Hoveton Great Broad - PAC Update

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Jason Skilton
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Hoveton Great Broad - PAC Update

Post by Jason Skilton »

Message from John Currie, Gen Sec of PAC 30th January 2019

I met with Environmental Agency (EA), Natural England (NE), Angling Trust (AT), Broads angling services group (BASG) and representatives from Bournemouth University to hear the latest news of Norfolk’s Hoveton Great Broad (HGB) bio manipulation project.

EA presented their findings on the movement of bream and pike on and off the broad. They have been monitoring these movements for nearly four years using electronic tags and sonar cameras. The PAC have been involved from day 1 and the tagging side of the project has been of great interest and eye opening on distances travelled by pike and bream. It has also helped greatly in understanding fish movements generally.

The PAC had concerns at the start of the project when it was explained the broad would be cut off from the river and bream, roach, pike, carp would be removed in the bio manipulation. I and others pointed out we were aware it was a spawning site for pike. However, after EA’s investigations it appears it has not been used for spawning by pike in the past four years.
What has been shown is the broad is a spawning site for bream. The EA have estimated up to 1.2 tonnes of bream move on and off the broad. We were shown footage from the sonar cameras and shown data from the past 4 years that clearly proved how important the broad is for bream. We also had data from other broads to compare with HGB and clearly these broads were incomparable for fish numbers.
We then heard from NE who explained that the broad was probably not that significant in its importance as a spawning site and bream would spawn elsewhere when the broad was closed off!
However, they also pointed out the closure may have a significant impact for the bream! so take your pick.NE believe the bio manipulation would have a positive impact on the River Bure, water quality etc.NE believe the bream will spawn elsewhere, but seemed oblivious if this would be a successful spawning or not. They have no idea where these new spawning sites will be as they have not found them yet. The bream and NE have that in common at least. NE also suggested the bream may already have an alternative spawning site but alas once again this site had not been found.

We then had a question and answer session. The EA admitted they had concerns about the project, but would not be drawn any further. I told them the idea of locking the bream out of a successful spawning area with no evidence of an alternative site was a terrifying thought for the future of the Bure and Thurne’s bream stocks .EA will be looking at further investigations before the gates are closed on the broad in March 2020. I pointed out this isn't very long compared to the superb investigations carried out by them in the past four years. I also pointed out I am still waiting 4 years on for the PACs original queries about the whole project from NE.

The dredging side of the project is nearly completed, so I hope that does not negatively affect the broad as a spawning site for the bream. It’s also of interest that at the moment some parts of the broad are shallower than before the dredging started.
It is a sad fact that we are seeing more saline incursions on all broads’ rivers, so It seemed a sensible question to ask that what salt levels would endanger the projects aims. NE had no answer, I look forward to hearing hopefully in the near future, not four years.
PAC became involved in the project to protect pike, we feel the bream are just as deserving of our interest and will continue our involvement and hopefully protect them.
The project has shown through the excellent work of Emily Winter that bream and pike leave this broad and visit the both the Rivers Thurne and Ant and come back to HGB. It would be a tragedy that during their wanderings avoiding death from possible saline incursions and prymnesium blooms that there numbers are endangered so a broad can achieve clear water status. I wonder how many bream will be swimming into HGB when the gates are open once again?
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Re: Hoveton Great Broad - PAC Update

Post by Cod »

Thanks for the update Jason,

It must have been very frustrating sitting in that meeting, I think most of us would have blown a gasket.

Was it also Natural England who signed the paper work for the dredging to go ahead on Hickling Broad, prior to the Prymnesium outbreak in April 2015?

It would seem to me that Natural England are not interested in fish or advise regarding fish from other agents, bit like the Broads Authorities. For anglers this is a crying shame.

Thanks for your efforts, along with the others representing angling in the room.

It's enough to make your blood boil face.
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Re: Hoveton Great Broad - PAC Update

Post by RobSidell »

Yet again anglers are treated with total contempt.
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Re: Hoveton Great Broad - PAC Update

Post by John Currie »

It is still a way off before the final decision is made .I am hoping that the weight of evidence from EA will stop the project going ahead.There will be updates during the next year ,all good or bad news will be announced.Pac ,AT and Basg ,all have strong reservations about it continuing.
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Re: Hoveton Great Broad - PAC Update

Post by Cyprio »

Frustrating meeting is an understatement Paul.
After hearing and watching Andy's, Steves & Emily 's presentations it was clear that HGB is a very important
Broad to the entire Northern Broads system.
Two areas had been highlighted as A grade spawning sites with only low grade spawning sites found close by.

