Stonegate Beck Catchment - North York Moors National Park

GB104027068160 Stonegate Beck Catchment (Esk and Coast)Ecological Status: ModerateFailing Elements: Fish

Costing’sIssues identified Solutions / work required Responsibility/Lead (High/Medium/Low)Timings1) Barriers to fish migration (Manmadestructures - Weirs, fordsand culverts)• Walkover surveys to identify problemstructuresNYMNPA (Lead) /Yorkshire Esk TrustLow20132 x Structures identifiedStonegate Mill Weir (NZ7777108996)Stonegate Beck Weir (NZ7777709106)• All barriers mapped on GIS• Liaison with adjacent land ownersand owners of structures.NYMNPA (Lead) /Yorkshire Esk TrustEnvironment Agency /NYMNPA / Yorkshire EskTrustLowLow20132013• Assessment of structures (scale ofproblem to migratory fish)Environment Agency(Lead) / NYMNPA /Yorkshire Esk TrustLow2013 – 2014• Prioritisation of structures forimprovement (removal of problemstructure/fish pass required/fisheasement required)Environment Agency(Lead) / NYMNPA /Yorkshire Esk TrustLow2013 - 2014• Feasibility studies and designsEnvironment Agency(Lead) / NYMNPA /Yorkshire Esk TrustMedium2013 - 2015• Implementation/construction phaseEnvironment Agency(Lead) / NYMNPA /Yorkshire Esk TrustHigh2014 - 2021

2) Water quality – Fine Sediment+ NutrientsAgriculture• One to one visits with farmers incatchment. “Whole farm appraisals”through Catchment SensitiveFarming Scheme.Identification of any issues.Catchment SensitiveFarming Officer (Lead) /NYMNPAMedium2013 - 2021Whole Farm Appraisals~ 14 farm holdingsWalkover surveys of farm holdings• Development of appropriatesolution/s to problems (follow upadvice and grants) and delivery ofimprovement work (if required)Catchment SensitiveFarming Officer / NYMNPAHigh 2013 - 2021• Environment Agency CatchmentRestoration Fund, other externalfunding source, NYMNPA grantschemes and/or CSF grant.• Sediment and Nutrient MonitoringWork.Identify hotspots of sediment andnutrient supply.University of Durham andEnvironment Agencymonitoring networkLow 2013 - 20213) Water quality – Nutrients• Registration of all septic tanks incatchmentEnvironment Agency(Lead)Low 2013Septic tanks• EA to raise awareness of issues andoffer best practice guidanceEnvironment Agency(Lead)Low2013 - onwards• Records of maintenanceEnvironment Agency(Lead)Low2013 – onwards• Monitoring of maintenance andquality of dischargesEnvironment Agency(Lead)Medium2013 – onwards

4) Peatland RestorationBlack Dike MoorLealholm MoorRoxby High Moor• Liaison with land owners and landmanagers• Walkover surveys to identify problemareas (grips, gullies, bare peat andproblem tracks)Yorkshire Peat Partnership/ Natural England /NYMNPAYorkshire Peat Partnership/ Natural England /NYMNPALow 2013 - 2014Medium 2013 - 2021• Development of appropriatesolution/s to problems (grip and gullyblocking, peat stabilisation, reprofilingand re-vegetation) anddelivery of improvement work.Yorkshire Peat Partnership/ Natural England /NYMNPAHigh 2014 - 20215) Woodland MeasuresPotential for conifer removaland restoration of ancientsemi-natural woodland inStonegate Gill Wood• Liaison with land owners and landmanagers• Identify suitable sites for nativewoodland creationForestry Commission /NYMNPAForestry Commission /NYMNPALow 2013 – 2027Low 2013 – 2027• Carryout woodland creation throughthe Forestry Commission (EnglishWoodland Grant Scheme) or throughNYMNPA grant schemesForestry Commission /NYMNPAMedium 2013 - 20276) Water quality – Fine Sedimentand other pollutants fromroadsHighways• Liaison with NYCC highwaysdepartment• Contact with NYCC – possibility toinstall silt traps and other pollutioncontrol measures (i.e. increased useof salt bins).Environment Agency(Lead) / NYMNPALow 2013• Development of appropriatesolution/s to problem (silt traps,ponds, swales)NYCC / EnvironmentAgency / NYMNPAMedium 2013 - 2027

• Improvement workNYCCHigh2013 - 20277) Land Management• Liaison with Natural England staffNYMNPA (Lead)Low2013 - 2021Agri-environment schemesthrough Natural EnglandEntry Level StewardshipUpland Entry LevelStewardshipHigher Level Stewardship• Promotion of resource protectionmeasures in expiring Entry LevelStewardship agreements and newUpland Entry Level Stewardshipagreements.• Promotion of farms in the Esk valleyfor the Higher Level Stewardshipscheme.• Incorporation of resource protectionmeasures in expiring Entry LevelStewardship agreements and newUpland Entry Level Stewardshipagreements.Natural England (Lead) /NYMNPAMedium2013 - 2021• New HLS agreements signed in theEsk valley (incorporating resourceprotection measures).8) Water quality monitoringChemical and BiologicalMonitoring of River Esk and itstributaries• Expand current network of chemicaland biological monitoring sites toinclude all main tributaries of the EskEnvironment Agency(Lead)Medium2013 – onwards9) Pollution monitoring• Angling Clubs to continue to monitorthe river for sources of pollution andreport any pollution problems to theEnvironment Agency via incidenthotlineAngling Clubs, NaturalEngland, NYMNPA,Yorkshire Esk TrustLow2013 - onwards

• CSF officer, Natural England staff,NYMNPA staff to report any pollutionproblems to the Environment Agencyvia incident hotline10) Declining freshwater pearl • Continue to carry out habitat NYMNPA (Lead) / Medium 2013 - onwardsmussel population restoration work to restore the Esk. Environment Agency• Monitor freshwater pearl musselpopulation• Monitor re-introduction sites• High Status (Water Framework Environment Agency Low 2013 – onwardsDirective) - High status target (Lead)required for the survival of theFreshwater Pearl Musselpopulation in the Esk.• EA to review all waterbodiesupstream of the FWPM population.Consider revising the target for thesewaterbodies to “High Status”.• Continue to work with Freshwater Freshwater Biological Low 2013 - onwardsBiological Association Ark project. Association / NYMNPA• Captive breeding of Esk freshwaterpearl mussels.• Re-introduction of freshwater pearlmussels to Esk.

11) Spawning habitatimprovementsLack of suitable spawninghabitat and poor qualityspawning habitat (siltation)• Address siltation problems(priority)• Walkover surveys to identify potentialimprovements to spawning habitat inthe upper catchment.• Investigate potential improvements tospawning substrate i.e. cleaninggravels.• Investigate addition of spawningsubstrate i.e. gravels/cobbles.• Investigate tributaries to make surethat spawning areas are accessibleto migratory fish i.e. sensitive beckdebris clearance.Yorkshire Esk Trust / Medium 2013 - onwardsEnvironment Agency /NYMNPA