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Eel Management plans for the United Kingdom

Dee River Basin District
Date published: March 2010

Contents
1. 2. 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 3. 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 4. 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 5. 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 6. Introduction Description of the Dee River Basin District The Dee River Basin District Current eel population The Fishery Silver eel escapement Eel mortality and available habitat Restocking Habitat to be restocked Past restocking Potential restocking in the Dee RBD Eels to be restocked in 2009 Compliance with restocking requirements in the Regulation Monitoring Assessment of silver eel escapement Price monitoring and reporting system Catch and effort sampling system Traceability of live imported and exported eels Measures Measures to meet Escapement Objective Measures taken 2007 to 2009 Measures to be taken 2009 to 2012 Measures to be taken beyond 2012 to achieve Escapement Objective Control and Enforcement

7.

Modification of Eel Management Plans

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1.

Introduction

This Eel Management Plan for the Dee River Basin District (RBD) aims to describe the current status of eel populations, assess compliance with the target set out in Council Regulation No 1100/2007 and detail management measures to increase silver eel escapement. This will contribute to the recovery of the stock of European eel.

2
2.1

Description of the Dee River Basin District

The Dee River Basin District

The Dee RBD covers an area of 2,251 km2 of north-east Wales, Cheshire, Shropshire and the Wirral. The river rises in the Cambrian Mountains close to Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake) and flows some 160 km before entering the Irish Sea in Liverpool Bay. It is mainly rural, but with urban centres situated in the lower part of the catchment. The district has a varied landscape. In its upper reaches there are mountains and lakes of the Snowdonia National Park, the Vale of Llangollen in the middle reaches, and the open plains of Cheshire and the mudflats of the Dee Estuary in the lower basin The numbers and areas of four main water body types, as defined by the Water Framework Directive, are shown in Table 2.1 (Defra 2005). Water body type Rivers with catchments greater than 10 km2 Lakes with areas greater than 0.5 km2 Transitional water bodies Coastal water bodies Table 2.1 Number present 86 10 1 0 Length/Area 716 km 880.8 (ha) 13 km2 1622.3 (ha) 109 km2

Water bodies in the Dee RBD.

Agriculture and forestry are the main land uses, particularly in the upper part of the basin. There is mixed sheep and beef cattle farming as well as forestry on the uplands. The lower lying and flatter land of the Cheshire Plain is dominated by dairy farming, and the land around the Dee estuary supports mixed and arable farming. Several major lakes and storage reservoirs are situated in the upper part of the basin, including Llyn Tegid (upstream of Bala); the largest natural lake in Wales. The storage reservoirs are used to control flood risk in the low-lying parts of the catchment adjacent to the Dee. They are also used to regulate river flows in drier periods to allow abstractions for public supply and industry, the navigational water needs of the Shropshire Union Canal and fisheries interests in the lower Dee.

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Figure 2.1

Dee River Basin District

An initial assessment was made of existing Environment Agency information on the obstructions to eel movement within the Dee RBD. These are shown in Figure 2.2. In general, the Dee is a relatively open system, but with some impassable barriers on tributaries (see section 1.4.2.1).

Passability Passability Always Always Sometimes Sometimes Never Never

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Figure 2.2

Distribution of obstructions in the Dee RBD.

2.2

Current eel population

2.2.1 Glass eel recruitment There is no fishery-independent monitoring of glass eel recruitment to the Dee River Basin district. 2.2.2 Yellow Eel Distribution The Environment Agency routinely samples yellow eel at 99 sites across the Dee RBD; 70 sites are sampled on a six year rolling programme (i.e. around 12 are sampled each year), a further 12 are sampled on an annual basis and 17 are sampled as part of the Water Framework Directive programme of monitoring. These sites are multi-species surveys and may therefore underestimate the true density of eel (Knights et al., 2001). Eel presence and absence at electric fishing sites are shown in Figure 2.3. This shows that eels are absent or found in very low densities in many of the rivers in the basin, including the Rivers Alyn, Alwen, Morwynion and Tryweryn.

