Dace numbers cause for 'concern' in River Tyne, Hexham

Fewer dace numbers than usual have been a cause for concern for a member of an angling group based near Hexham. 

These fish are small to medium-sized members of the carp family.

The long-term angler, who wished to remain anonymous, flagged up issues regarding the vanishing of dace in the Tyne and the decreased numbers which have been caught this season.

He estimated from the middle of April until the middle of May this year, there has been a noticeable reduction in the fish caught through pleasure fishing and in fishing competitions.

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Dr Ceri Gibson, chief executive officer at Tyne Rivers Trust, said: "We share the concerns about reports of lower dace numbers this year and will continue to engage with the Environment Agency as they investigate. Like many species in our river, dace are vulnerable to the impacts of fluctuating water quality, as well as more extreme flow events that are likely to increase in frequency and severity as the climate changes.

The River Tyne at Fourstones near Hexham (Image: Tyne Rivers Trust)

"Therefore, it is vital we work at scale and with greater urgency to mitigate these effects on our rivers. At the same time, we must increase efforts to collect the necessary data to better understand why declines, such as those observed for dace, happen so that we can address these issues effectively.

"The Tyne hosts an amazing array of wildlife that benefits our mental and physical health, as well as the regional economy. By safeguarding our rivers and the life within them, we're protecting our own wellbeing and supporting a healthy planet for future generations.”

An Environment Agency spokesperson said it was aware the dace caught this year from the River Tyne is lower than recent years and said this could be caused by 'local environmental factors', but there is no evidence of pollution being linked to the lower numbers.

“This year has been exceptionally wet and cold, leading to high flows in our rivers. These local environmental factors may mean that dace stocks are currently sitting downstream in the upper estuary. If this is the case then dace could be expected to make their way into the freshwater river in due course," they said.

“We investigate fish death incidents as and when they occur. There is no evidence of fish disease or pollution being linked to reduced numbers of dace.

“We are closely monitoring the situation and are working with angling interests to determine the extent of any decline. This includes looking at the catch data coming out of fishing competitions on the Tyne."

The chair of Wylam Angling Club John Teasdale said the salmon fishing has also been poor this year, with fish swimming upriver later in the year and in reduced numbers. "The presence of marine seals feeding and killing many fish in the lower freshwater pools has not helped matters," he added.

Stephen Westgarth, chair of the Wylam Clean Tyne group, said that the wildlife in the Tyne is threatened by pollution, and that data show the extent of raw sewage overflows into the river. He added that volunteer groups like Wylam Clean Tyne 'are forced' to undertake their own monitoring of water quality, arguing that official monitoring - and prosecution of polluters - is inadequate.

"It is no surprise that wildlife, including the dace stocks, suffer as a result," he said.

A spokesperson from Northumbrian Water said: “We share our customer’s and partner’s passion for our rivers and coastal waters, and it is through working with them over several years that we have been able to see positive changes in the Tyne catchment water quality.

“Nature-based projects to improve the local environment together with significant investment, which includes current upgrades at Hexham, Wark, Slaley and Allendale sewage treatment works will support the protection and improvement of the River Tyne for years to come.”