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Saving the eel in
Kingston-upon-Thames
Published: 19-Mar-10
Saving the eel in Kingston-upon-Thames
Environment Agency staff have installed
an ‘eel pass’ in a weir along the
Hogsmill River, Kingston-upon-Thames to
give eels a helping hand in their fight
for survival.
In January, Parliament stepped in to save
the critically endangered European eel.
Under new legislation, the Environment
Agency can require eel passes and screens
to be installed on all rivers and streams
where barriers such as weirs or sluice
gates prevent eels from moving upstream
to grow or downstream to spawn.
In the past 20 years, the eel has seen a
dramatic decline across Europe. The
number of baby eels entering our rivers
has fallen by 95 per cent because of a
range of factors including loss of
habitat and barriers to migration.
However other aquatic wildlife, such as
salmon and otters, has thrived thanks to
the Environment Agency’s continuous work
on water quality, which has improved for
the 19th year in a row - the best it has
been for over a century.
Starting at a couple of hundred pounds,
eel passes can be cheap to install and
have already proved successful in giving
the species access to new stretches of
water.
Staff from the Operations Delivery and
Fisheries Teams from the Environment
Agency researched the area and found the
Hogsmill River to be an ideal place to
build an eel pass.
Alan Everest, Team Leader for Operations
Delivery said: "Helping eels to travel
across to habitats they would otherwise
be deprived of gives them the best
possible chance to grow and mature before
making their incredible journey back to
the Sargasso Sea."
The eel passes consist of ‘Bristle
Boards’ that have three different
densities of bristle. The tightest at the
bottom help the smallest elvers, with mid
size above that and the least dense along
the top which is secured along the
riverbed to the wall of the weir. This
structure forms a type of ladder to slow
the flow of water coming down the river
over the weir and allow the eels to
negotiate the obstacle which would
otherwise prevent their journey up river.
The eels are thought to take up to three
years migrating as larvae from the
Sargasso Sea to European rivers, where
they spend up to 20 years before making
the 4,000-mile return journey across the
Atlantic to spawn and die.
The Hogsmill River in Surrey is one of
the tributaries of the River Thames; it
rises in Ewell and flows into the Thames
at Kingston–upon-Thames on the reach
above Teddington Lock.
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Blue spotted chub
arrive in River Tame
Published: 19-Mar-10
Blue spotted chub arrive in River Tame
On Wednesday 17 March 2010 the
Environment Agency’s Central Midlands
Fisheries Team transferred 52 large
mature chub from the River Sence to the
River Tame to boost stocks even further
after pollution last year killed many
fish in the Tame.
The operation was a success with 30.7 KG
of chub weighing up to1.5 KG captured by
electro-fishing and moved to the River
Tame. We also removed 8 KG of small
perch, dace, roach & gudgeon that were
also stocked into the Tame.
The new chub will supplement the 24,500
barbel, chub, dace and roach from
Calverton Fish Farm, near Nottingham,
which were released into the Tame last
December.
A female chub weighing 1.5 kg has the
potential to produce more than 10,000
eggs. Assuming that about half the
captured chub were female, they could
produce at least 200,000 eggs this spring
to help re-establish a thriving fish
population.
Each captured chub has been marked with a
spot of blue dye. This leaves a mark that
can stay visible for up to two years so
we will be able to recognise these fish
when we carry out surveys to monitor fish
stocks.
The River Sence chub were surplus to
requirements in a river that is normally
a trout fishery. Gopsall Fishing Club
kindly gave their consent for us to catch
the chub and transfer them to the Tame.
Fisheries Officer, Mick Buxton, says “We
have been busy trying to find other ways
to acquire adult fish to re-stock the
Tame following pollution last year. We
discovered that there were too many chub
in the Sence and that, by transferring
them to the River Tame where they are
very much needed, we could improve the
fishing at two separate locations.
“This is yet another project that has
been funded through money raised from the
sale of rod licences. So don’t forget to
buy your new licence at the end of March.