Figure 2.3

Eel distribution in the Dee RBD from all types of electric fishing surveys

2.2.3

Abundance and Biomass in the Dee RBD

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In addition to support these surveys there is some high quality survey information for the Dee itself, gathered over a number of years: in 1984 eight sites were surveyed, and these were repeated in 1999. In each year since 2002, four of these sites have been resurveyed, and one new site fished on the Eitha Brook, Figure 2.4. data are presently available to 2007.

Figure 2.4

Eel specific survey sites on the Dee RBD, 2002 to 2007; all but the Eitha were also surveyed in 1984 and 1999.

The density in numbers, the biomass, and the average length of eel caught at the four survey sites common between 1984 and 2007 are shown in Figure 2.5. For clarity purposes the density of eels caught at the Worthenbury Brook in 1984 (348 eels/100m2) has been removed from the graph, but has been included in all analysis, as appropriate. Since 1984, density and biomass of eel at the four common sites have declined significantly (P=0.018 and p=0.003 respectively, Kruskal Wallis). More recently (20022007), density has not changed significantly, but biomass has continued to decline (P=0.018). The average length of eels caught at each site has not changed significantly during the period (P=0.687).

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River Alyn

Worthenbury Brook

River Clweddog

River Ceiriog

Density (#/100m 2)

80 60 40 20 0 1984 1999 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Year

River Alyn

Worthenbury Brook

River Clweddog

River Ceiriog

8000
Biomass (g/100m2)

6000 4000 2000 0 1984 1999 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Year

River Alyn Average eel length (mm)

Worthenbury Brook

River Clweddog

River Ceiriog

400 300 200 100 0 1984 1999 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Year

Figure 2.5

Density, Biomass and average eel length for 4 common sites on the Dee RBD, 1984-2007 (note years are not all continuous).

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2.2.4

Population size structure in the River Dee

Information on eel length can be a useful way of examining trends, providing that standard sampling methods and sites are used for the comparisons (since different methods and habitats result in different size selectivities). For example, an increasing average length over time suggests that recruitment of small eels is declining and the population is maturing. Based on the surveys of eel populations in nine catchments throughout England and Wales, conducted by Kings College London (Bark et al., 2007), typically, eels less than 150 mm long tend to be 5 years old, sexually undifferentiated eels. Those 150 mm to 450 mm are sexually undifferentiated eels, males or immature females. Eels longer than 450 mm are almost all female. The numerical densities of juvenile eel less than 150 mm long (age 1 3 years; based on ageing of Dee eels) in 1984, 1999, and 2007 are shown in Figure 2.6. The very high density of eels caught at the Worthenbury Brook site in 1984 has skewed the distribution a little and densities in 2007 have been very low at all sites. None of the differences were found to be statistically significant (P= 0.055, Kruskal Wallis).
1984
160 Density (#/100m 2) 120 80 40 0 River Alyn Worthenbury Brook River Clweddog River Ceiriog

1999

2007

Site

Figure 2.6

Density of eels <150mm in 1984, 1999 and 2007.

There is considerable variation in densities of eel longer than 450 mm (all assumed to be female) and no eels of this size were caught at any site in 2007 (Figure 2.7). These differences were found to be statistically significant (P=0.048, Kruskal Wallis).
1984
10 Density (#/100m 2) 8 6 4 2 0 River Alyn Worthenbury Brook River Clweddog River Ceiriog

1999

2007

Site
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Figure 2.7

Density of eel >450 mm in 1984, 1999 and 2007.

