Ogmore River Salmon Action Plan

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Fri Nov 21, 2008

Ogmore River Salmon Action Plan December 2002

<Contents>Introduction>Background>Current>Assessment>Public>Issues>Summary>Management>References>

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

In our Ogmore Salmon Action Plan Consultation Document, published and launched in September 2002, we described details of the Ogmore salmon stocks and their environment. We also highlighted what we believed to be the major constraints acting at present and proposed ways of reducing these to optimise stock levels on a sustainable basis.

In total, we distributed 22 copies to angling interests, and a further 31 copies to statutory consultee. Each copy was accompanied by a short questionnaire, which sought consultees’ views on the document. The response rate was good compared to the response rates observed in the consultation process for other Salmon Action Plans. 10 completed questionnaires were received from anglers and riparian owners. 5 formal responses were also received from different consultees. Results of the consultation questionnaire are shown below.

To the question whether consultees agreed with our views of the state of salmon stocks on the Ogmore, the majority (83%) agreed or partly agreed:

To the question whether consultees thought we had identified all the issues concerning salmon stocks in the catchment, only 17% agreed:

To the question whether consultees thought we are proposing the correct actions, 58% agreed:

There was some concern amongst respondents that not all the issues currently affecting salmon stocks within the catchment had been identified, although most of the comments received related to a change in emphasis on particular issues, rather than the identification of new issues. 58% of respondents felt that we were proposing the correct actions to deal with these issues.

The main issues identified through the consultation process related to the reliability of rod catch data, exploitation (both high seas fisheries and illegal exploitation), the impact of flood alleviation works and predation issues, with particular reference to cormorants, goosander and mink. Other issues raised included water quality, the spread of Japanese Knotweed, water abstraction, protection of the riparian zone, catch and release, litter and general funding of the plan.

A number of respondents questioned the relevance of a ‘salmon action plan’ for what is primarily a sea trout river. The main reasoning here is the fact that the Action Plan centres around the compliance against a ‘conservation limit’ for salmon. The model used in the egg target compliance assessment is currently not applicable to sea trout, due to their more complex life cycle. Nevertheless, many of the actions proposed in the SAP will result in benefits for sea trout as well as salmon.

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