News

Funding Boost for TRT

10 February 2012

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SITA Trust logo Tyne Rivers Trust have secured £61,540 from SITA Trust to improve the North Tyne/Rede river habitat to benefit the threatened Freshwater Pearl Mussel populations.

The freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritfera) is a filter-feeder, removing algae and detritus from the water column. They are a Biodiversity Action Plan species in the UK and protected in Europe under the EC Habitats Directive. TRT is already working in partnership with the Environment Agency and Natural England on a silt-reduction programme to improve overall river habitat for this now-endangered species; whilst currently our rivers host the second-largest population in England, surveys show that they are ageing and not reproducing.

There are many reasons why they are declining, such as nutrient input, illegal poaching, delcines in host fish populations, as well as the quality of the water.

This funding will now enable TRT to join EA and the Freshwater Biological Association in directly boosting the pearl mussel numbers through captive breeding programme in which larvae (glochidia) are returned to the rivers North Tyne and Rede. The funding will be used to identify and prepare specific sites to optimise the successful return of bred mussels to these rivers. The work will include channel capacity management (principally narrowing, using berms and/or coarse woody debris) and bed substrate cleaning, using jetted air or water.

Trust Director, Malcolm Newson said, "A river fit for pearl mussels is also one of significance to fish, other wildlife and to communities. Managing the river flow, the silt sources and the silt deposits is key to this project. Agencies such as Natural England, have but big resources into managing the land next to the river. TRT has added its own charitable funds from TWITA (Tyne and Wear Integrated Transport Authority) and from The Tubney Charitable Trust. We also benefit from research projects at ADAS (Agricultural Development and Advisory Service), CEH (Centre for Ecology and Hydrology) and the University of Southampton."

Jools Granville of SITA Trust said "Freshwater Pearl Mussels are a European Protected Species and a high conservation priority within the UK. The North Tyne and its tributaries have been the focus of conservation efforts within the North East and this project has strong links to both existing activity and suppoorts the larger conservation effort."

For more information on our work please follow the Erosion / Siltation link. There is a 'Read about our SITA desilting project' pdf giving more detail on this specific project.