2.2.5 Estimation of silver eel output. Silver eel estimation was made using the data collected at 4 sites. The probability model estimated silver eel output for the Dee to be 0.027 kg/ha. The estimated total silver eel output for the RBD is 67.6 kg /yr. 2.3 The Fishery

2.3.1 Introduction Licences to fish for eels and glass eels commercially are issued by the Environment Agency on an Environmental Agency Regional basis (Appendix 1). The Dee RBD is located within Environment Agency Wales Region. The eel fishery in Environment Agency Wales is extensive, but the fishery on the Dee is small, comprising around 1% of the 2005 to 2007 declared elver catch for the UK, and <2% of the National catch of yellow and silver eel. The number of licenses issued from 2005 to 2007 for Environment Agency Wales is shown in Table 2.2. Two important points should be considered when considering these data The number of licences issued is not the same as the number of fishermen. One fisherman is able to set many traps and fykes. The only fishing gear operated by a single person are dip nets, fixed traps, and Gloucester Wing Nets. The number of licences issued does not equal the number of fishermen within the Dee RBD. There are extensive fisheries in the Rivers Severn, Wye and Usk that are within Environment Agency Wales, but outside of the Dee RBD boundary.

Licensed instruments Region EA Wales Year 2005 2006 Elver Dip Nets 167 166 Gloucester Wing Nets 0 0 Small Wingless Traps 50 91 Winged Traps/Fykes 34 72 Fixed Traps 0 0 Fishing Method Table 2.2

2007 142 0 31 43 1

Number of eel licences issued by Environment Agency Wales, 2005 to 2007.

2.3.2

The elver (glass eel) fishery

Glass eel fishing in England and Wales is conducted mainly on the River Severn and, to a lesser extent, on the Rivers Wye, Parrett and Usk (see section 1.2; Figure 2). Since 2005, eel and glass eel fishermen have had to declare their weight of catches and the river where they were taken at the end of each season. The declared catch for the River Dee and catches from unknown Welsh rivers, which may include the Dee, are shown in Table 2.3.
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River River Dee Unknown Wales river Total Table 2.3

2005 39 1.65 40.65

2006 5.5 5.5

2007 6.25 2.45 8.7

Declared elver and glass eel catch (kg) in the Dee and unknown Welsh rivers, 2005 to 2007

Around 90% of the glass eel netsmen licensed to fish in Wales returned a satisfactory catch declaration (89% in 2006, 88% in 2007). Although it is likely that the values in Table 2.3 are gross underestimates, they do indicate the relative importance of the elver fisheries in the Dee RBD rivers, compared to the total catch reported for England and Wales (0.2 2.1 tyr-1). The declared catches in each month for the Dee are shown in Figure 2.8.

2005 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Declared catch (kg)

2006

2007

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

Jul

Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Month

Figure 2.8

Declared monthly glass eel catch in Dee RBD, 2005 to 2007

2.3.3 Yellow and silver eel fisheries Recreational Fishery The recreational fishery for eels within the Dee RBD is small. The vast majority of eel are captured whilst anglers are fishing for other coarse and game species and, in these circumstances, eel are usually returned to the water. In 2007 a total of 78,107 fishing licences were sold in the Environment Agency Wales. These encompass the Dee RBD but also substantial fishing areas outside of the RBD. A survey of Anglers carried out in the 1990s indicated that the average distance travelled to fish by a licence holder was 20 miles and that 35% fished predominantly on rivers (National Rivers Authority 1995). Assuming that each angler catches one eel per season (Appendix 4) then approximately 27,400 eels are caught by recreational anglers in Wales
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each year, a proportion of these will be caught on the Dee. The level of post release mortality has not been assessed. Commercial Fishery Commercial yellow and silver eel fisheries in the River Dee are very small at the moment and are concentrated around the main river and a network of lowland drainage ditches: Finger Post Gutter and Gutter Sealand Range. The declared catches from 2005 to 2007 are shown in Table 2.4 for different rivers in the RBD. The monthly distribution of catches in 2005 to 2007 is shown in Figure 2.9 and 2.10.

