You mention that Gudgeon numbers are not down according to the EA. In my local River Frays, I used to bag up on them in the 80's and 90's, to a decent size too. Not had any for nearly 15 years out of there despite using similar or the same tactics. The Colne (Which intersects with the Frays) also used to have large shoals, now you catch them rarely although they tend to be bigger when you do
@timford8315
24 күн бұрын
I’ve seen a stream that runs into the Bristol Avon once alive with bullheads and stone loach (and even the uk crayfish), this would have been in the late 1970’s. Multiple housing developments and pollution events wiped out those species. Instead the stream now has mostly dace and odd trout. I assume that these species came in from the river.
@KevsCountDown
28 күн бұрын
No there still common
@anthonypytlakowski206
27 күн бұрын
There’s loads in the river maun fish in Nottinghamshire fish single maggot at night catch one every throw just about
@motor_misc
28 күн бұрын
I love bullheads they are great fun to keep I have had a few in my native aquarium
@Chasingscalesspecieshunt
28 күн бұрын
@@motor_misc they great watching them gulp worms in a tank
@johnbruce2868
27 күн бұрын
Of course they've declined! I'm 70 years old and an itinerant trout fly fisherman. As a child, every tiny brook (and pond) I knew in cities and urban parks was alive with bullheads, stone loaches, sticklebacks and minnows. Those same brooks (and ponds), every one of them, are now dead of fish life. You cannot measure the enormity of the decline by referencing current riverine populations alone. Much damage was done when new urban areas overwhelmed urban green belt. Other problems include; using these brooks and streams as motorway, road and sewage management drains; the development of new fertilisers coupled with rapid agricultural land drainage; the affects of the vile signal crayfish. It's like the massive decline in fly life. In the 1960's, you couldn't travel 100 miles without cleaning your windscreen. Now? Nothing.
@softshell3454
28 күн бұрын
I wonder if predation by the signal crayfish is significant.
@gazgonenative4696
28 күн бұрын
Yes massive reduction because of crays defo seen reduction and in stone loach to
@falconry.davesharpenatureboy
25 күн бұрын
Massively in decline in Northamptonshire , environment agency as a broadsweep source ? Are they even trustable ? How many and how long are these surveys . Northamptonshire over the last fifty years has seen not just a massive decline in numbers but more tellingly a massive reduction in size. Up to my twenties here I could easily go to a few local , fast shallow , rocky streams and catch bullheads upto the then aquarist fish show size which was 100 mm nose to start of caudal fin , four inch bullheads were commonly found along with similar sized stone loach . These streams now have two problems ; slower flow and massive silting of the stream bed , but I believe more importantly every drop of water way here is infested with red claw crayfish ; eating the bullheads egg clusters under rocks and I would think not only the male as He protects them , but any bullhead and loach they can pin under the rocks , and of course the crays are taking over the rocks for their own hideaways . Last time I checked was two years ago , very few bullheads and biggest one was 65 mm Anyone commenting otherwise here I would Be interested to know if the redclaws infest their rivers?
@jorvikangler
28 күн бұрын
Angling as a method of recording fish populations is fraught with problems. Having said that the number of ruffe I've caught in recent years is very small compared to last century, but the number of bullheads has increased.
@scotthutchison1436
28 күн бұрын
Tons of them in the Water of Leith up here in Scotland.
@damianowens5066
28 күн бұрын
As you said Jack it could just be no one except people species hunting bother targeting them, hopefully? I got mine at the weekend 👍
@richardjones2811
28 күн бұрын
Doubt they're in decline. What's in decline is children doing what we did.
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