Hatchery
The Kennet Hatchery Management plan 2024
Why does the Kennet need a Coarse Fish Hatchery?
Those anglers lucky enough to fish the River Kennet below Newbury in 1970s and 80s will remember a swift flowing, crystal clear chalk stream with abundant shoals of chub, barbel, roach and dace drifting over golden gravels between gently swaying beds of ranunculus. Whilst the river still holds a much reduced population of bigger fish it is a far cry from the abundant fishery it once was. The re-opening of the canal in 1990 saw a dramatic rise in sediment loads leading to increased turbidity, the siltation of vital gravel spawning beds and a huge decline in ranunculus - an important habitat for invertebrates.
The anecdotal evidence of decline is there from anglers but, so is the science. A report in 1985 produced by AJ Butterworth/ J Sutton/ A Thomas/ R Preston quotes:
“ The River Kennet through Reading supports a high biomass of fish”.
In latter years (since the creation of the Water Framework Directive) the River Kennet has been consistently classed as ‘Moderate-Poor’ in relation to fish populations. Subsequent EA fish surveys have shown depleted stocks of coarse fish and very little evidence of successful recruitment. Current Environment Agency objectives are to work towards a classification of ‘Good’ by 2039. It is clear that without radical intervention, this will not be achieved, and certainly not for fish assemblage.
Signal Crayfish
The decision by the Government to allow the importation of signal crayfish from 1976 has been little short of disastrous and has created predation of plague proportions as they spread into many river systems including the Kennet. Despite regular trapping their numbers remain unsustainably high with the one crayfish trapper working for Reading & District Angling Association (RDAA) removing an estimated 100 tonnes from the Kennet in the last ten years. Crayfish average 25 to the kilo equating to 2,500,000 crayfish eating their way through invertebrates, fish spawn and displacing vast quantities of silt as they burrow into the river banks. It is little wonder that coarse fish recruitment of gravel spawners such as chub, barbel and dace, is now so poor.
Habitat Improvements and Water Quality
Angling clubs and fisheries have spent many years working closely with the Environment Agency, Action for the River Kennet (ARK) and other partners on projects such as off- channel juvenile fish shelters, gravel jetting, installation of woody debris and general habitat restoration. Important though this is it can only be of limited impact in the face of the other challenges the river faces. On the plus side, the successful re-introduction of grayling by RDAA and the EA into the Kennet in Padworth has demonstrated that the water quality remains good enough to allow these most delicate of fish to survive and grow. The presence of mature grayling in the lower river gave us the confidence to believe that a coarse fish hatchery would be a viable project to help restore this wonderful river to something like it’s former glory.
Advice from Calverton
It is clear that demand for juvenile fish, large enough to survive the crayfish and in sufficient numbers to re-establish a critical spawning mass, is always going to exceed what we can reasonably expect from the Environment Agency’s national fish farm at Calverton. Fortunately we have been able to learn from excellent work carried out by Calverton who hosted us on a visit and generously provided technical advice and support. As a result we are now in the fortunate position to have created a unique, not for profit coarse fish hatchery, dedicated solely to supplying the whole of the Lower River Kennet, from Newbury to Reading, with juvenile fish such as chub, barbel, dace and roach
How will the Hatchery work?
Brood fish will be removed from the Kennet to the hatchery, just as they are at the point of spawning naturally. Before returning the mature ‘borrowed’ fish, the eggs will be harvested, mixed with the milt from the males and then nurtured within the hatchery until such a time that they can stand the maximum chance of survival in the wild. After this, 70% of the free swimming fry - now able to escape the crayfish - they will be released into appropriate locations below Newbury. These areas will be specially selected to provide the best possible chance of survival. The remaining 30% of the fry will be kept at the hatchery for a longer period to be fed and grown on before being released as ‘two summer plus’ fish. The Hatchery begins operation in March 2024 and will start production each year with dace, followed by roach, then chub and barbel - just as happens in the wild.
Who will run and pay for the Hatchery?
The Hatchery is a not for profit, collaborative project, led by RDAA but with the involvement of local clubs and fisheries with the sole aim of improving fish stocks on the river downstream of Newbury. The facilities will be managed by Del Shackleford (RDAA fisheries manager) with input from local volunteers and guided by advice from the EA and IFM. A Project Group is being established and will involve major contributing clubs and fisheries who hold fishing rights between Reading and Newbury to provide local input, feedback and help with fundraising. The project group will also include representatives from Kennet Valley Fisheries Association (KVFA) and will include space for the EA, CRT, ARK and other environmental interests. It will be able to review progress on an annual basis and will maintain separate and transparent accounts. The Hatchery has been built and paid for by RDAA from its own funds and through a combination of donations and grants. However, with running costs expected to exceed £5k per annum the project will be heavily reliant on financial contributions from those clubs, fisheries and individual anglers who will either benefit from this work or who retain a long standing affection for this beautiful river.
The Kennet Hatchery Aims.
· To comply fully with all CEFAS requirements.
· Work closely with the Environment Agency Fisheries Catchment Officers.
· Maintain genetic integrity.
· To develop a dynamic, collaborative partnership with all fishery interests on the river below Newbury
· The first year we will work closely taking expert advice from Viv Sheers (VS Fisheries) who has agreed to oversee all of our operations and develop our working practices to ensure our systems work in the way we expect. As such we will not be setting targets on fish production and will be proceeding slowly and cautiously in our first year.
· During our second year we will be expecting to produce -
Dace (5F/8M) - 30,000 eggs with a conversion rate of 85%+
Roach (5F/8M) – 45,000 eggs with a conversion rate of 85%+
Chub (2F/3M) – 60,000 eggs with a conversion rate of 85%+
Barbel (2F/3M) – 40,000 eggs with a conversion rate of 85%+
With a production and release rate such as the above, we hope to replicate the natural proportion of fish production in ideal conditions, within a natural environment.
· After each year end we will evaluate our working practices and results within the hatchery.
· We are looking to replace fish stocks lost to the river for the reasons outlined above rather than to artificially enhance stock levels to meet angler expectations.
· On the fifth year (2029) we will evaluate the results from anecdotal evidence, angler catch returns and EA survey results.
Our ultimate goal, is to overcome the many hurdles in the early life stages of our gravel spawning species. True success will be measured on the day we close the door on the hatchery and we once more have self-sustaining populations within our river.
Consents and Permissions
We now have the following in place:
- Planning consent. Granted 25th November 2022.
- CEFAS registration following a successful on-site inspection 24th January 2024.
- Confirmation of exemption from Home Office approval for working practices associated with farming of fish.