You will be helping us to improve angling
for today’s and tomorrow’s anglers.”
We have also recently identified pools
containing mature roach and bream which
may prove suitable for transfer in the
next two weeks, in time for them to
breed.
Before we transfer any fish, they must be
checked for parasites and diseases to
make sure that we do not infect
indigenous stocks.
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Don’t be an April Fool
– get a rod licence (2)
Published: 18-Mar-10
Don’t be an April Fool – get a rod
licence (2)
The Environment Agency is reminding
anglers to buy a rod licence before April
1.
All current licences expire on March 31
and anyone caught fishing without one
faces a fine of up to £2,500.
The reminder comes after 156 people in
Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire,
Cambridgeshire, West Norfolk and West
Suffolk were caught fishing and unable to
produce a valid licence in 2009. This led
to prosecutions and fines and court costs
totaling £27,173 (an average penalty of
almost £173 for each offender).
Mick Robinson, Environment Officer at the
Environment Agency, Brampton, said: “A
rod licence is required when you fish any
inland water such as a river, stream or
drain, including any still-water. If you
do not have a valid licence and want to
fish from April 1, you must obtain one
before casting a line.
“Each angler should carry their licence
with them on the bank side and be able to
produce it for Environment Agency
bailiffs who will be patrolling all
waters to check compliance. Anyone
without one will be prosecuted.”
An annual rod licence for the 2010/11
season costs £27 for non-migratory trout
and char and freshwater fish and eels or
£72 for salmon and migratory trout.
Concessionary licences, which cost £5,
are available to juvenile anglers (aged
12-17). Anglers under 12 do not require a
licence.
Anglers over 65 and anyone with a Blue
Badge parking concession or in receipt of
Disability Living Allowance also pay the
concessionary adult rate of £18
(non-migratory trout and char and
freshwater fish and eels) and £48 (salmon
and migratory trout).
One and eight-day licences for occasional
anglers are also available for £3.75 and
£10.
Licences can be bought using a credit or
debit card by calling the Environment
Agency’s telesales line on 0844 800 5386.
Alternatively, they can be obtained from
any Post Office or via the internet at
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/rodlicence
Anyone fishing without a rod licence is
cheating other anglers. The money the
Environment Agency raises through rod
licence sales is invested directly in
fisheries work that benefits all anglers.
Anglers are also reminded that fishing
closed season applies to all rivers,
streams and drains between 15 March and
15 June. Most canals and still-waters do
not have a closed season.
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Don’t be an April Fool
– get a rod licence
Published: 17-Mar-10
Don’t be an April Fool – get a rod
licence
The Environment Agency is reminding
anglers to buy a rod licence before April
1.
All current licences expire on March 31
and anyone caught fishing without one
faces a fine of up to £2,500.
The reminder comes after 112 people in
Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire and
Northamptonshire were caught fishing and
unable to produce a valid licence in
2009. This led to 82 prosecutions and
fines and court costs totaling £11,230
(an average penalty of almost £137 for
each offender).
Roger Ferguson, Environment Officer at
the Environment Agency, Lincoln, said: “A
rod licence is required when you fish any
inland water such as a river, stream or
drain, including any still-water. If you
do not have a valid licence and want to
fish from April 1, you must obtain one
before casting a line.
‘Each angler should carry their licence
with them on the bank side and be able to
produce it for Environment Agency
bailiffs who will be patrolling all
waters to check compliance. Anyone
without one will be prosecuted.”
An annual rod licence for the 2010/11
season costs £27 for non-migratory trout
and char and freshwater fish and eels or
£72 for salmon and migratory trout.
Concessionary licences, which cost £5,
are available to juvenile anglers (aged
12-17). Anglers under 12 do not require a
licence.
Anglers over 65 and anyone with a Blue
Badge parking concession or in receipt of
Disability Living Allowance also pays the
concessionary adult rate of £18
(non-migratory trout and char and
freshwater fish and eels) and £48 (salmon
and migratory trout).
