Earlier this week we hosted our second community snorkel survey at Llyn Padarn. There was a great turn out with lots of volunteers keen to improve their snorkel skills and help trial the study into the perch population at Llyn Padarn.

The ‘Search for Perch’ was successful with all volunteers recording multiple sighting of perch of different sizes! In just three short transects a considerable number were spotted indicating that the number of Perch in Llyn Padarn could well be on the increase.

The idea behind these surveys is to monitor the presence and population trends of the European perch, a species that poses potential risks to the native fish population. This will be an annual survey aiming to gather important data to help manage and protect the local ecosystem.

Background on the Perch: The European perch, a member of the Percid family, is a predatory fish known for feeding on invertebrates and small fish. Although common throughout Eurasia and much of the UK, the perch is not native to North Wales. It was first recorded at Llyn Padarn around 10-15 years ago. However, the origins of this population and its current size remain unknown.

Threats Posed by Perch: Perch are considered a potential threat to native species like the Arctic charr and other salmonids. These native species are at risk because perch prey on their juveniles and compete with them for food resources.

Volunteering

Snorkel surveying is a fantastic way to assess the health of waterways and improve our knowledge our local rivers. As part of this project we are upskilling our volunteers through BSAC certified courses.

If you would like to join the North Wales Rivers Trust BSAC club or find out more information please email poppy@northwalesriverstrust.org