Come along to watch this spectacular film that is highlighting how important Atlantic Salmon are for our ecosystems and learn about some of the issues that native salmon are facing.

Followed by a discussion with Andy Gray from River Taw Fisheries and Conservation Association and Mia Bryant from Westcountry Rivers Trust, we will be looking at the state of salmon in the Taw too and discussing what can be done to address the local salmon decline in North Devon.

About the film:

Riverwoods, a breath-taking feature-length documentary that took three years to produce and features Peter Capaldi as its narrator, illuminates the precarious status of Scotland’s salmon and tells the captivating tale of a fish that lives in the forest. And in the forest’s predators, scavengers, and even herbivores. The King of Fish, the Atlantic salmon native to Scotland, is not only the ultimate catch for anglers but also a crucial component of the intricate forest ecology.

Our rivers have undergone significant modification over many generations as a result of Scotland’s natural woods and much of the fauna that shaped them being lost. Not so long ago, enormous runs of Atlantic salmon would return from the sea each year, making their way into Scotland’s rivers’ headwaters. After spawning the following generation, the vast majority of these colossal fish would perish, their corpses sustaining entire ecosystems.

This amazing animal, which serves as a symbol of Scotland’s spectacular, flowing rivers, is more endangered than ever.

Donation only

About the speakers:

Andy is the chairman of the River Taw Fisheries and Conservation Association (RTFCA), a trustee of the Westcountry Rivers Trust (WRT), a 13th generation Devon farmer, butcher and enthusiastic environmentalist. Involved in multiple scientific trials around regenerative agriculture, including a 12-year silvopasture trial, Andy knows farming can be both productive and generate more biodiversity, improve water quality, and alleviate flooding; through changes in practices