Declared catch (kg) Yellow eels 2005 2006 River Dee 34 28 Finger Post Gutter Gutter Sealand 75 300 Range Unknown 14 175 River/Stillwater Total 123 503 Table 2.4

River

2007 23 27 50

Silver eels 2005 2006 10 6 6 16 31 37

2007 9 9 18

Declared yellow and silver eel catches for Dee RBD 2005 to 2007. Catches from unknown rivers and stillwaters in Environment Agency Wales are included, although they may not have been caught in the Dee RBD.

2005 Declared catch (kg) 400 300 200 100 0

2006

2007

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

Jul

Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Month

Figure 2.9

Declared monthly catches of yellow eels in the Dee RBD, 2005 to 2007.

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2005 Declared catch (kg) 15 10 5 0

2006

2007

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

Jul

Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Month
Figure 2.10 Declared monthly catches of silver eels in the Dee RBD, 2005 to 2007.

2.4

Silver eel escapement

There was no direct measure of silver eel escapement in the Dee RBD before anthropogenic influence on stocks and there has been none carried out in recent years. Silver eel estimation was made using the data collected at 4 sites. The probability model estimated silver eel output for the Dee to be 0.027 kg/ha. A comparison with other rivers (Table 1; in Eel Management Plan overview for England and Wales) would suggest that it is likely that the Dee RBD is not compliant with the 40% escapement target. Data from five sites, surveyed annually for eels since 2002, were applied to the Reference Condition Model (RCM: Appendix 3) to also assess compliance with pristine conditions (Figure 2.11). When those data from the 2007 surveys (area under the curve) are compared with that estimated by the RCM, this suggests that the potential production of silver eels from the Dee in 2007 represented 41% of the reference conditions. In its basic form, the RCM assumes uniform habitat available upstream of the tidal limit. A correction can be applied to weight the model according to the amount of habitat available to eel at various distances from the tidal limit. If this weighting is applied then the estimated population in 2007 is 46% of reference conditions.

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80.0 70.0 Eel density (# 100m-2) 60.0 50.0 40.0 30.0 20.0 10.0 0.0 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 Distance (km)

Predicted

y = 71e-0.0390x

Observed y = 71e-0.095x Impact

Figure 2.11

The predicted (dotted line) and observed rate of decline in eel density in 2007 (bold line) with distance upstream from tidal waters

The above analysis is the approach taken for all the other RBDs in England and Wales. However, for the River Dee we are fortunate that some eel-specific electric fishing data exists from a period before the decline in glass eel recruitment in the early 1980s would have affected yellow eel populations. Eight sites were surveyed in 1984 and four of these have been surveyed each year since 2002. A comparison of the rate of decline between these curves provides a direct measure of the change in eel population through time (Figure 2.12).
1984 80 Eel Densitry (#/100m ) 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 Distance from tidal limit (km)
2007 y = 71 e-0.112x r2 = 0.74
2

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

Figure 2.12

Dee RBD, 1984 and from 2002-2007 rate of decline in eel density with distance upstream from tidal waters
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Eel management plan for Dee River Basin District

When those data from the 2007 surveys are compared with the 1984 curve, this suggests that the potential production of silver eels from the Dee in 2007 represented 30% of the 1984 population and is non-compliant with the escapement target. 2.5 Eel mortality and available habitat

2.5.1 Eel Habitat We would expect there to have been a loss of habitat in the Dee over the last half-century due to the construction of barriers, dredging, flood defence works, land drainage etc, and that this would then have resulted in a reduction in silver eel production. Neither the data nor the models are available, at present, with which to quantify the impact of such loss of potential eel habitat. An increased coverage of high quality, eel-specific electric fishing surveys will be implemented as part of this plan, and the Environment Agency are funding the further development of spatial eel production models. 2.5.2 Barriers to migration

