Steve Crowley, 12 October 2019
One of the sixth formers I took on a Darent field trip last week brought a copy of an article from the Daily Mail by Fergal Sharkey which had a double page spread about the rivers that are disappearing in southern England. She is using it as a resource for her I.B. Internal Assessment in Geography.
As an aside, we took a picture of the seven inch Signal Crayfish I lifted at Brasted (and then disposed of), the presence of which should worry everyone. I had just given a talk about invasives, stepped into the river and ‘bingo!’ there it was. The perfect visual aid.
I am pretty good at spotting fish in rivers - years of angling experience. I didn’t see a fish anywhere on that length. That should also be a concern - even more so as I saw very few on the ten sites we visited that day, and only then near structures with lots of human activity nearby. The Darent appears to me to be in trouble. I may be wrong of course, but to investigate as should be done, it needs a full EA fishery survey.
Like most anglers who fish rivers - no, not most, how would I know that? - just a few that I know - we have places which serve as guides to the health of the stream.
On the Medway, it is the sewage farm at Penshurst - as long as people catch a few Barbel there, it is ‘happy days.'
On the Stour, it’s Canterbury at the Millers Arms, and the weir pool there full of Dace.
Similarly, on the Darent.
Downstream of Franks Lane, I have had some good catches in years gone by from this pool, and whenever I walk the river I stop and spend time looking.
I did not see a fish.
Not one of the dozen or so Chub of 1-2 pounds that a quiet look through polarised sunglasses usually reveals.
No minnows? Really? Did I just miss them? Where are they?. Perhaps they are just not there - have they been removed - mink?
Anyway, whatever is the case, this is just one of the spots on the river where I saw naff all, and that with a gin-clear stream, no human disturbance, and bright conditions.
One of the sixth formers I took on a Darent field trip last week brought a copy of an article from the Daily Mail by Fergal Sharkey which had a double page spread about the rivers that are disappearing in southern England. She is using it as a resource for her I.B. Internal Assessment in Geography.
As an aside, we took a picture of the seven inch Signal Crayfish I lifted at Brasted (and then disposed of), the presence of which should worry everyone. I had just given a talk about invasives, stepped into the river and ‘bingo!’ there it was. The perfect visual aid.
I am pretty good at spotting fish in rivers - years of angling experience. I didn’t see a fish anywhere on that length. That should also be a concern - even more so as I saw very few on the ten sites we visited that day, and only then near structures with lots of human activity nearby. The Darent appears to me to be in trouble. I may be wrong of course, but to investigate as should be done, it needs a full EA fishery survey.
Like most anglers who fish rivers - no, not most, how would I know that? - just a few that I know - we have places which serve as guides to the health of the stream.
On the Medway, it is the sewage farm at Penshurst - as long as people catch a few Barbel there, it is ‘happy days.'
On the Stour, it’s Canterbury at the Millers Arms, and the weir pool there full of Dace.
Similarly, on the Darent.
Downstream of Franks Lane, I have had some good catches in years gone by from this pool, and whenever I walk the river I stop and spend time looking.
I did not see a fish.
Not one of the dozen or so Chub of 1-2 pounds that a quiet look through polarised sunglasses usually reveals.
No minnows? Really? Did I just miss them? Where are they?. Perhaps they are just not there - have they been removed - mink?
Anyway, whatever is the case, this is just one of the spots on the river where I saw naff all, and that with a gin-clear stream, no human disturbance, and bright conditions.
MAY 2019: WORKPARTY at SUDRIDGE
JUNE 2018: Himalayan Balsam at South Darenth
Our tropical summer was well underway by the end of June when nine keen volunteers, under the guidance of Mark Gallant, North West Kent Countryside Partnership, tackled a clearing operation on the banks of the Darent in South Darenth. The problem of invasive Himalayan Balsam plagues many rivers in the UK and two areas were cleared that day. It’s great to find volunteers prepared to give up a few hours for such vital work. The local working group in Horton Kirby and South Darenth intend to meet again in the near future. Many thanks to you all. Malcolm Dunn
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DRIPS AGM 2017 Visit to the river at Acacia Hall, Dartford, led by Chris Gardner. Meeting at Dart Pub. Minutes can be viewed here
DRiPS AGM 2016: Visit to new fish bypass channel at Sundridge, led by Chris Gardner (SERT), Mike Gallant (NWKCP) and Peter Waring (EA) followed by AGM at the White Horse Inn.
DRiPS AGM 2014: Bella Davies of SERT gave a presentation "Restoring the Resilience of our Rivers" which can be downloaded here.
To download the Summer 2014 edition of NEWSFLOW, click here.
To download the Chairman's report for 2014, click here.
