APEM have a long established reputation for the highest calibre work in fisheries science. Since 1987 we have been extensively involved in fisheries work undertaking literally hundreds of assignments in rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters together with artificial water bodies such as canals and docks. APEM scientists also have considerable experience of conducting offshore fishery surveys for ecological monitoring and impact assessments. Our expertise ranges from routine and specific surveys using electric-fishing and a wide range of netting techniques, covering coarse, migratory (e.g. salmonids) and marine species, to the development of monitoring techniques for a number of rare species of conservation importance. In addition we have an extensive research & development portfolio encompassing studies funded externally by bodies such as the Environment Agency, the Conservation Agencies and Water Companies, through to internally resourced work often in collaboration with academic institutions.

Fish Surveys

APEM have been at the forefront of developing a dedicated professional electric fishing service for both the public and private sectors. Our electric fishing operations adhere rigorously to the Environment Agency Electric Fishing Code of Practice (Issue 2). All staff are trained and certified as 'Qualified Electric Fishers' and all equipment used complies and is maintained in accordance with Annex A & B of the Fishing Code.

In recent years electric-fishing surveys have been undertaken as far afield as the River Lochy in North West Scotland, to the River Tamar on the Devon / Cornwall border and to the Twin Rivers at Heathrow. Facilities range from two-man backpack outfits, five-man anode teams and more recently five-man boom boat teams. Our electric fishing teams have undertaken many large main stem surveys on systems such as the River Eden, sometimes involving splitting the river channel longitudinally into subsections to obtain acceptable depletion estimates. Both fully quantitative surveys between stop nets and semi-quantitative 5-minute timed surveys are routinely undertaken. Other recent electric fishing surveys include Environment Agency drought surveys on the River Douglas system, pre-impact surveys on the River Cam and the Betteshanger system in Kent. In addition repeat surveys on a number of river systems are undertaken either annually or repeated over several years including the River Wharfe, River Haddeo (Exe), the River Otter and the River Hodder.

Scientists at APEM have undertaken estuarine and offshore fish sampling using a wide range of sampling methods including beam, otter and Lowestoft frame trawls and Riley push nets. A multi-method approach is often utilised for estuarine and saltmarsh sampling including fyke and seine netting, and hand trawling, in order to develop comprehensive sampling programmes. For example, APEM have conducted on-going extensive monitoring since 2002 of the Mersey Estuary in connection with the New Mersey Crossing. Monitoring can be conducted to assess baseline status or conduct more detailed environmental impact assessments. APEM fishery experts also have particular specialist knowledge and experience regarding the issue of fish entrainment/impingement and intake and outfall screening in both freshwater and marine environments.

In addition to electric fishing of adults, extensive seine netting for larval and juvenile fish life stages has been undertaken on the River Thames as part of a major water resources investigation. Innovative field techniques to sample early emerging larvae and fry stages involve use of zooplankton nets and hand trawls as well as micro seine netting for older juveniles as part of a rigorous scientifically derived monitoring programme. Other netting studies include extensive seine netting of Hickling Broad, in the Norfolk Broads, fish removal from various waterbodies at Heathrow Airport and local investigations for angling organisations such as the Duchy of Lancaster at Wyreside Fisheries, and Leisure Lakes, near Southport. Development of innovative netting techniques for population studies on several species noted for their conservation value includes work undertaken on spined loach in East Anglia and the rare spineless morph of the stickleback in Scotland. For both these species a modified hand trawl has been used to develop standardised monitoring techniques involving both investigating the most appropriate trawl length and speed.

APEM also have the ability to conduct hydroacoustic fisheries surveys, which not only allows us to assess quantity of fish in a waterbody, but also surveys the depth and layout of it. Recent projects include surveys on the main stem of the River Thames and also Upper Tamar Lake.

Salmonid & Coarse Fisheries

APEM scientists Dr Keith Hendry and Dr David Cragg-Hine are nationally recognised experts in salmonid biology having undertaken several hundred assignments with many publications in this field. Notable among these are the Environment Agency R&D project which produced the 'Restoration of Riverine Salmon Habitats - A guidance manual', 'Management of Habitat for Rehabilitation of Salmonid Stocks' (in Fisheries Research, Vol. 62, 2003) and 'Decline in Chalkstream Salmon and Future Research Proposals'. In addition to routine and project specific monitoring work identified in fish surveys, APEM have also undertaken numerous investigations into causes of decline in salmonid fisheries. Significant projects include work on the following systems, the River Eden, River Dee, River Calder, River Wyre, River Wolf, River Tamar, River Haddeo (Exe), River Mersey, River Hodder (Ribble), River Lune, River Wharfe, River Axe, River Bollin, River Humber and River Lochy. In addition a host of smaller projects have been undertaken covering many more salmonid systems in the UK, including the River Boyne and the Six-Mile-Water in Northern Ireland, the Tywi, Tawe, Llynfi and Seoint in Wales, and the Fowey, Test & Itchen, and Ehen tributaries in England.

APEM also have a considerable reputation for expertise and innovation in coarse fish biology. APEM's Senior Freshwater Ecologist, Dr Adrian E. Williams, has worked and published widely on coarse fish within freshwater systems. Our award winning work at Salford Quays, where using a variety of new and novel techniques we established a thriving coarse fishery where previously no fish could survive. Much of the expertise developed at the Quays was used in the R&D Project undertaken by APEM on behalf of the Agency and the National Federation of Anglers to produce 'Coarse Fish Habitat Restoration - Still Waters'. Numerous coarse fish projects both large and small have been undertaken over the years. Examples of larger projects, amounting to tens of thousands of pounds, include pre-impact studies on Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 Twin Rivers, 2nd Runway at Manchester Airport, and investigating the impact of the 1995 / 96 Drought on Yorkshire Rivers.

Internationally APEM have advised on the impacts and provided best practice for pipeline crossings in Russia as well as Georgia. Smaller projects include advice to angling clubs on fishery restoration, for example Prince Albert Angling Society at Whirley Mere, and long term investigations into impacts of changes to flow within the Douglas and Colne catchments, and pollution incidents in, for example, the canal system. In addition to our consultancy, survey and report work, we also undertake a considerable amount of research into coarse fish biology, particularly concerning recovering rivers such as the River Irwell and Manchester Ship Canal. Research in this area has been underway for many years and includes work on fish movements in relation to water quality deterioration, fish productivity and organic pollution levels, habitat problems and incidence of sex reversal in recovering urban rivers.