The legacy of an industrial history is that the natural hydrology of many of the rivers in England and Wales have been significantly changed by weirs, sluices, bridges and dams. These can create barriers to fish migration, including the upstream movement of eels. The Dee appears to have been far less impacted by barriers than many other rivers in the United kingdom: a recent assessment (Section 2.1) has identified 46 obstructions within the river basin, including 36 man-made weirs and ten natural waterfalls. The passability of these obstructions has been assessed (Figure 2.2, Table 2.5) and many are considered to be passable by eel, particularly on the main river. Impassable barriers, or those where passability is not decided, appear to be in the headwaters and smaller tributaries, where smaller areas of habitat will be made unavailable. As with eel habitat assessments in general (above), there are insufficient mapping data to quantify the loss of potential habitat to obstacles, but such data will be collated and analysed during the first phase of this EMP. Passability Passable (always) Unsure of passability (sometimes) Impassable (never) Table 2.5 Number of obstructions 21 15 10

Passability of obstructions in the Dee RBD.

2.5.3

Entrainment and Hydropower

On the Dee a recent project has sought to estimate the impact of seven water intakes on a number of fish species, including eel. The numbers of eels caught during the study and the extrapolated potential annual entrainment are shown in Table 2.6 (N. O Keefe, APEM pers. comm.)

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Site Bangor Chester Deeside Heronbridge Huntingdon Llangollen Poulton Total Table 2.6

Eel entrained January Extrapolated 2007 to June 2007 entrainment 2 17 16 136 0 0 89 328 831 3,261 148 1,125 0 0 1086 4,867

annual

Number of eel entrained at abstraction points in the Dee RBD, 2007.

The greatest impact was observed at the Huntingdon facility, which accounted for over 75% of all entrained eels. The length distribution of the eel entrained at the Huntingdon intake are shown in Figure 2.13. The majority of eel lost are juveniles and glass eels, but much larger eels are also taken, which will have a proportionally larger effect on the silver eel escapement from the RBD. As above, there are insufficient data or models to quantify this impact, at present, but it is anticipated that models will facilitate assessments in the first phase of this EMP.

800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 <150 151 - 450 Length category (mm) >450

Figure 2.13

Number entrained

Number of eel entrained at the Huntingdon intake, January to June 2007, in relation to size.

In the Dee RBD there is only one hydropower installation, at Llyn Celyn reservoir, which discharges into the River Tryweryn and then the River Dee. This is high in the headwaters of the Dee and is unlikely to have a significant impact on eel populations, although mortality has not been assessed.
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2.5.4

Predation

The Dee RBD comprises 2% of the freshwater and lake habitat in England and Wales (A Walker, Cefas, pers. comm.), and may expect to constitute 2% of eel consumption by cormorants: 0.6 to 0.9 tonnes (Appendix 6). With the average length of eel taken at 40-55 cm (Carss and Marzano 2005) or 150-200 g this suggests 3,000 to 6,000 eels might be consumed by cormorants within the Dee RBD each year. Predation of eel by other species is considered in Section 1.4.4 of the Overview. 2.5.5 Water quality and pollution

Water quality in the Dee River Basin District is generally of a high standard (Figures 2.14 and 2.15). There are pressures from diffuse pollution in the upper parts of the basin lakes and rivers, and point source pollution in the estuary. These are unlikely to have a major effect on eel numbers except in the immediate area of the pollution inputs.

Figure 2.14

Biological GQA Grades for Dee RBD

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Figure 2.15 2.5.6

Chemical GQA Grades for Dee RBD

Pathogens and parasites

There is currently no information on incidence of Anguillicoloides (Anguillicola) crassus (Overview Section 1.4.6) in the Dee RBD.

