The River Obstacles app

Thanks to data sharing with our Ribble Life Partners we have a good amount of data on factors such as tree and vegetation cover, livestock access and erosion, ecological status, and water quality. However, we only have a limited knowledge of barriers.

It is estimated that there are over 900 barriers to fish migration within the Ribble Catchment and we hope that by training volunteers to find and assess these barriers we will be able to build a better picture of the different barriers that are affecting fish passage and migration.

Participants in the training will not only learn about different barriers and their impacts, they will also learn how to measure each barrier safely and how to record and upload the information to the national database through the River Obstacles app.

This scheme is a partnership between the Environment Agency, Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Rivers and Fisheries Trusts for Scotland (RAFTS) and The Rivers Trust (the English, Welsh and Northern Ireland umbrella trust).  There will be two courses per year delivered by recognised trainers from Ribble Rivers Trust.

Volunteers at one the trial barrier training events