Help The Recovery of the Wye Salmon

Not before time. This river is now a disgrace, Even with the the nets off and putcher rank virtually closed extra fish from this source have shown very little affect. Millions have been spent, even an OBE awarded, articles in the press claiming victory and yet here we are looking down both barrels. A redundant NRW with no expertise within its ranks, head of fisheries with no field experience and now they ask us to do some work for them having cut off at the knees a project that most people supported -mainly because it was not WUF controlled.Namely the SNR project.
Some people need to eat humble pie -we don't blame them for trying but please admit things may not have been much worse had you(WUF) not been here at all.

In an article I read some time ago written by atlantic salmon conservationist Orri Vigfusson he added a very convincing economic argument.  He claims that a salmon caught on a line is worth around £1500 to the local economy as opposed to a net caught salmon being worth around £5.  

My point is that, in addition to the strong case for conservation of atlantic salmon, which naturally all fisherman whole-heartedly support, there is an equally powerful economic advantage in working to restore the stocks in the river: it would improve trade for all those businesses that depend on slamon fishers returning to the river year after year.

#1: -  

I have discussed this issue with a number of fishery scientists and believe that the NRW have definately made the right decision to close hatcheries. Although I agree that hatcheries seem like a proactive rapid and helpful approach to restock our rivers, the scientific data and studies actually show that hatcheries do more harm than good to our stocks of salmon. The big flaw in the hatchery approach can be likened to an arranged marriage between a non compatible cock and hen salmon - man is not capable of recognizing the right cock and right hen for spawning and the probability is the fry and parr will be genetically weaker than a natural stock. In nature (no intervention from man), salmon are very selective in choosing a mate and this is critical because they need to adapt to micro-environments within the river system (differences in pH, flow rates, insect availability). It is much better to invest our money on improving the river system and removing predators - nature is the best facility to deliver larger stocks of healthy salmon.

#17: concerned - Do NOT support this campaign !! 

There is absolutely no proof of any of the fears of Mr Concerned - it's just opinion masquerading as fact. In other words it is dogma! This years rod catch of 560 fish, some of which were caught more than once and others kelts reported as fresh fish, is simply appalling for a river the size of the Wye. This river needs all the help it can get and it needs it right now!

The declining Wye salmon stocks are indicative of a national and international crisis. We cannot just sit on our hands and do nothing.

#17: concerned - Do NOT support this campaign !! 

 This shows someone, (concerned?) who has never actually been out in the field and seen what actually happens.  Read a few books, a few papers by career researchers, denied the stockings that have worked all over the world, happy to let a scientists who  never got his hands dirty to cloud his thinking. Perhaps he would like to show us a scientist whose actual field work or even research has factually improved a salmon river rather than sitting at his computer all day try to rubbish someone else's work.  I will send you a postage stamp Mr Concerned to print your reply on.