As I sit waiting out torrential rain today in southern Spain, I ponder the future of the trout in that wonderful area of Rioja further north. According to  research by the European Environment Agency, Spain and Portugal will be most affected within the EU by climate change. Storms, floods and droughts are likely to become more and more frequent with a significant rise in temperature expected.

Iberia is wedged between two continents with very different climes. Much of Spain is a transition area making it extremely sensitive to change (Atlantic- Damp Mediterranean - Semi-Arid Mediterranean-Semi-Desert).

The Pyrenees are likely to experience milder winters with more precipitation, and hotter, drier summers. These conditions are already reducing snow cover on the mountains since, in most temperate mountain regions, the snow temperature is close to the melting point and therefore very sensitive to changes in temperature.

So, many of Spain 's ice-age relict mountain floras and faunas, including trout, will be under severe ecological pressure.