209: Beavers vs Salmon – Balance the Scales with Rob Needham

This image shows a beaver dam in a natural woodland setting. The dam is constructed from intricately woven branches, twigs, and logs that the beavers have gathered and arranged to block the flow of a small stream or creek. You can see how the structure has created a pond on one side, with calm, reflective water, whilst on the other side there's still flowing water continuing downstream.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2K6kymjt1W2diGncubxAil Can beavers save Britain's dying rivers? Are these ecosystem engineers the key to reversing the catastrophic decline of Atlantic salmon, or do their dams create impassable barriers for struggling fish populations? With salmon numbers plummeting by 70% in just 20 years and predictions they could vanish entirely within two decades, the stakes couldn't be … Continue reading 209: Beavers vs Salmon – Balance the Scales with Rob Needham →

194: Pink Salmon Invasion on Norwegian Rivers with Jude Isabella

A rocky river with small waterfalls flowing through an autumn landscape in Finnmark, Norway. The scene is framed by birch trees with golden-yellow leaves, whilst rugged mountains form the backdrop. The river cascades over dark bedrock, creating white rapids. Photo by Arvid Høidahl on Unsplash.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/42CLzA0rIjVKUvpE27eTPf What happens when Pacific salmon invade Atlantic waters? How does a Soviet-era experiment from the 1950s continue to impact Norwegian rivers today? We’re answering these questions in conversation with Jude Isabella, founder and editor-in-chief of Hakai Magazine, and author of multiple books including Salmon: A Scientific Memoir. This episode was inspired by her three-week … Continue reading 194: Pink Salmon Invasion on Norwegian Rivers with Jude Isabella →

165: Flicker in the Water with Bob Gonzalez

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4QCTT4M6dDXYncKfqknjp1 A Flicker in the Water is a book about fishing I wish someone had written a long time ago. I gotta admit that due to its small size, I initially underestimated it. However, as I started reading it, I was immediately drawn to the series of fishing stories and captivated by original, real-life photos. … Continue reading 165: Flicker in the Water with Bob Gonzalez →

Shore Angling for Rays Decades Ago and Now

Recently, several people suggested that in the past decades, it was a rare occurrence for anglers to catch a ray off the beach. The implication was that there was an increased abundance of rays nowadays which I found confusing, knowing the deteriorating state of biodiversity in our seas. So I contacted Declan Quigley, an independent … Continue reading Shore Angling for Rays Decades Ago and Now →

155: Sixgill Sharks and Flapper Skates with Patrick Collins

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2UIa2oFpfoziARVPaq54Wb?si=ca5c25e2ef6c42e5 The sixgill shark (Hexanchus griseus) is the largest of the Hexanchiformes order of sharks, the most primitive living sharks, sometimes called “fossil sharks”. The sixgill, sometimes known as the blunt nose sixgill or cow shark, can grow to over 6 metres (20 feet) in length and weigh over a tonne. What’s interesting is that … Continue reading 155: Sixgill Sharks and Flapper Skates with Patrick Collins →

146: Multi-Generational Outdoors Teaching with Emanuel Rose

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5hOsBDyZkH2ll9DoIDeZOX?si=ee676cae69e84c0c Once again we are coming back to the subject of getting the young generation educated about nature and involved in experiences they might otherwise miss. It’s a theme that has been discussed on my podcast several times. It also comes back time and time again during my conversations about the state of nature and … Continue reading 146: Multi-Generational Outdoors Teaching with Emanuel Rose →

141: Atlantic Bluefin Tuna with William Roche

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2p5C6ID8D5wl4APZhSul0b?si=6f9f7b8cbd174346 Join me for the conversation with Dr William Roche, a senior research officer at Inland Fisheries Ireland, about angler-driven fish tagging programmes. We put a particular focus on the Tuna CHART programme but we also talk about the Marine Sportfish Tagging Programme which is aimed at elasmobranch species of fish like sharks, skates and … Continue reading 141: Atlantic Bluefin Tuna with William Roche →

The Demise and Recovery of The Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

Bluefin tuna is one of the iconic species of big game fish. It is a large-bodied fast swimming fish that feeds on small fish and invertebrates. It can grow up to 1500lb (800kg) although some official bodies like the Smithsonian or the U. S. National Marine Fisheries Service estimate that the fish can reach a … Continue reading The Demise and Recovery of The Atlantic Bluefin Tuna →

137: Salmonid Studies with Richard Kennedy

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4ikt1WzSJ6wlej7I7vRI9g?si=d403613d01874ce6 Salmonids are fascinating fish and that’s not only because of their life history strategy. They also have huge importance for the health of ecosystems. And, albeit to their detriment, they are also important for the economy. Of course, I cannot omit the fact that they are prized by anglers as sport fish. Even though … Continue reading 137: Salmonid Studies with Richard Kennedy →

132: Freshwater Lakes with Frances Lucy and Joerg Arnscheidt

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2dRKxn9Bj1jbziatAxO3Ax?si=f580687e0c0b4b2a This is the third episode in our series dedicated to the CANN project. Our guests are Professor Frances Lucy who is Head of Department of Environmental Science and a long-term researcher at the Atlantic Technological University in Sligo and Dr Joerg Arnscheidt from the School of Geography & Environmental Sciences at Ulster University. https://youtu.be/2K02xcUdc30 … Continue reading 132: Freshwater Lakes with Frances Lucy and Joerg Arnscheidt →