CONSERVATION and farming Dr Stephen Marsh-Smith of the Wye and Usk Foundation (WUF) looks at how agriculture and fisheries can work together he Wye and Usk Foundation (WUF) was formed in 1995 to raise funds to reverse rapidly declining ish stocks on the Wye. Salmon numbers had dropped from more than 6000 fish caught annually to just 350 Initially WUF focussed on problems withthe river itself; barriers to migration riparian habitat degradation later adding a suecessful scheme to correct problem unique to afforested upland Wales: the effects of acid rain, In thatinitial phase, we fenced and restored more than ‘300kilometees (km) of tributaries, built 82 fish passes or ‘easements and removed 23 weits or manmade barter, “This opened 833km of essential nursery habitat and 63km of previously acidified headwaters. “The benefit ofa much improved trout, coarse and salmon fishery has been marketed through an innovative scheme: The Passport. Fexbility has ben the sling point with both anglers and owners including as much oraslitle of thet fishing as suits them. Bookings are made by phone or online. Our scheme ‘welcomed 11,000 angler vst ast year. ‘More recently the Foundation and partners have been ‘working to reduce the damage from diffuse polation, Both the Uskand the Wye predominantly drain rural areas with principal Jad uses of plantation forestry and agriculture. Both cause problems on the rivers but we see imple and practical solutions, ‘When timberis harvested, our pleas that the drained former ‘wetlands ae restored so water isheld and doestit take sediment and acidity straight into the crucial fish nursery areas. Our work has shown how restoring these small an usually unproductive areas can have huge benefits, creating extra water forthe river and its users and reducing the damaging effects of ait Inthe uplands, sheep dip inthe rivers has reduced, dramatically over the past decade. Heavy grazing has also diminished but there are new threats, notably excessive levels cof phosphate and soil which both arse in large part from agriculture ‘. Farming on much of our land causes pollution but also threatens its own longeterm viability because, in some cases, ols are being badly managed, reducing yields, and causing milions ‘of tonnes of precious topsoil to be washed into rivers and out to sea. In 2013a study of 3425 fields inthe South West of England found 88 percent were generating serious surface run off and erosion Soi willbe eroded where the ground is compacted, causing rainwater to flow over the surface, rather than soaking into the ground. This exacerbates floods and droughts and washes sol into rivers where it smothers insect an fish habitat and poisons ‘water with nutrients and pesticides. “These problems can be corrected by better soil management, 38 LAND & 1JUNE 2015 Many farmers are already producing high outputs with low pollution, but poor soil management, excesive use of etiser, pesticides and unrestricted livestock access to watercourses are stl ll too commonplace. ‘Totaekle diffs pollution from agriculture whereitiscausing RUN OFF: {allure to meet environmental objectives, weaskCLA members compacted to soil can © Lookat the soil structure in yourfields.Compactionisthe cause serious silent killer ecucing yields by upto 20 percent and generating problems surface water runoff Once found it can be corrected (© Work outa rotation for arable ground that maintains soll cover duringthe winter © Test and look ater the organic content of soils. Organic ‘conten in ois makes them more resilient to droughts less prone to compaction and supports healthy biology. One crop ‘ofpotatoes can reduce organic matter by up to 5 percent. It can take 30 years to put this back (© Dont plant high rik crops on fields prone to"washing’ ‘Choosing which fee has potatoes, maize, stubble tumips and, s0 ons crucial to soil retention © ‘takes thousands of years to replace a few centimetres of soi and in many pats ofthe country we have lost several fet of soilin the past decade. ‘We reject the notion that agriculture and healthy rivers are mutually exclusive; CLA members can playa key role in delivering the best practice that will se farming thriveand our rivers healthy. “The Foundation can be contacted on 01874711714 (general enquiries) or 01874712074 (fishing enquiries) or email admin@wyeuskfoundation.org wwweelaorgal