Western Daily Press (Saturday)
River experts leading a fight for survival in Avon
BENEATH the serene waters of the Bristol Avon lurks a silent crisis. The once thriving aquatic corridors, teeming with life, now face an existential threat.
With freshwater species disappearing at an alarming rate and salmon stocks plummeting to historic lows, the Bristol Avon Rivers Trust (BART) stands at the forefront of a critical battle for survival.
Simon Hunter, chief executive of BART, is pioneering a movement to rejuvenate the lifeblood of the region’s ecosystem – the Bristol Avon River and its tributaries.
This expansive water network, which meanders through North Somerset, Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Wiltshire and South Gloucestershire, is the focus of BART’s mission to restore ecological balance.
Mr Hunter describes BART as “a charity established to create an excellent future for the health of our rivers, for the benefit of people and wildlife that live throughout the Bristol Avon”.
As one of 64 local delivery trusts under the National Rivers Trusts, BART’s efforts are a microcosm of a nationwide initiative to combat the alarming decline of freshwater ecosystems.
Experts say freshwater species are vanishing twice as fast as those on land and in the ocean, with a 93 per cent collapse of migratory fish species in Europe from 1970 to 2016.
“Our salmon stocks are currently among the lowest on record and are below sustainable levels in many rivers,” Mr Hunter revealed, underscoring the urgency of BART’s work.
The European Water Framework Directive paints a bleak picture for the Bristol Avon, with only 12 per cent of watercourses meeting good ecological status – a figure that falls short of the national average and the directive’s 2027 target.
Despite these challenges, BART is forging ahead with innovative strategies to reverse the decline. The Bristol Avon Fish Recovery Strategy, a cornerstone of BART’s action plan, aligns with the West of England’s broader environmental goals.
Mr Hunter explained: “As a consequence of the strategy, which sets out some high-level principles about how we tackle this problem and improve our rivers, it was quite clear that the River Chew is the main priority in the Bristol Avon for fish recovery.
“We know that the Chew has some fantastic species. It has a small run of Atlantic salmon. We’ve got lamprey near the confluence of the Avon, and we’ve also got the critically endangered European eel amongst a whole host of different coarse fish that frequent throughout the catchment.
“Through some of the DNA work we’ve done looking at sampling some of the tributaries, we found salmon on the Bathford Brook in Lower Down, potentially spawning, which is quite fascinating. However, it’s a downward curve over 20 years. The abundance and number of species at that particular site are deteriorating.
“We’re trying to build a plan now through this strategy that will enable the delivery of key projects that will improve the access to and quality of habitat for those key fish species.”
The trust has already seen success with funding and project implementation, including river restoration and wetland design. Collaborative efforts with landowners focus on techniques like introducing sizeable woody debris, managing livestock impact, and enhancing riparian zones.
Mr Hunter added: “For example, at Keynsham Memorial Park Weir, we’re working collaboratively with B&NES Council and the Environment Agency to look at ways that we can perhaps improve the quality of the river that flows through the park, thinking about biodiversity, as well as an amenity space.
“We’re currently exploring options and doing a lot of hydrological modelling. We’re looking at ways that perhaps we can adjust or remove sections of the weir to allow better fish passage and also perhaps how we could restore the river through the park to create greater amenity.”
Case studies from Sherwood and
Pensford showcase BART’s multifaceted approach, which combines water flow management, sediment reduction, and biodiversity enhancement. These projects support wildlife and engage local communities and volunteers, fostering a collective stewardship of the environment.
Looking to the future, BART’s ambitions include forming a farm cluster to facilitate nature recovery plans and access funding. This initiative, currently under review by the West of England Combined Authority, promises to be a blueprint for ecological restoration across the region.
Mr Hunter issued a call to action for volunteers, emphasising the importance of citizen science in monitoring and improving water quality. He said: “We have ramped up our citizen science projects throughout the Chew Valley.
“We’ve got different levels of volunteering that people can participate in. We’ve got our annual river blitz, which is fantastic and indicates what the river looks like in terms of water quality once a year.”