UKC

A decade ago it was possible in the autumn to see loads of migrating salmon jumping up the Force just south of Kendal, near Sedgewick. You could often, in the right conditions, see several in a minute.

I’ve recently realised that I haven’t seen this wonderful sight for several years. There could be several reasons for this. Maybe I haven’t tried hard enough to go at the right time. Or perhaps the salmon numbers are in decline overall. Or perhaps it’s sewage pollution in the river. Wrt to the last, it does seem to me that the Kent looks less pristine than it was a decade ago, and there seems to be more foaming which I think is a bad sign. 

Any views?
 

In reply to Rog Wilko:  I have spent years looking for salmon in the Kent and the Leven and am very jealous of your sightings albeit a long time ago.   Numbers have declined for salmon throughout the UK but I still think some make the journey but might be a few every hour as opposed to every minute and then only at a few selected times of the year.   I did see a beautiful smelt in lake windermere in June   

In reply to Rog Wilko:

I've seen salmon jumping up the weir in the Wear in Durham, fabulous sight.

In reply to Pedro50:

Where?

In reply to Lankyman:

I usually look for salmon jumping over the weir in Kendal when I'm at the Mountain Festival each November. I've seen a few in recent year, albeit always quite small ones. I couldn't get near it this year though due to flood defence works.

In reply to Rog Wilko:

You're absolutely right, I remember standing at the Stramongate weir watching dozens of salmon jumping a few years ago; I've no idea if that still happens. Wrong side of town for me these days. I do wonder if the sewage treatment works downstream of Kendal is a problem. 

On the upside, I have twice recently seen otters in the Kent close to Abbot Hall.

In reply to airborne:

We found a dead salmon in the Kent, during last years River clean as part of the Kendal Film Festival. This was with 200 metres of the Basecamp. 

In reply to Rog Wilko:

The United Utilities sewer storm overflow south of Staveley spilled 301 times for a total of 4064.33 hours into the River Kent in 2022, while the Kendal Waste Water Treatment Works spilled 17 times for a total of 61.30 hours into the River Kent in 2022. Figures from https://theriverstrust.org/key-issues/sewage-in-rivers 

See also https://www.facebook.com/cleanriverkent/  and http://www.sustainablestaveley.org.uk/our-projects/clean-river-kent-campaig...

In reply to airborne:

I saw a pair of otters in the Kent from the Riverside Hotel window, whilst eating breakfast. I think it was 2019.

In reply to Rog Wilko:

There’ve been recent sightings of otters here in Staveley, but I’ve never seen a salmon at the pass by Wilfs 😞 Always wondered if they were a thing these days. 

In reply to Neil Henson:

I saw a pair at 0930am 😀

In reply to Billhook:

Amazing ( jealous)!

In reply to Rog Wilko:

Yes, I arrived in Kendal in 1987 and in September I used to see magnificent purple sided salmon jumping quite regularly at Force Falls. After rain and in bright sunshine seemed to be best. I haven't been down for a longtime but I would guess they are a rare sight. Things are changing unfortunately. What a shame the flood scheme isn't a nature based solution with major upstream rewilding.

In reply to Phil1919:

Absolutely! Don’t get me started. The upper Kent Valley would be perfect for beaver reintroduction. Much cheaper than the destruction being wrought on the Kent in Kendal. Not sure if it would help the salmon much, though.

In reply to Rog Wilko:

That's my line as well 'don't get me started'. I have to walk up into these valleys to remind myself just how cavernous they are. So much space to allow fauna and flora to flourish to slow up the water.....I was on top of Helvellyn ten days ago. Small migrating birds passing through, plus a flock of about 15 sheep.