Restocking

The current information for the Dee suggests that yellow eel populations, and by inference silver eel escapement are at 30% of the conditions in 1984 and therefore not compliant with the regulation. Restocking is an option for addressing this shortfall in eel production. 3.1 Habitat to be restocked

This has yet to be quantified, but guidelines for stocking are described in Appendix 7. 3.2 Past restocking

There are no records of previous glass eel restocking in the Dee RBD. 3.3 Potential restocking in the Dee RBD

It is possible to use the RCM to estimate the eel numbers required to increase densities in the RBD towards those of the proxy target. In 2007, the RBD was considered to be at 30% of the eel population present in 1984. This current situation and the curve that would occur at 40% of the 1984 data are shown in Figure 3.1. The area between these curves indicates the number of additional eels required to meet the 40% escapement target.

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160.0 140.0 Eel density (# 100m-2) 120.0 100.0 80.0 60.0 40.0 20.0 0.0 0
y = 151e-0.1117x

Predicted for 40% escapement y = 151e-0.084x

Eels needed to meet 40% escapement

Observed
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Distance (km)

Figure 3.1

Glass eel stocking required to meet escapement target

To ensure production of female eel stocking should be carried out a low density and for riverine environments a density of 1-2 glass eel m-2 is recommended (Knights and White 1998). Studies from around Europe have shown survival rates to silver eel of 10-40% (WGEEL 2007). By stocking the area of habitat on the Dee from 10-80 km upstream of the tidal limit, a total area of approximately 42 km2, with sufficient glass eels to meet the 40% escapement target and assuming a 15% survival of glass eels to silver eel, it is estimated that 9,100,000 glass eels (3 tons) will need to be stocked annually, effectively a stocking rate of 0.2 glass eel per 100m-2 of habitat. As stocking will be carried out at a density of 1 glass eel per square metre, the frequency of stocking in any particular reach would be once every 5 years. 3.4 Eel to be restocked in 2009

However, there are no plans to carry out any large scale eel restocking within the Dee RBD at present. The numbers of eels required and the cost of these would be prohibitively expensive: glass eel for stocking in the UK were priced at nealr 400 per kg (3000 glass eels) in 2008.. Small scale targeted releases of eels in suitable areas would be considered as a means of increasing spawning escapement of silver eel. The information required to maximise the benefit and adequately reduce the risks of this stocking is not available for the Dee RBD at the moment. It is anticipated that in the early years of this Eel Management Plan information on habitat, accessibility and native populations will be gathered to enable some targeted eel releases to be made. 3.5 Compliance with restocking requirements in the Regulation.

This is addressed in Appendix 7.

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4 Monitoring
It is proposed that the existing yellow eel monitoring detailed in 2.2.2 of this report is expanded. The five eel specific sites surveyed annually in the Dee RBD will be replaced by ten sites sampled biennially to improve the coverage of the river catchment (Figure 4.1). Monitoring of the fisheries will continue to be through catch returns and the monitoring of import and export data.

Figure 4.1. Location of yellow monitoring sites on the River Dee.

4.1

Assessment of silver eel escapement

Ongoing work to improve the assessment of compliance with the silver eel escapement target is described in Section 1.6.1 of the Overview. 4.2. Price monitoring system

This is addressed in Appendix 8. 4.3 Catch and effort sampling system

This is addressed in Appendix 9. 4.4 Origin and traceability of live eels

This is addressed in Appendix 10

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5 Measures
The Probability Model has been used to assess whether the Dee RBD meets the target of 40% of the silver eel escapement that would be produced under undisturbed conditions. The indications are that the Dee is failing the 40% escapement target. The populations of yellow eel have declined throughout the RBD, estimated to be 30% of their 1984 level. The fisheries though small in terms of England and Wales are taking more than the estimated silver eel output for the RBD of 68 kg /yr. It is suggested that the fisheries may be having a significant impact . The level of anthropogenic mortality from barriers and entrainment has not significantly changed over the last 25 years. This would seem to indicate that the decline in the yellow eel population may reflect the decline in glass eel recruitment or an increase in other anthropogenic factors. Access to habitat is not thought to be a major issue affecting eel populations in the Dee RBD, but there are certainly some areas in the lower catchment which are presently unavailable to eel. It is also proposed to discuss with the Water Companies solutions to eel entrainment at certain of the water intake sites. We are taking the precautious approach to these assessments and implementing a series of measures to enhance eel production in the RBD. Potential measures are discussed below, followed by details of those measures that have been implemented recently, and those which will be implemented from 2009, and remainder of the first phase, of this EMP. 5.1 Possible measures to meet Escapement Objective

