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Mike Blackmore @blacky-himself.bsky.social · 18d

Fish live in trees. Sometimes fallen trees need managing, but every bit we can keep in the water is valuable habitat

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Mike Blackmore @blacky-himself.bsky.social · Aug 21

“Glamorous”

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Mike Blackmore @blacky-himself.bsky.social · Jul 31

Un-stocked, un-manicured, proper wild catch-and-release fly fishing on the (restored) River Test!
We very happily explained this approach on the Fly Culture podcast.

Apple podcast
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...

Spotify link
open.spotify.com/episode/6Kgu...

#flyfishing #ChalkStream #trout

The Test with Mike Blackmore and Neil Swift

Podcast Episode · The Fly Culture Podcast · 30/07/2025 · 1h 5m

podcasts.apple.com

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Mike Blackmore @blacky-himself.bsky.social · Jul 21

So long Ofwat, and thanks for all the (dead) fish!
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c4...

Final report into 'broken' water industry says regulator Ofwat should be scrapped - live updates

The major review led by former Bank of England deputy governor Sir Jon Cunliffe was issued by the government to

www.bbc.co.uk

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Mike Blackmore @blacky-himself.bsky.social · Jul 11

I think BBOWT have done some good river restoration. They might share some case studies

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Mike Blackmore @blacky-himself.bsky.social · Jul 11

Restoring a dredged river.
Awesome result!
#RiverRestoration #ChalkStream #conservation #habitatrestoration

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Mike Blackmore @blacky-himself.bsky.social · Jul 11

Is a good question! Some of us are trying to pull together just that. The currently available guides are now horribly dated.
There are places you can go for free advice though. What river is it for?

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Mike Blackmore @blacky-himself.bsky.social · Jul 6

Flashback to 2015 when a community restored their local river with almost no budget.

An Environment Agency and Wild Trout Trust partnership project
@wildtrouttrust.bsky.social

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Mike Blackmore @blacky-himself.bsky.social · Jun 30

A few tickets left:
www.orvis.co.uk/products/uk-...

Mike Blackmore @blacky-himself.bsky.social · Jun 20

Out yesterday with @fishtwitcher.bsky.social and came across something private 😳

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Mike Blackmore @blacky-himself.bsky.social · Jun 20

Thanks for coming down Jack. And thanks to Dan and Kirsty too! Sorry I had to dash off so quickly

Mike Blackmore @blacky-himself.bsky.social · Jun 20

Yeah… well… why not?! #TikTok
www.tiktok.com/@blacky_hims...

Blacky_Himself's Creator Profile

www.tiktok.com

Mike Blackmore @blacky-himself.bsky.social · Jun 14

Out today doing my “other job”, managing the River Wylye. Seems like every work party we come across new signs from our wild #ChalkStream beavers 🦫🌳🐟

I hold a license but so far haven’t encountered a single problem requiring intervention.

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Mike Blackmore @blacky-himself.bsky.social · Jun 14

Before ☠️ and after 🐟🌱:
This is what makes the job so worthwhile #ChalkStream #RiverRestoration

Recommendations from a @wildtrouttrust.bsky.social report, followed up and delivered by Wessex Rivers Trust

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Mike Blackmore @blacky-himself.bsky.social · Jun 6

bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…
Delighted that the 2 main water companies in the Wessex region, Wessex Water and Southern Water are banned from issuing executive bonuses this year.

However this is just one step on the journey, with further reform required from the industry and regulators

https://bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

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Mike Blackmore @blacky-himself.bsky.social · May 28

Without a ‘complete’ ecosystem we’ll always have winners and losers…

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Mike Blackmore @blacky-himself.bsky.social · May 17

We’re #hiring!
Join a team creating and restoring some of the rarest habitats in the world, the iconic rivers and chalk streams of the Wessex region.
environmentjob.co.uk/jobs/105833-...

Project Officer

The Project Officer will be responsible for developing, preparing and delivering a range of projects, from concept to completion. Projects will range from small, community-led habitat improvements ...

environmentjob.co.uk

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Mike Blackmore @blacky-himself.bsky.social · May 13

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Mike Blackmore @blacky-himself.bsky.social · May 13

A six month old river… 🌱💧

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Mike Blackmore @blacky-himself.bsky.social · May 13

Do you want to work restoring beautiful, iconic, and globally rare chalk streams?

Join an innovative, creative, supportive and committed team at the cutting edge of freshwater conservation.
Become a Wessex Rivers Trust Project Officer!
www.wessexrt.org.uk/vacancies.html

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Mike Blackmore @blacky-himself.bsky.social · Apr 1

Another year, another UK River Restoration Centre conference. I think will be my 15th. I must be getting old! 😂

River people… ASSEMBLE!

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Mike Blackmore @blacky-himself.bsky.social · Apr 1

Tell us anyway! 😄

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Mike Blackmore @blacky-himself.bsky.social · Mar 25

Standing on a buried riverbed!

The previous landowner went to staggering efforts to gain a fragment of extra farmable land.

But water is relentless, and this field (and the road downstream) are collapsing back into a steep valley.

The river always wins

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Mike Blackmore @blacky-himself.bsky.social · Mar 23

This is why the way government subsidises farming matters.

Farmers don’t want to lose their valuable topsoil any more than we want it polluting nearby watercourses. Both have economic impacts.

It’s not “woke” to pay for nature-friendly agriculture, it’s a sensible investment.

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Mike Blackmore @blacky-himself.bsky.social · Mar 20

Humans are rubbish at joining watercourses to the sea

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