A KEY project to help boost salmon stocks in West Devon is due to start in Tavistock next week, a joint scheme involving the Environment Agency and South West Water . The two organisations are joining forces to install automatic screening devices in the River Tavy at Abbey Weir, which will prevent smaller fish escaping into the leat system that serves Mary Tavy and Morwellham power stations. A new weir will also be constructed in the river, to aid salmon travelling to spawning grounds. Paul Gainey, of the Environment Agency, said: ?We need to keep the number of salmon to a certain level and part of that is to make their migration a lot easier.? Mr Gainey said although water quality had improved in the Tavy over recent years, the river was failing to reach its salmon conservation limit ? the number of salmon eggs needed to ensure enough young salmon survive in the river. The next step, in environmental terms, was to make the spawning path for salmon a little easier. He said: ?A lot of work has been done to improve the banks etc, and the numbers have been going up, but the new weir will improve things considerably. ?The exra weir will enable the fish to carry on jumping, help them carry on upstream. The salmon at the moment are a bit like the Royal Marines of the fish world!? The weir is not the only problem for the fish. At present, the screening devices across the intake for Tavistock Canal from the River Tavy are not adequate. This is a problem not only for the fish swimming upstream, but the youngsters making their way downstream, who sometimes end up going through the screens and facing the dangers of the turbines at Morwellham hydropower station. ?Basically, every salmon getting through has been facing a road accident,? said Mr Gainey. Steve Cryer, hydro-electric manager for South West Water, said: ?Every year we have to carry out fish rescues in the canal, getting out the salmon gilts. To avoid that, we need to work with the Environment Agency ? it?s much better to stop them getting in there in the first place. ?Without these screens we would have to close Morwellham power station.? And closure of Morwellham would definitely make a difference to power production ? although small in national terms, the station contributes enough power to keep 2,000 homes in electricity per annum. In addition, the canal has an historic importance and needs to be kept flowing itself, as part of the newly designated World Heritage Site. The work is due to start on July 30 and take 12 weeks. Abbey Walk will be closed following the food festival this weekend and re-opened in time for Goose Fair on October 9. South West Water and the Environment Agency are also carrying out a number of environmental improvements to the river and footpath and intend holding a number of educational events involving schoolchildren in the area.