Support our Nation today - please donate here
News

Eel-ated reaction to new passage in area of outstanding natural beauty

05 Nov 2024 2 minute read
Pont y Capel Weir 10 June 2024. Image: NRW

A newly created passage will boost eel populations and their chances of reaching historical foraging and foraging grounds on a river in an area of outstanding natural beauty.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) recently oversaw works to improve eel passage at an important hydrometric monitoring site on the River Alyn at Pont y Capel weir in Wrexham.

Barrier

This removes a well-known barrier to migration that will help to connect river habitats and allow eels to move up the river. It also addresses NRW’s legislative compliance with the eel regulations.

The work took around eight weeks to complete and involved retrofitting eel tiles, flush onto the existing weir structure and the installation of a pumped watering system that will ensure that these tiles remain wet and available for eels to use.

Pont y Capel Eel Pass and Mussel Rope 10 Oct 2024. Image: NRW

Newly installed steps and a handrail will also help to ensure that future access and maintenance of this system can be carried out safely by NRW officers.

Critically endangered

The European eel is a protected species and is critically endangered. The River Alyn is a tributary of the River Dee. It rises at the southern end of the Clwydian hills, and the Alyn Valley forms part of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Tim Owen, NRW Team Leader Hydrometry & Telemetry, said: “The newly installed eel passage at Pont y Capel will remove the current constraint to eel migration and improve wider ecological connectivity in the River Alyn.

“The work will boost eel populations as it makes it easier for them to reach areas of the Alyn where they’ve historically foraged.

“This work completes another successful eel passage installation on a Hydrometric weir which are required to measure levels and flows across north Wales. There are another three Eel passages planned to be installed over the next couple of years within remaining catchments across north Wales.”


Support our Nation today

For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Our Supporters

All information provided to Nation.Cymru will be handled sensitively and within the boundaries of the Data Protection Act 2018.