HALTWHISTLE BURN IMPROVES ITS FLOW
An impassable stretch of river is now open to fish migration thanks to the hard work of Tyne Rivers Trust and Haltwhistle & District Angling Association.
Former industry at Mossy banks on Haltwhistle Burn meant that the river had been narrowed creating a more difficult obstruction to migratory fish trying to move upstream to lay their eggs. It meant that in places the flow was too fast and proved impossible for migrating salmon and sea trout to battle against.
Volunteers and staff from Tyne Rivers Trust worked with volunteers from Haltwhistle & District Angling Associaton to design and build a fish easement, using wooden baulks to improve the flow and 
make it easier for fish to navigate. The angling club kindly donated £400 to cover the cost of the improvement works.
Aidan Pollard, Fisheries Manager for Tyne Rivers Trust says: “It’s important that migratory fish are able to move upstream easily to lay their eggs to preserve future fish stocks and the health of the river.
“We work across the whole of the Tyne catchment to identify points where fish are struggling to move upstream and work with volunteers to build simple fish easements to improve their chances.
“The Tyne is such a beautiful river and we want it to thrive for everyone’s benefit.”
Image caption: Colin Hind, Secretary of Haltwhistle & District Angling Association and Aidan Pollard, Fisheries Manager for Tyne Rivers Trust inspect the new baulks.