Reduction of the fishery pressure. The eel fisheries on the Dee may be having a significant impact and there are grounds to reduce exploitation, though this assessment is based on very limited data. It is essential that exploitation is sustainable and it is important that the Environment Agency works closely with the industry to ensure awareness of the eel issue and the need to deliver the 40% escapement target. The information from the eel fishery is of poor quality and, although a new catch return system was imposed in 2005, there still remains a large proportion of the catch that has not been allocated to a river. The quality of data gathered in future years needs to be improved. Whilst this information is being collected and a better assessment of the eel fishery is made, the fishery should be kept within its existing limits by not allowing the number of instruments to be increased or the range of where they are currently set. This would be as a precaution until more detailed information is gathered on stocks and the fishery. Improving access and habitat. This is addressed in Section 1.4.2 of the Overview, and detailed below. Stocking of glass eel This is considered in detail in Section 1.4.5 of the Overview and in Appendix 7. Predator control

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No action will be taken to control predators (see Overview Section 1.4.4). 5.2 Measures taken 2007 to 2009

Monitoring Establish a programme of nine eel-specific survey sites to be monitored biennially Establish the feasibility of glass eel trapping at the Chester trap to assess recruitment.

Improving access and habitat Installation of lock gates at Crane Wharfe at confluence of Dee and Shropshire Union Canal, which will enable eel passage. Eel pass to be installed in the interim. Fish pass designs produced for five sites across the RBD, on the River Alyn at Rossett and at Caergwrle, on Worthenbury Brook at Sarn Mill and at Dymocks Mill and on Abbey Brook near Llangollen. All passes will facilitate eel passage. In-stream habitat improvement works on the Clywedog, Eitha and Dee which will benefit eel populations. A GIS layer of barriers to fish migration has been constructed. All structures in the RBD will be assessed for passability by eel and prioritised for works to facilitate eel migration. Assessment of eel migration into lakes to ensure lake habitat is made available where possible. Measures to be taken 2009 to 2012

5.3

The following measures are planned to be implemented from July 2009: Monitoring Continue to improve collection of data on eel populations during multi-species surveys at 99 sites across the RBD and continue to survey nine sites specifically for eel on a biennial basis. In addition carry out fyke netting on drains and ditches which have never been surveyed but may support populations of eel. Begin glass eel trapping at one site to assess recruitment. Investigate potential sites for silver eel monitoring. Commercial eel fisheries will continue to be monitored through catch returns and through the assessment of import and export data. Illegal exploitation of yellow eel and glass eels will be targeted by enforcement teams

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Improving access and habitat An assessment will be made of passability of flap gates in lower reaches of gutters and drains. In addition designs will be produced for eel passage solutions on gauging weirs. Install fish passes designed for the five sites on Alyn, Worthenbury Brook and Abbey Brook, where local stakeholder permissions can be established. Influence the lowland ditch maintenance programme so that eel habitat is maintained or improved. Carry out habitat improvement works at Pulford Brook, to benefit eel. The Programme of Measures for the Water Framework Directive will be a good opportunity for improving habitat and access for eel populations. All opportunities should be taken to influence waterbodies for the benefit of eel populations.

Reducing the impacts of entrainment All abstraction points in the RBD will be assessed for their likely impact on eel populations and appropriate screening suggested.

Stocking of glass eel Further consideration will be given to stocking within the Dee RBD and a stocking plan for the release of small numbers of glass eels will be produced. This will include pre and post stocking surveys to identify the effectiveness of glass eel releases on silver eel escapement.

