BIOSECURITY NOTICE FOR ANGLERS
NEW THREATS TO RIVERS WYE AND USK
All river users benefit from a healthy aquatic environment. In addition to the work to improve the ecology of the Wye and Usk, the Foundation must make all river users aware of the dangers that they might inadvertently pose to indigenous flora and fauna, and what they should do about it. Clothing and equipment (especially nets and waders) that have not been thoroughly dried or disinfected can carry parasites and other diseases and infect water bodies. These can have devastating effects as species that inhabit the newly infected water body have little or no immunity. Crayfish plague is just such a disease. It is carried by the American signal crayfish, which is widely prevalent and immune to the parasite whereas our native white clawed crayfish is not.
Another potentially damaging plague is Gyrodactylus salaries (GS) which affects salmon and this could and be brought in from the continent. It has devastated rivers in Norway.
Another, more recent threat has come from the killer shrimp Dikerogammarus villosus, a destructive species that has arrived in UK waters from Eastern Europe. If introduced into the Wye or Usk they too will have a devastating effect on native species of invertebrates, fish and other wildlife. They can easily be transported in damp webbing and nets (please note keep nets are not permitted on any WUF Passport beats). Of great concern to us is transfer by dinghy sailors competing on different lakes having sailed on infected waters such as Cardiff Bay. For more information on killer shrimp please click here.
The risk of Crayfish plague ,GS and killer shrimp require precautions to be taken.
WHAT YOU MUST DO
Certain items of your clothing and equipment (especially nets, felt soles and waders) can be very effective means by which you could infect water. In addition to abiding by the rule of no keepnets, if your equipment or clothing has been used abroad or on any different UK river in the 7 days prior to you visiting the Wye or Usk (or any tributary), you must ensure that it has been properly sterilized through one of the following methods before you arrive:
Method A: Drying to a minimum of 20 degC for at least 2 days.
Method B: Heating to above 60 degC for at least one hour.
Method C: Deep freezing for at least one day.
Method D: Immersion of materials in a solution of, or addition of one of the following chemicals to the concentration indicated for a minimum of 10 minutes:
- Virkon 1%
- Wescodyne 1%
- Sodium chloride (common salt) 3%
- Sodium hydroxide 0.2%