pond dipping/freshwater sampling

[thebeard]

I've just got back from a freshwater ecology lab session at uni, and we were looking at various samples from lakes around the campus. very interesting, and saw some cool stuff, including a juvenile newt sp. i was thinking i'd like to give it a go myself in my free time, but was wondering if there were any legal issues/licences/etc that are tied in with it. obviously landowners permission would be needed but is there anything else i should know?

[meinchewster]

It all depends on what species of Newt your finding. You are not allowed to handle, capture, Net and disturb any aquatic plants where Great Crested Newts are known to be present, unless you hold a GCN licence.

Your lecturers should know the local GCN populations and so should Notts Wildlife Trust. If you stick to streams rather than ponds, it is unlikely you will have any such problems.

[Melus]

If you know GCN are present in the pond then there is no way you should be dipping as you will be 'disturbing' them which as you know is an offence.

When you seek permission from the landowner ask if there are any records of GCN. If there are leave well alone unless you are accompanied by a licence holder. If there are no records then I would say you are ok, but if you find any GCN effs, adults, or spot the eggs you have to stop immediately. Apart from the GCN issues I believe there are no other regs to worry about.

I would also sterilise any equipment you might use such as wellies, nets, trays etc so as not to transmit any possible disease between water courses.

Hope this helps

Regards
Gary

[Ukwildlifeo]

Ive been doing a little bit of dipping myself recently (but thanks to high water levels, cold temperature sending every deeper and a net thats far too short Ive found very little!) and Ive been working on the sterilising of kit: What I do is fill a bucket with tap water (chlorine in it will help matters) and add a few of the baby bottle steralising tablets in, leave for a while and then rinse it all down.

Good thread btw, Ive been wondeering about the legalities when it comes to dipping i.e. strickly speaking do we need a fishing license?

[Melus]

Originally Posted by Ukwildlifeo

Ive been doing a little bit of dipping myself recently (but thanks to high water levels, cold temperature sending every deeper and a net thats far too short Ive found very little!) and Ive been working on the sterilising of kit: What I do is fill a bucket with tap water (chlorine in it will help matters) and add a few of the baby bottle steralising tablets in, leave for a while and then rinse it all down.

Good thread btw, Ive been wondeering about the legalities when it comes to dipping i.e. strickly speaking do we need a fishing license?

I might be wrong but you only need a fishing licence when fishing with rod and line. I don't think dipping nets count.

I use the Milton fluid as well to sterilise my equipment.

[Dogghound]

Yes a license is not needed.

I have been doing loads of dipping this winter but for odonata and other inverts.

[thebeard]

I have been doing loads of dipping this winter but for odonata and other inverts.

this is more what i was thinking of, rather than newts, just mentioned that as it was nice to see . as you know melus, the ponds around brack have reasonably good populations of GCNs but i would mpst probably do it around local patches closer to nottingham. i know of a couple of places where i think could be good for it, but i'm not entirely sure who owns them, they're not NWT owned. i'll have a look though and find out. i'd just like to sit and spend some time studying and identifying what i find, as there's a lot out there and its something you don't often think about when walking past a body of water (at least i don't!).

cheers for the replies though