Stakeholder engagement

An Eel Management Plan Implementation Group will be convened comprising representatives of the Environment Agency Area Teams with responsibility for the Dee RBD. This will make decisions on best use of limited resources.

All of these actions will be subject to resources being available. The actions proposed in the period from 2009 to 2012 are detailed in Table 5.1. Measures that will have a DIRECT effect on silver eel escapement are qualified in terms of their presumed benefit, where short = <5 years, medium = 5-15 years and long = > 15 years. Note that only the shortest term is given and that the classification is for the time to effect silver eel escapement and not the time for the measure to be implemented.
Issue Exploitation Actions to be carried out (subject to resources being available) Monitor commercial eel fisheries through catch returns and through the assessment of import and export data. Illegal exploitation of yellow eel and glass eels will be targeted by enforcement teams Initiate a price monitoring and reporting system for eels less than 12cm long. Initiate a system to ensure the traceability of all live eels imported or exported from the UK Timescale

Short

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 Habitat Passage

If necessary bring in byelaws to limit fisheries and protect stocks Produce maps of available & potentially available eel habitat within the River basin district, identify significant areas for habitat restoration works Use the Environment Agencys consenting of works on rivers and stillwaters and their own works programme to improve eel producing habitat Identify waterbodies within the Water Framework Directive Programme of Measures with significant opportunities for improving eel habitat Identify all surface water abstraction points and hydropower installations within the RBD and quantify their impact on eel populations Influence the lowland ditch maintenance programme to maintain or improve eel habitat. Carry out habitat improvements on Old Poulton Brook. Produce plan of priority actions for easing passage taking into account area of available upstream habitat and cost. Identify waterbodies within the Water Framework Directive Programme of Measures with significant opportunities for improving eel passage Install fish passes on Alyn, Worthenbury Brook and Abbey Brook, where local stakeholder permissions granted. Investigate eel passage solutions for tidal flap gates and for gauging weirs. Identify areas for restocking within the RBD Undertake pilot study with effective pre and post stocking evaluation to determine the contribution that stocking makes to the spawning stock If economically and scientifically justifiable produce plan for wider RBD Continue to gather information on yellow eel density and biomass throughout the RBD. Begin glass eel trapping at one site to assess recruitment. Investigate sites for silver eel monitoring. Further development of models to assess compliance with target (RCM and SMEP) Monitor success of novel eel passage solutions Obtain funding through partnerships with other organisations, bids to the Agencys project pot (~150k annually), from the European Fisheries Fund and from Interreg

short

medium

medium medium

medium

Stocking

Monitoring

Resources

Table 5.1 5.4

Proposed actions 2009-2012

Measures beyond 2012 to achieve the Escapement Objective

It is intended that, in the period 2009 to 2012, actions will be reviewed in response to improved information on the effectiveness of the measures identified above. An approximate timeline for achieving the 40% escapement target is shown in Figure 5.1 (see Section 1.4.7 of the Overview). This assumes a decline in escapement since the assessment was made on 2005 data; that remedial actions would begin in 2009, a onegeneration (15 years) lag before these actions lead to improved escapement; and a 0.5% increase in escapement each year. The RBD is predicted to meet compliance in 2051.

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No actions

Escapement Target

Restocking or increasing habitat by 0.5%/year

45.0 % Compliance with Escapement Target 40.0 35.0 30.0 25.0 20.0 15.0 10.0 5.0 0.0 2005 2015 2025 Year 2035 2045
2009, EMP Actions begin 15 years before Actions produce increased escapement Increase in silver eel escapement until compliance in 2051

Figure 5.1

Estimated timeline for meeting 40% escapement in the Dee RBD.

6 Control and Enforcement

These are addressed in Appendix 12.

7 Modification of Eel Management Plans

EMPs will be updated as and when new data become available. New data will feed into the ICES / EIFAC Eel Working Group country report for the UK and will be reviewed for the next reporting round in 2012.

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