Social Networking
I have fished for as long as I can remember, certainly since the 1960s, when I used to wait for the incoming tide each day off the Barra lighthouse in Salvador, Brazil, with prawn baited hooks on a length of mono, or a baited crab net. These days I am to be found in the hills of Northern Wales with a fly rod and a small tin of scruffy flies trying to tempt a wild trout.
I have fly fished in Canada, Norway, Spain, Ireland and Scotland but am as happy on my local rain-fed stream in the driving wind and rain. I enjoy all fly fishing methods but find upstream wet-fly particularly satisfying. My fly-tying leaves much to be desired but my small Tummel and Clyde-style flies seem to work. A few years ago I fell into the trap and expense of collecting new gear, but have found this to be an encumbrance. My philosophy is "leave the gear behind and spend time on observation and melding in". 
« Homage to the Killy Kettle | Main | A poem from the late Tang dynasty »
Sunday
Jul312011

What future for the trout of Rioja, Spain?

DateSunday, July 31, 2011 at 9:33AM

As I sit waiting out torrential rain today in southern Spain, I ponder the future of the trout in that wonderful area of Rioja further north. According to  research by the European Environment Agency, Spain and Portugal will be most affected within the EU by climate change. Storms, floods and droughts are likely to become more and more frequent with a significant rise in temperature expected.

Iberia is wedged between two continents with very different climes. Much of Spain is a transition area making it extremely sensitive to change (Atlantic- Damp Mediterranean - Semi-Arid Mediterranean-Semi-Desert).

The Pyrenees are likely to experience milder winters with more precipitation, and hotter, drier summers. These conditions are already reducing snow cover on the mountains since, in most temperate mountain regions, the snow temperature is close to the melting point and therefore very sensitive to changes in temperature.

So, many of Spain 's ice-age relict mountain floras and faunas, including trout, will be under severe ecological pressure.

 

CommentPost a Comment | |

Reader Comments

There are no comments for this journal entry. To create a new comment, use the form below.

PostPost a New Comment

Enter your information below to add a new comment.

My response is on my own website »
Author Email (optional):
Author URL (optional):
Post:
 
Some HTML allowed: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <code> <em> <i> <strike> <strong>

Notify me of follow-up comments via email.