Ouse Washes Spined Loach survey 2023

Descriptions

A Common Standards Monitoring-compliant spined loach monitoring survey is being sought by the West Anglia Area Team for the Ouse Washes Special Area of Conservation in Cambridgeshire plus a selection of the ditches within the washland flood storage reservoir which forms part of the SSSI and SPA. The survey is to be completed in September/October 2023. The Ouse Washes SAC comprises two man-made drainage channels, running parallel to each other: the 33km Counter Drain/Old Bedford River (CDOB) and the 30km Old Bedford River/River Delph (OBRD), covering a total length of 63km and an area of approximately 311 hectares within the Fens National Character Area (NCA), If you are not familiar with the Ouse Washes SSSI we strongly advise that you arrange a visit to the site to thoroughly inspect the size, layout and nature of the site, the requirements of this monitoring survey and the site-specific constraints regarding accessing the watercourses and the Washes in general. It is highly likely that a small boat would be needed for surveying the River Delph/Old Bedford as both rivers are deep and waders will not be sufficient. In September and October the Washes, being also a Special Protection Area, are critically important for the large flocks of protected birds so it is imperative that survey work is carried out in a way that minimises disturbance, especially where the ditches are surveyed. The major landowners RSPB and WTT will be able to guide as to best practice here and the successful contractor should plan the surveys with input from these land managers.