One to eight-day licences for occasional
anglers are also available for £3.75 and
£10.
Licences can be bought using a credit or
debit card by calling the Environment
Agency’s telesales line on 0844 800 5386.
Alternatively, they can be obtained from
any Post Office or via the internet at
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/rodlicence
Anyone fishing without a rod licence is
cheating other anglers. The money the
Environment Agency raises through rod
licence sales is invested directly in
fisheries work that benefits all anglers.
Anglers are also reminded that fishing
closed season applies to all rivers,
streams and drains between 15 March and
15 June. Most canals and still-waters do
not have a closed season.
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Popularity of angling
shows no sign of ‘a-baiting’
Published: 16-Mar-10
Popularity of angling shows no sign of
‘a-baiting’
The future looks bright for anglers in
East Anglia and parts of the South East
of England thanks to a massive increase
in the number of people buying rod
licences to enjoy the sport
Rod licence sales boost future of sport
Last year, the Environment Agency sold
more than 66,500 rod licences to people
across Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, West
Norfolk and Milton Keynes. This was up
7,451 from 2008 and generated an income
of £1,207,388.
The increase in people buying licences –
a legal requirement for any angler over
12 fishing for salmon, trout, freshwater
fish or eels – means the Environment
Agency now has more money to reinvest in
the sport.
Cash from rod licence sales is essential
for improving and maintaining fisheries.
It is used to pay for projects such as
installing fishing platforms, fish
stocking and introducing people of all
ages and abilities to angling.
Ian Hirst, Fisheries, Environment Agency
Recreation & Biodiversity Team Leader,
said: “We are delighted that more people
are becoming interested in fishing,
particularly younger people.
“The money from the sale of licences will
help us with all sorts of fishing
management work such as monitoring
foreign species, advising angling clubs
and habitat improvement works.
“We are also pleased because cash from
the sale of rod licences has enabled us
to improve access in several locations
for anglers with disabilities. This means
even more people are able to take part in
the sport which, in turn, helps to ensure
it has a bright future. By buying a rod
licence people can be sure they are
investing in the future of their sport.”
Angling has grown steadily in popularity
throughout England and Wales with a
record of 1.5-million angling licences
being sold in 2009 bringing in an income
of more than £25-million.
Reasons for the increase in the number of
people taking part in the sport include
better angling opportunities, free
angling guides and successful promotion
of the activity. In addition, the cost of
a rod licence – just 50p per week – helps
to make it a cheap and enjoyable hobby
for all.
Richard Hiom, Chairman of the Lower Ouse
Fisheries and Fenland Consultative
Association (LOFFCA), believes the rod
licence offers great value for money.
He said: “The Environment Agency has
funded various projects through our
consultative. These range from those
costing a few hundred pounds to
large-scale access improvements involving
long sections of river. The Agency
supports trout and coarse fishing clubs,
both big and small, and is always on hand
to provide thorough and professional
advice and guidance, promoting the sport
wherever it can.
“We really see the value of our rod
licence and the consultative allows clubs
direct access to the Environment Agency’s
skills, knowledge and funds. We at LOFFCA
strive to inform all fishermen of the
benefits of working with the Environment
Agency.”
Rod licences are available from Post
Office outlets throughout England and
Wales, online at http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/content2?catId=19100187&mediaId=78300734
or www.environment-agency.gov.uk/rodlicence,
by direct debit 08708 506 506 and over
the telephone on 0844 800 5386.
It is an offence to fish for freshwater
fish and eels without a valid rod
licence. Anyone who is caught without one
may be fined up to £2,500. New licences
run from 1 April.
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New fish replace freeze
victims at Golden Hill Pool
Published: 16-Mar-10
New fish replace freeze victims at Golden
Hill Pool
Last Thursday, 11 March 2010, Fisheries
staff from the Environment Agency
released 500 rudd into Golden Hill Pool,
Stoke on Trent.
