Worrying situation at Redmire

[StalkingLuke]

Thanks for clearing up a few points Skeff and it's really reassuring to hear that you are involved in future plans, but the fact that the pool has recently been brought to the brink of disaster is still very worrying. We have probably all experienced how quickly the whole stock of a lake can be wiped out as a result of low oxygen levels and to be relying on external means of aeration suggests that the situation is still quitr serious.

[PeteD]

It is good to read the facts. Surprise surprise I notice that said video has now been taken down.

[Skeff]

Thanks for clearing up a few points Skeff and it's really reassuring to hear that you are involved in future plans, but the fact that the pool has recently been brought to the brink of disaster is still very worrying. We have probably all experienced how quickly the whole stock of a lake can be wiped out as a result of low oxygen levels and to be relying on external means of aeration suggests that the situation is still quitr serious.

No one, least of all the the owners of Bernithan, underestimate the problems at Redmire. After all, it is their lake, their fish and their business... There are no easy solutions and (as the problems with dissolved oxygen this year show) the situation is changing constantly and the risks are very real.

The family are committed to the future of the pool, as well as to preserving its historical and cultural importance from an angling perspective.

Every carp angler will have a view on the situation and that isn't the issue here - the blog and video concerned went beyond that and were misleading and factually incorrect. I am pleased to see that the video has been taken down and the written blog edited.

[Tengisgol]

I read Mark's piece and I thought it was both balanced and (as we'd expect) authoritative in terms of expertise. I hope it goes well, there are challenges like this elsewhere on the Wye valley given farming practices.

[Skeff]

In every sector, the drive remains to get larger, spread fixed costs and to intensify. I don't see that trend changing in the near future. I think in fact there will be a polarisation between large agri-business and small low input/low output mixed farms. In terms of the agri-business end of that spectrum, I don't think the regulatory framework and resources will be adequate to prevent environmental decline.... But I'd love to be proven wrong!

Redmire is a case in point where the land causing the run-off is in the ownership of several farmers who allow it to be contract farmed for potatoes. The contractors have no meaningful tie to the land nor much interest in the environmental impact of their operations. Similarly in Somerset, we have 800 to 2000 cow indoor dairies being built that are dependent on intensive maize silage, with all of the environmental impacts of slurry management, and fertiliser use coupled with eroding bare winter soils.

[Skeff]

Just for information, now that the video blog about Redmire has been removed, I have edited the response I posted earlier, to keep it meaningful. It provides a summary of the current situation at the pool.

[Santiago]

Having just skimmed through one of the scientific research papers on Neonicotinamides (systematic pesticide pollutants) I find it even more interesting and relevant to Redmire. The negative impact of these pesticides also includes a reduction in decomposition of plant matter that falls into waterways etc.etc, because the aquatic insect populations are so low (some eat dead plant material). This encourages more bacterial decomposition of dead plants and can result in deoxygenation given the right conditions!

[AndyD]

Thanks Mark for a post that was based on an informed opinion as opposed to heresay. After spending some time at Ashmead and witnessing your work first hand, it's reassuring that you are involved.

It all boils down to this. Everyone agrees that someone should be done, and it seems that there is at least some agreement about what should be done. The big question is, when will it be done?

Oh god, I hope it's soon.

[Mark]

Thread tied up again for the third time.

* For political discussions you have other forums and Facebook to choose from *

For those of you unaware of the TFF rules please can I suggest you read them.

http://traditionalfisherman.com/app.php/rules.

[Snape]

Fennel has removed the video and blog and written a comment about it all here

http://www.fennelspriory.com/rural-life ... nel-hudson