Beneath British Waters

You can catch up with me on BBC Morning Live on BBC IPLAYER approx 44:30 mins in, alongside Alex Farquhar from the Angling trust and the wonderful Megan McCubbin as we discuss pollution in rivers and the changes I have seen over the years.
#freshwaterfish #rivers #underwater #pollution

WOW that is stunning.

The opening titles of the new documentary about what a thriving and flourishing underwater ecosystem looks like. The film is ahead of schedule and we are working on a trailer now before submissions go out for a public screening. Think it is some of our best work.
#freshwaterfish #scubadiving

The long-awaited documentary will be complete by Mid-october. Wykeham Lakes focuses on what a thriving and flourishing freshwater ecosystem looks like. Filmed over 2 years a visual journey into the depths of an incredible freshwater lake. #freshwaterfish #pike #rudd #underwater #scuba #documentary

Salmon parr in the river wharfe, the video footage is way better than this picture, got some beautiful underwater film of them. Lots of them, and it is the first time in 35 years I have actually managed to properly capture them on film.
#freshwaterfish #salmonparr #rivers

Will have a look at that later, eels fascinate me.

They are masters at hiding.

European eel, from todays filming and it was very interested in this strange neoprene object that was placed on the river bed, mainly my hand. What a remarkable species they are and always a treat to see and film. Another 4.30am start tomorrow.
#freshwaterfish #europeaneel #rivers

Pike is the perfect ambush predator. Do you spot him? Just peaking out amongst the weed, literally pure luck that i noticed him at the last minute. Another couple of inches within the weed i would have moved past him, not knowing he was there.
#pike #freshwaterfish

Not too much longer to wait till I am out filming these beautiful fish. Pike are masters of camouflage and ambush tactics. They lie in wait, perfectly still, and then strike with incredible speed to catch unsuspecting prey.
#freshwaterfish #pike

Out this weekend filming the young barbel. Very fortunate to have access to a section of river that holds these young ones this time of year. By mid September they have generally moved away.
#freshwaterfish #barbelfishing

You can catch up with me again this Sunday 17/08/25 on Countryfile at 18.20 where it covers the river Nidd and delves into the archives to see how water has shaped other parts of the Yorkshire landscape.
#freshwaterfish #yorkshiredales #rivers

Every now and then you encounter chub underwater in rivers, seriously you have to be quick to react. No sooner are they there and they are gone. Specimen chub never are easy to film when you are in the water.
#freshwaterfish #chub #rivers #scubadiving

Literally in the thick of it as the shoal of barbel start to feed heavily right in front of the camera. Always amazes me how close you can get to these fish if you are prepared to wait. Patience is the key.
#barbelfishing #freshwaterfish

Thankfully, yes, nature will decide this one's fate.

Pike, just starting out it's own epic journey. It is in the hands of the gods if it makes it to full adulthood, only time will tell. Our own freshwater world is full of marvels yet we constantly overlook it.
#freshwaterfish #pike #time4change

Always a treat when you get barbel and chub feeding together. Found chub a particularly hard species to film, though.
#freshwaterfish

Freshwater fish
We want to change how people view freshwater. Alongside our fight with pollution. Our new film titled "The Flow Of Life" heads straight into the pollution issues of our waterways while looking at our freshwater species.
The first screening is September
#freshwaterfish

Freshwater fish. Understanding more about our freshwater fish is crucial in the fight to help and protect them from pollution related issues.
It will not be long until we are out filming pike, September is a superb month for getting these amazing fish on film.
#freshwaterfish

Getting more people to understand how amazing our freshwater fish is is my main focus. Barbel, like the one in the picture, is a very muscular fish generally associated with feeding on the riverbed.
#freshwaterfish #rivers #barbelfishing

You can catch up with me again on BBC countryfile on the 17th August 2025 with a rerun of a wonderful piece I did with the program showcasing the river Wharfe in the Yorkshire Dales and some of the wonderful life that I film underwater in this river and what it means to me being in this environment.

At The Game Fair Ragley Hall on the main stage in the Carta Jonas theatre discussing river pollution and the sorry state of the rivers. Very interesting conversation.
#pollution #rivers

Reconnecting with our freshwater fish. Barbel
They are characterized by their underslung mouths and four barbels around their mouths. These help them locate food in the riverbed, which primarily consists of invertebrates like freshwater shrimps and insect larvae.
#freshwaterfish

They truly are.

At the River Summit & Festival showcasing my work in freshwater as an underwater cameraman and joining the panel Troubled water.
My main focus was showing on film how important freshwater fish are.
#freshwaterfish

Presenting on film at the River Summit & Festival the underwater life, how important it is, the changes I've seen underwater in rivers over the last 35 years. My own thoughts on pollution and as a underwater cameraman what it is like to film this.
#freshwaterfish

The size difference between male and female pike always astounds me. The female pike is on the left. After spawning, the male will need to use all his wits to avoid capture as he will be her first meal.
#freshwaterfish #pike #nature
Our freshwater fish are truly marvellous.

I have just about completed my new film short that focuses on the beauty of freshwater fish and their importance. As we delve beneath the surface, we encounter a world of beauty fighting for its very own survival.
#freshwater #freshwaterfish #pollution #lakes

Precisely, so nice to meet you as well at the river summit.

I will be at ragley Hall on the 26th and 27th July at the game fair in the fishing village showing the underwater world of freshwater fish and discussing pollution.
If you are coming, pop along and do say hi.
#freshwater #freshwaterfish #rivers #pollution