Golden Hill Pool was hit badly by the
‘big freeze’ this winter and lost a
number of carp and bream although,
fortunately, the tench that we stocked
before Christmas seem to have been
unaffected.
Despite providing an early Christmas
stocking of over 95,000 fish for West
Midlands waters in December, staff at the
Environment Agency’s Fish Farm,
Calverton, near Nottingham, managed to
find these additional fish to help the
Golden Hill Angling Club teach young
anglers the art of fishing.
A further 1,500 rudd will be introduced
into the Environment Agency’s own Coton
Pool at Lea Marston, where day tickets
are available.
Fisheries Officer, Mick Buxton, says
“Sadly, this winter’s cold weather has
taken its toll on the fish at Golden Hill
Pool. We have introduced some rudd to
boost stocks so that, when Golden Hill
Angling Club teach youngsters to fish,
there are plenty to catch. The rest will
go to increase stocks at our own Coton
Pool at Lea Marston.
“The fact that we can carry out this work
is thanks to the majority of responsible
anglers who buy a new rod licence on 1
April each year. The funds from those rod
licences allow us to enhance and preserve
fishing for today’s and tomorrow’s
anglers.”
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Environment Agency
prepares to remove predatory pike from
Cornish pond
Published: 12-Mar-10
Environment Agency prepares to remove
predatory pike from Cornish pond
The once tranquil waters of Par Duck Pond
near St Blazey have been disturbed by
hungry pike that are chomping their way
through the local fish population
The pike are causing alarm to local
anglers who have asked the Environment
Agency to remove them from the site - a
popular wildlife area and public open
space owned and managed by Cornwall
Council.
‘There are very few pike waters in
Cornwall and certainly none at Par duck
pond until a couple of months ago. We
believe they have been introduced and
their numbers are now getting out of
hand,’ said Robert Hurrell for the
Environment Agency.
Anglers are catching roach, rudd, tench
and other fish only to have them torn off
the end of their line by hungry pike as
they are reeling them in. Fishermen have
reported seeing pike ranging in size from
2 lb to around 15 lb.
The pond is fast gaining a reputation as
a place to fish for pike and instead of
anglers turning up at the water’s edge
with maggots and bread for bait, people
have been seen fishing for pike with
special lures.
In some lakes and ponds pike supplement
their diet with the occasional duckling
or water vole and will even eat other
pike. Equipped with razor-sharp teeth and
a remarkable turn of speed, these
stream-lined predators are highly
efficient killers.
Agency fisheries officers believe the
pike population at Par duck pond could
further increase and spread to other
waters unless steps are taken to remove
them. The Tywardreath Stream, a tributary
of the River Par, flows through the
middle of the pond providing the
newcomers with the means to populate
other sites in Cornwall.
‘These fish are not native to Cornwall
and have been illegally introduced. The
movement of coarse fish is strictly
controlled under Section 30 of the Salmon
and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 to
prevent the spread of harmful fish
diseases and introduction of potentially
damaging alien fish species,’ said Robert
Hurrell.
Next Tuesday (March 16) Agency fisheries
officers will visit Par duck pond and
remove the pike using electro fishing
equipment. The pond will be divided into
compartments with nets and the pike
captured and removed. Checks will be
carried out on a sample of the fish to
discover whether they are carrying any
harmful diseases or parasites. If given a
clean bill of health they will be moved
to a suitable new location.
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Major scientific study
launched into iconic Welsh fish’s life
Published: 12-Mar-10
Major scientific study launched into
iconic Welsh fish’s life
A major new 1.8m GBP scientific study,
the Celtic Sea Trout Project, has been
launched by Elin Jones AM, the Rural
Affairs Minister in Bangor, North Wales.
The study aims to discover more about the
life and pressures on the sewin in the
Irish Sea and in rivers and estuaries
across Wales and Ireland.
The study is being led by experts at
Bangor University's School of Ocean
Sciences and Biological Sciences working
with Irish partners (led by the Central
Fisheries Board of Ireland).
