nifca news summer 2025 nifca news winter 2025
nifca news autumn 2024
Latest Aln Estuary Survey Confirms its Importance for Juvenile Fish
A Lesser Sandeel was the most abundant with 344 individuals. Goby species followed with 144, then Atlantic herring with 81. These species have been recorded every year from 2015 to 2025 and consistently dominate the dataset. European Eel, European Flounder, and Saithe also appeared again, although in lower numbers. Notably, Seabass was recorded for the first time, caught at the mouth sampling site during the Spring survey. The 2025 analysis and full report are now being finalised. Early results reaffirm that the Aln Estuary remains an important juvenile development site for many commercially important species. Average lengths for Lesser Sandeels, Flounders, Herrings, European eels, Sand Smelt, Saithe, Salmon, and Sea Trout all fell below maturity size, underscoring the nursery value of the estuary.
NIFCA has completed the latest round of monitoring in the Aln Estuary at Alnmouth, continuing a long-running survey series that began with preliminary assessments in 2012 to 2014 and followed the site’s designation as a Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) in 2013. The work tracks the estuary’s role as a key nursery ground and the continued presence of the critically endangered European Eel. Surveys take place each Spring and Autumn to match migration and spawning periods and have been carried out every year except 2020, due to Covid 19. Four sites were sampled using seine nets and one fyke net set overnight. All methods follow the Environment Agency’s Transitional and Coastal Monitoring approach. This year’s team included volunteers from Coast Care, students from Newcastle University, colleagues from the Environment Agency, and members of the public. A total of 679 fish were recorded. Eleven species were identified to species level and one to genus.
The full report will be available on the NIFCA website soon.
11
page 15
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker