number of big fish were caught up to the end of April including fish of 38lb, 36lb, 35lb and a considerable number over 30lb. For the first time for a number of years a fish of over 40lb (43lb) was taken. Although UDN was observed as present on some fish, most caught were in 'excellent condition, of very good colour and deep proportions'. The rod catch for the year was 5542 (average weight 13.7lb), 3333 of which were caught below Hereford. Average market price for Salmon at 70p (14s 0d in old money) had reached its highest recorded point! A good year for spawning, the highest density of cut redds was between Winfirton and Bridge Sollars! The decline of UDN noted in 1971 was reversed in 1973, probably as a result of very mild weather and water conditions with in excess of 800 fresh fish and 500 kelts taken from the river apperently dead as a result of UDN.
1976, the year of the drought! Catch for season at 3438 was half of the 1975 figure of 6796. Long before the end of June had given up any idea of salmon fishing until there was an appreciable rise in the river. The flowering heads of ranunculus covered the whole river and was a probable contributary factor to the lower river fish mortality. Some 462 salmon recorded having succumbed to oxygen deficiency. Disolved oxygen saturation levels as low as 14% were recorded against the level at which salmon are considered to be disturbed of 60%. River teperatures of 80deg F were recorded at Monmouth. Of the catch only 101 fish of under 8lb, which were deemed to be Grilse, were recorded! against a long term average of 31.2% the upper river catch was only 5.9% of the total.
Again like 1976 the 1982 season was blighted by drought and the weather didn't break significantly until October. The rod catch of 2228 was the seventh lowest since 1946. Once again very low water conditions encouraged poaching and both bailiffs and police mounted joint operations to carry the battle against what was described as 'a very serious threat to fish stocks'! average weight of fish caught at 12.08lb continued to decline and the magic 30lb was only exceeded on a few occassions, pride of place going to a 41lb fish from Whitney Court on 27th March and a number of fish in the high 20's were recorded. Redd count was 50% down on previous year. There were reports of 71 dead salmon attributed to UDN This was highest recorded incident for a number of years and probably linked in some way to the low water temperature experienced during spring. There were a total of 80 cases prosecuted for illegal fishing. 87500 ova were retained in the hatchery for Wye spring Fry restocking and 41000 sold for stocking other rivers in Wales. However for the first time since 1974 no ova laid down for future stocking!
For the second year running the 1983 rod catch at 2460 was nearer 2000 than 3000. Season started with 20lb + fish on opening day from Erwood, Moccas and Ross. These were followed on 18th March with fish of 30lb and 40lb from Hereford and Ballingham respectively! These 4SW fish were backed up by two 38lb 4SW from Hay and Builth. The very good weights of fish caught in the early season was maintained in April with fish of 30lb at Llanstephan, 38lb at Wyecliffe, 35lb at Holme Lacy, 30lb at Tintern, 38lb at Groes Park, Builth Wells and 26lb at Newbridge on Wye. However this early season boom soon drifted away with the catch petering out to a second year of poor overall catches. Its also interesting to note a number of sea trout in the 2-3lb category with the best at 4lb+ were reported around Monmouth on opening day! Patrol boats were reported as being used to great effect deterring poachers in the Wye and Usk estuaries. By 1983 the price of Wye salmon at market had risen to �2.43 per lb. The redd count again reported as disappointing at about 40% of that in 1982 and great concern was expressed at the second successive poor spawnings, particularly as the bulk of the redds reported were in the Irfon catchment. As commented on above there were no eggs laid down in 1982 and as a result no stocking of parr took place this year, however 227000 ova were laid down for stocking as onfed fry in March 1984.
To be continued soon...................
