Headless Salmon of the Barle

[BarleBlanker]

I know the Barle is all in Somerset but all the salmon have to swim through Devon to get to it.
Anyway as I am down in the area at the moment I got roped into doing a bit of a redd count up above Simonsbath last week. Numbers weren't great but not a disaster either with about thirty salmon and the same number of redds seen upstream of Simonsbath.


A redd!



All the fish were in good nick with very little signs of disease or fungus. However this one we found on the bank had obviously had a run in with an otter.



The somewhat un-nerving thing was that when I picked up the head the gills gave a little flap! I was told I had imagined it but no the bloody thing was still alive, the heart (which was still with the head) was beating slowly!!! I could hardly believe it, I guess it couldn't have been dragged out many minutes before we arrived and no doubt Mr otter was still close by.



It makes you think about all the fish that have been killed because "it was bleeding from being deep hooked". Although I guess this one probably was too far gone...



Andy

[yeoman]

That's interesting. Always wonder about bleeding fish.Is there any evidence to suggest they die when returned?
After all, if you cut yourself,even quite badly,you don't generally die.
I remember seeing Tilapia fillets in a Hong Kong market,which they prepare in such a way that the heart is left on one side and still beating,slightly macabre,I have to say!