The DFA is part of the Anglers’ Riverfly Monitoring Initiative ( ARMI ). This initiative involves anglers like us in monitoring the biological health of their home river by sampling the numbers of selected invertebrates present at intervals throughout the year. Importantly, these data can give early warning of pollution incidents and lowering of water quality.
At the moment the Association has only one team of two volunteers, both from the DAA, who cover four locations on the Dart. They were out recently at Fogdens, where a healthy count of olive, caddis, stonefly and Heptageniidae larvae was made.
We could do with at least one more team of volunteers to give more coverage to the river. It is possible to operate as a team of one, but two is ideal. Volunteers attend an official one-day Riverfly Partnership workshop, run by an accredited Riverfly Partnership Tutor. The workshop includes presentations and practical demonstrations. Subsequently they would choose a site or number of sites, which, when approved, they would proceed to monitor.
If you feel you would like to become involved in this interesting work please contact the River Dart Coordinator Luke, at riverfly@dartaa.org.uk
More information on ARMI can be had on the Riverfly Partnership website