NE response rattled us all, I said you have just been presented with Facts that HGB is vital to the ecosystem
As its a highway and the most visited part of the system, and your response has poopooed all their research
Saying the bream will be ok their not like salmon (This just after Emily showed fish traveling for miles back to spawn) and will find other areas to spawn and it WILL be closed next Year regardless of what the funded facts
Are telling you :shrug:

EA was keen for our inputs and suggestions, I suggested to NE that the A grade spawning site be replicated
Close to HGB and the data loggers sited at the new site then data could be collected to see if creating a site
Would work. Over a couple of years. Their response was time window too long closure next year.

The one good thing that has come out of this research is how much of the system the fish use, and as JC
Said it started off all about the pike but it was soon evident that the bream and roach were just as important
As a loss in their reproduction will have a greater impact on food for pike.
Mr NE was more interested in a cleaner broad with improved habitat would improve the TENCH fishing!!!
his words not mine.
Its feels like those in control of the purse are putting pressure for sealing up the broad as projected costs have escalated over budget and it's now or nether for NE regardless of the impact.

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Re: Hoveton Great Broad - PAC Update

Post by John Currie »

I think what Andy describes is a accurate description of the meeting.Andy for those that don't know him is a controlled measured individual,he was as he put it rattled at how NE presented themselves.Im sure all groups involved will fight to see the right thing is done.
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Re: Hoveton Great Broad - PAC Update

Post by Cyprio »

:red: :laughs: :hug:
Cheers JC.
I think we were all clear and precise in our reply’s.
Water off a ducks back to NE as only one outgoing and one
New incoming Manger present.

But with your closing statement, me thinks you have a new large bone to play with :wink:

Let’s hope You get the support from anglers and Those interested in the broads that the river System and the area deserves. :thumbs:
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Re: Hoveton Great Broad - PAC Update

Post by Kevin O'Keeffe »

Its never ending up there.... battered from all sides!!
Love the hit!
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Re: Hoveton Great Broad - PAC Update

Post by John Currie »

Interesting comment Kev ,as we also get criticism that Pac is all about the broads.The fact is we have according to the predator group the biggest population of otters not to mention ,salt incursions ,prymnesium,so yes we do get battered.It should just be recognised that we have had success in dealing with these issues, apart from otters! The other point worth noting is all that has been discovered about prymnesium and salt incursions will help with any area that meets these problems in the future.
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Re: Hoveton Great Broad - PAC Update

Post by RobSidell »

John Currie wrote: Fri Feb 01 2019 19:42 -
Interesting comment Kev ,as we also get criticism that Pac is all about the broads.The fact is we have according to the predator group the biggest population of otters not to mention ,salt incursions ,prymnesium,so yes we do get battered.It should just be recognised that we have had success in dealing with these issues, apart from otters! The other point worth noting is all that has been discovered about prymnesium and salt incursions will help with any area that meets these problems in the future.
John is there any update with the potential byelaw change?
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Re: Hoveton Great Broad - PAC Update

Post by John Currie »

RobSidell wrote: Fri Feb 01 2019 20:41 -
John Currie wrote: Fri Feb 01 2019 19:42 -
Interesting comment Kev ,as we also get criticism that Pac is all about the broads.The fact is we have according to the predator group the biggest population of otters not to mention ,salt incursions ,prymnesium,so yes we do get battered.It should just be recognised that we have had success in dealing with these issues, apart from otters! The other point worth noting is all that has been discovered about prymnesium and salt incursions will help with any area that meets these problems in the future.
John is there any update with the potential byelaw change?
Cor no.There will be more discussions and any news I will publicise straight away.
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Re: Hoveton Great Broad - PAC Update

Post by RobSidell »

John Currie wrote: Fri Feb 01 2019 20:57 -
RobSidell wrote: Fri Feb 01 2019 20:41 -
John Currie wrote: Fri Feb 01 2019 19:42 -
Interesting comment Kev ,as we also get criticism that Pac is all about the broads.The fact is we have according to the predator group the biggest population of otters not to mention ,salt incursions ,prymnesium,so yes we do get battered.It should just be recognised that we have had success in dealing with these issues, apart from otters! The other point worth noting is all that has been discovered about prymnesium and salt incursions will help with any area that meets these problems in the future.
John is there any update with the potential byelaw change?
Cor no.There will be more discussions and any news I will publicise straight away.
Ok John cheers
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