Get Involved in the AARC Project

If you are interested in helping us with our work in conserving the Westcountry's rivers then you can get involved in the AARC Project in one of two ways:

River Walkover Surveys

River walkover surveys are very simple, but used well they are incredibly powerful at not only highlighting issues in rivers, but as a tool for finding solutions.

After a 1 day training course, you walk down a stretch of river with a survey partner and mark on a map all the types of habitat you find (pool, glide, spawning gravel etc). You also put in any other features you find, e.g. weirs, fallen trees, trees covering the river.

You then send us these maps and we enter the data into a digital mapping system called a Geographical Information System (GIS). The GIS turns the data into a digital map of the river, that can be outputted in many different useful ways to highlight river issues. For example, we may find that prime salmonid spawning beds are just downstream of good juvenile habitat, but that they are also downstream from a point source of siltation.

Based on our GIS outputs we can readily see what needs to be done. This clearly understandable map can then be used as a basis for discussion with stakeholders in order to take action in river restoration.

Collecting Scale Samples

Anglers care passionately about our rivers, especially about such iconic sport fish as sea trout. Collecting a tiny scale sample from sea trout that they catch can provide a world of scientific and stock management information.

If you are intrested in helping we'll send you a small pack containing full instructions, and everything you need to collect trout and sea trout scales. When you catch a fish all you need to do is collect a scale sample of 8-10 scales and send them to us.

We collect the scale samples from anglers, and these will be analyzed by our partners at Exeter University. Using the data from these scales we can find out how these trout are related, and therefore how best to  manage them. 

This data is then compared to our river walkover surveys to find out the best way to restore the rivers to help the trout and especially sea trout.