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An introduction to the Camel Fisheries Association (page 2 of 3)
by Jon Evans - Secretary:
The Camel has a reputation for good runs of both species but things are not what they were. Even so, during the 2006 season, there were more than twice as many salmon caught on the Camel as any other river in the South West. In 2007, salmon over 20lb were taken at Boscarne and in 2005, a 19 lb hen fish was donated to the hatchery. There is also an excellent run of sea trout, although there is concern that the Camel is having the same drop in sea trout numbers as is being found all over the UK.
There are about twelve miles of fishable water and most is in the hands of the two main clubs, the Bodmin Anglers Association and the Wadebridge and District Angling Association, both of which offer day tickets for visitors. There are also a number of private riparians and a few private fisheries. The whole river and many of the tributaries are designated as a SSSI and SAC with the Atlantic Salmon and the Otter the two principal species; and the anglers welcome both.
The Camel Fisheries Association has been formed by the clubs and the private riparians to try to ensure, with the Environment Agency and Natural England, that the river stays in good heart, and provides a self sustaining environment, with a range of habitats, as well as excellent sport for anglers. We have been stocking the river with our own fry for many years and usually manage to plant out 50,000 juvenile fish into the many nursery areas at the top of the catchment. The local anglers catch the adult fish in the winter and they are taken to our two local hatcheries at Wainsford and Trafalgar Farm, where the eggs are stripped from the hen fish and the juveniles grown on until the spring and summer. The hatchery programme was started eight years ago by the past Secretary and another member of the Bodmin club who built a hatchery on the Clerkenwater Stream.
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