Delving into the FBA archive to discover more about Arctic charr in the Lake District
19 June, 2025
The last couple of months has been a busy period of archival investigation for our Lakefly Project Officer, Emma Kelly, to support the Lake District Charr Recovery and Management (LD-CHARM) project.
Activity has included deep diving into the FBA's extensive archive at our headquarters and a visit to the Natural History Museum, in London, to explore the Arctic charr materials in their collection. Here we join Emma for a Q&A to discover more about these explorations for historical information relating to Arctic charr to support the LD-CHARM project.
So we hear you've been delving into the FBA archives on a quest to discover more about Arctic charr in the Lake District, please can you tell us a little more?
Absolutely! Over the past few months, I’ve been reviewing the unpublished archives at the Freshwater Biological Association (FBA) to uncover historical information about Arctic charr in Windermere and other Cumbrian lakes. The aim was to identify material that could support the new Lake District Charr Recovery and Management (LD-CHARM) project. The FBA has a huge archive, including research notebooks, old field data, photographs, maps, and even film reels, some of which hasn’t been looked at in decades. It was a bit like time travelling through the history of charr research!
And what did you find?
A lot! The archives are incredibly rich. I found detailed spawning records from the 1940s to the 1970s, tagging data showing charr ‘homing’ behaviour, and even the outcomes of early rearing and cross-breeding experiments. Much of this work was led by Dr Winifred E. Frost and Charlotte Kipling, two pioneering fish biologists whose research laid the foundations for what we know about Windermere’s charr. There were also records of historical spawning sites, environmental data like temperature and daylight hours, and fascinating observations of charr behaviour in both natural and controlled environments.
Photograph taken in 1958 of freshwater biologists carrying out Arctic charr research (from the FBA Archive). Dr Winifred Frost is in the image, she is in the centre kneeling down, we can see her face and she is wearing a fluffy hat. This image is taken from a boat on Windermere. The rest of the people in the image are from a diving company. They were diving down to charr spawning grounds to confirm charr were there and find out more about the substrate of the deeper spawning grounds.
Anything of particular interest?
One of the most intriguing discoveries was the level of detail around the separation of Windermere’s spring and autumn spawning charr. Not only do they spawn at different times and places, but they also show differences in size, growth patterns, and even gill raker counts. There was also a great deal of local history and cultural references, like the ‘charr song’ sung by Windermere fishermen, and records of potted charr being gifted to aristocrats in the 1700s! It’s clear that charr have deep ecological and cultural roots in the Lake District.
Drawing of Arctic charr spawning locations in Windermere's north basin and a map of charr spawning times for lakes in Cumbria (from the FBA Archive).
So why is this research important for the new Lake District Charr Recovery and Management (LD-CHARM) project?
It’s essential. LD-CHARM is all about understanding and supporting charr populations using modern tools like eDNA, sonar, and non-lethal surveys, but to interpret those results, you need a good grasp of the historical context. Knowing where charr used to spawn, how populations have changed, and what conservation efforts have (or haven’t) worked in the past gives us a vital baseline. This archive work helps ensure that decisions made today are informed by over 80 years of observation and experience.
Images of Arctic charr fishing on Windermere, between 1945-1955, showing the equipment set up and charr fishing in action. They are of Mr Fawcett, a local fisherman, who kept records of his catches and sent them into the FBA.
And I believe you also headed down to the Natural History Museum in London to explore their archives too... did you find anything of interest there?
Yes! I visited the Natural History Museum with my colleague Dr Louise Lavictoire to examine charr material listed in their collection. There were over 6000 charr scale samples, over 500 wet specimens from various Cumbrian lakes, and preserved charr from Windermere as early as 1867. These samples are potentially really valuable for genetic studies, giving us a unique chance to compare historic and modern populations of charr.
Arctic charr specimens in the Natural History Museum collection, some dating back to the early 1800s.
Why do you think there is such fascination about Arctic charr?
I think it’s a combination of their mystery, beauty, and resilience. Arctic charr are a relic of the Ice Age, surviving in deep, cold lakes that formed when glaciers retreated. Their life cycle, with two distinct spawning groups in Windermere, is still not fully understood, and yet they’ve been a part of the Lake District’s ecology and heritage for centuries. For scientists, anglers, and naturalists alike, they represent both a fascinating biological puzzle and a symbol of a wilder, colder past.
Painting, photograph and drawing of Arctic charr (from the FBA Archive).
“Arctic charr are a relic of the Ice Age, surviving in deep, cold lakes that formed when glaciers retreated. Their life cycle, with two distinct spawning groups in Windermere, is still not fully understood, and yet they’ve been a part of the Lake District’s ecology and heritage for centuries. For scientists, anglers, and naturalists alike, they represent both a fascinating biological puzzle and a symbol of a wilder, colder past.”
And what was the single most inspiring discovery you made during your archive research?
It wasn’t a single discovery, but rather the most inspiring part of the project was uncovering the personal side of the FBA archives. Beyond their scientific value, they offer a compelling window into the lives and relationships of the researchers behind decades of Arctic charr research. Central to this history is Dr Winifred E. Frost, whose dedication to fish biology and to the Freshwater Biological Association itself, shaped much of the foundational knowledge on Windermere charr.
Among the data and reports, I found personal letters, photographs, and notes from her travels, offering a rare glimpse into the person behind the science. It became clear just how devoted she was to both charr and the FBA. Her commitment ran so deep that the FBA’s director, E.D. Le Cren, gave her eulogy, and she even left money in her will to support future generations of researchers, with the funds intended to help accommodate a PhD student who would continue her work.
Frost’s legacy is not only scientific but also profoundly human, embedded in the relationships she formed and the community she helped build. The inclusion of these personal materials enriches the story of the FBA’s scientific history, reminding us that behind every data set and publication are people whose passion and curiosity shape the work we continue today.
Interested in discovering more?
Read: Species on the edge: Arctic charr at the southern extent of its range, 13 May, 2025, by Louise Lavictoire, Colin W. Bean, Bernd Hänfling, Dave Ottewell, Steve Thackeray & Mike Palin
The Freshwater Biological Association is leading LD-CHARM, a new research-focussed partnership project to explore the conservation actions required to sustain and protect Arctic charr populations in the Lake District.
Find out more about the Lake District - Charr Recovery & Management (LD-CHARM) Project
