Local Expert reveals threat to Arctic Charr
Local freshwater ecologist David Scott has highlighted the threat to fish stocks in Crummock caused by the proposed ‘renaturalisation’ scheme. David, was brought up in Lorton near Crummock and spent most of his professional life working on the local lakes and rivers.
David explained: Salmon , trout and Charr require well oxygenated water and clean stony gravel beds for optimal hatchability. But removal of the weir and heavy machinery working on the river bed causes excessive silt mobilisation. In turn this settled silt will smother and deprive the eggs of available oxygen, hindering the emergence of young fish.
Bethnic macroinvertibrates (clams, snails and insects) are equally impacted. They are a critical part of any food chain. Their absence directly impacts food chains. Separating invertebrates that live in the shore by a wasteland of 8-10 metres is going to cause significant damage to the insect fauna.
You can find the full unedited article here.
According to our review of the United Utilities project plan, their proposal involves the movement of around 9000 tonnes of concrete masonry and spoil.
On-site crushing of concrete will create constant quantities of dust. The deconstruction programme is expected to take two years or more with access to the North shore restricted during this time.
This week a BBC article highlighted the threat to Arctic Charr, a species of fish only found in a few lakes in Cumbria and Snowdonia. Pollution in Windermere is causing their numbers to fall fast. Now a scheme to drain Crummock threatens the fish population there.
Arctic Charr
David Scott a few decades ago.
A gentle and modest man, when I referred to David as a Freshwater Ecologist he said: The last person to give me such a title was Tony Norman about thirty years ago. We were visiting the Horse Shoe Inn (Lorton) and standing at the bar were a couple of fisherman arguing a point about fish biology I think. Tony piped up and said " ask David here, there's now't he doesn't know about fish " ! I was quite embarrased , and so I am again
