As part of an ongoing Arts Project, I am looking at local habitat and biodiversity within urban environments. I am Artist in Residence at Brookburn Primary School in Chorlton Manchester. The school is adjacent to Chorlton Ees and includes part of the Ees within its grounds.
As my practice is performative (within the traditions of Land Art) and process led, I am free to pursue less formal ways of creating art.
I have been fishing the River Mersey in Chorlton for the last 4 months as part of this work. Primarily to find out exactly which species of fish are present in this particular stretch (as well as gathering information from members of the public).
The findings between end of September 2011 to present are as follows:
Chub - small (between 2and 6oz)
Dace - healthy sizes up to 8oz
Brown Trout - healthy sizes up to 1lb 4oz
Gudgeon - healthy size
Minnow - healthy size
The area I have been fishing is just upstream of Jacksons Boat. Though the range of species is what you might expect from the river, there have been no Roach caught, which may have been expected, or Eels. The general size of the chub is low. Chub size for instance on the Dane or Ribble would be significantly higher. The Irwell (a tributary of the Mersey) is very well populated with fish, all the above species plus Roach, Pike and subsequent predatory birds such as merganser and cormorant, with rumours of Otter.
I will update as the project continues.
Brian Percival January 2011
