Salmon Fishing Scotland Salmon Hatchery Talk.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Salmon Hatchery Talk.
There will be a talk by Peter Gray of the Kielder Salmon Hatchery on Sunday 28th September 2008 in the Conference room at the Ballathie Hotel at 3.00 pm. All are welcome.


Kielder salmon hatchery opens as environmental attraction
publication date: Aug 15, 2008.

The Kielder Salmon Centre in Northumberland - incorporating a new visitor attraction – was officially opened on Friday 8th August, bringing environmental education to one the United Kingdom’s most successful wildlife breeding centres.

Alongside the new visitor attraction, the Environment Agency-run hatchery in Kielder Water & Forest Park has introduced new fresh-water pearl mussel breeding beds to help save one of the UK’s most endangered species. The Kielder Salmon Centre will be open to the public and student groups free of charge seven days a week.

Environment Agency fisheries team leader Jim Heslop said: “The revamped Kielder Salmon Centre provides visitors with a great opportunity to learn about freshwater ecosystems and the extraordinary life cycle of species like salmon and freshwater pearl mussels.

“We hope the conservation work carried out by the Environment Agency will inspire people to get more involved with their local environment, whether it is through fishing, conservation work or simply getting out there and enjoying it.”

The Kielder Salmon Centre was opened 30 years ago to compensate for the loss of important breeding habitat caused by the construction of the Kielder dam. Since then the hatchery has become a centre of excellence for the rearing of salmon and other protected species like Ennerdale Charr and Freshwater Pearl Mussels.

The hatchery has reared more than 10 million salmon and has supported recovering fisheries on rivers such as the Trent and Esk, as well as work on the Tyne.

Elisabeth Rowark, director of the Kielder Partnership, said: “The new visitor centre is yet another fantastic attraction that Kielder Water & Forest Park has to offer its visitors all year round.

“On behalf of the Kielder Partnership I’d like to welcome our newest member, the Environment Agency, which works hard to ensure the Tyne is the best salmon river in England. Kielder Salmon Centre will provide our visitors with a great source of information and add an exciting new element to the Kielder Water & Forest Park experience”.