AN ENVIRONMENTAL agency has explained how they are monitoring and protecting salmon.

Natural Resources Wales has been tagging, monitoring and conserving young salmon, known as smolt, in the Afon Tryweryn, near Bala over the last few weeks.

It is the fourth year of a project to look at the impact of water flow, released from the reservoirs of Llyn Celyn and Llyn Tegid, on the downstream migration of salmon smolts in the River Dee.

The 120th salmon smolt for 2018 was tagged recently.

The tagging calls for “meticulous work, carried out to the highest standard of animal welfare”, according to NRW staff.

“Salmon are a feature of the River Dee Special Area of Conservation, and concerns have been raised over the impacts of releasing water from the reservoirs on the downstream passage of salmon smolts during this important stage in their life,” explained a spokesperson for the organisation.

“Fish have been tagged with small acoustic tags, produced by VEMCO, so that we can track them through the river system.

“It’s done at this time of the year, to coincide with the period when salmon smolts move downstream before entering the sea.

“The work takes place at night when most smolts migrate, using the cover of darkness to avoid predators. They are caught using modified fyke nets set across the river, regularly checked through the night.

“Salmon of a suitable size – bigger than 120mm – are then anaesthetised and a small incision is made in the belly of the fish to insert the tag. A single dissolvable suture then closes the incision before a wound sealant is applied. After a period of recovery, the fish are released back into the river."

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