The information will be used to guide
stock management policy and measures to
increase the number of sewin in Welsh
rivers.
The Celtic Sea Trout Project will build a
comprehensive genetic database of young
sewin caught in rivers, monitor the diet
and movement of the sewin at sea and will
result in a comprehensive investigation
into the links between the environment,
climate change and the sewin.
Anglers and netsmen will be a key part of
the project sending scales for DNA
sampling, measurements of the sewin they
catch and where they caught them using a
pack specifically designed for the
project.
The number of sewin or sea trout in Welsh
rivers, and across Ireland and the UK,
have been noticeably declining in recent
years.
Work to improve their habitat, access to
spawning grounds and limits on fishing in
rivers have been put in place by
Environment Agency Wales and the Welsh
Assembly Government to improve their
numbers. However, the numbers of sewin
migrating up Welsh rivers is still a
cause for concern.
It is a draw to visiting anglers with
Wales having some of the best sewin
rivers in Europe bringing in vital funds
to the tourist industry in rural areas.
It also supports a number of traditional
historic net fisheries in Wales, like the
coracle fishermen, providing an income
for the fishermen and a further
attraction for tourists.
It is estimated that recreational sport
fishing in all its different forms
generates some £148m a year to the Welsh
economy.
“Elin Jones, Rural Affairs Minister Welsh
Assembly Government, said:
“I am extremely grateful for the
invitation to launch the Celtic Sea Trout
Project at Bangor. Wales has long
recognised the social, economic and
cultural value and importance of sea
trout or Sewin, as it is better known in
Wales! The investigation conducted as
part of the project into sea trout will
contribute towards achieving one of the
goals of the Wales Fisheries Strategy of
maintaining healthy fish stocks
supporting sustainable fisheries for
future generations.“
Chris Mills, Director, Environment Agency
Wales, said:
“Whilst, elsewhere the salmon is
described as the king of fish, in Wales
the sewin is even more highly prized. It
provides a unique fishing experience
drawing in fishermen from across the UK
and further afield and has also provided
an income for generations of traditional
netsmen.
“We along with the Welsh Assembly
Government and many rivers trusts have
worked to improve the quality of rivers
and create better habitats for sewin to
spawn – but we can and will do more.
“This major study will give us a valuable
insight into the lifecycle of the sewin,
specifically out at sea, so we can
develop further plans to improve the
numbers migrating up rivers around the
Irish Sea.”
This study is part-funded by the
Ireland-Wales INTERREG IVA programme,
with the Welsh Assembly Government,
Environment Agency Wales and Governments
in Ireland providing the match-funding. A
number of rivers trusts and organisations
in Wales, Ireland, Scotland and North
West England will also contribute samples
to the project.
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Toiletry company fined
after detergent causes major fish kill on
Devon river
Published: 11-Mar-10
Toiletry company fined after detergent
causes major fish kill on Devon river
A Tiverton company making toiletries and
beauty products was today ordered to pay
£12,196 in fines and costs after a
chemical escaped from its premises into
the River Lowman and killed around 1,000
fish including trout and salmon
The case was brought by the Environment
Agency.
On August 20, 2009 a tanker lorry arrived
at Broadoak Toiletries’ premises in
Tiverton Way to deliver a detergent,
Sodium Lauryl Ethoxy Sulphate, used in
the manufacture of toiletries.
The detergent is stored in a 30,000 litre
tank.
A company employee watched as the tanker
driver pumped detergent into the tank. As
it reached its maximum capacity the
employee shouted to the driver to stop.
Unfortunately, the driver failed to hear
this instruction and continued pumping
resulting in a spill.
Broadoak Toiletries implemented its
‘spill containment procedure’ and
recovered as much of the escaped
detergent as it could by washing down the
storage area and pumping detergent and
wash water into drums. The next day (Aug
21) heavy rain flushed the remaining
detergent from the site and into the
River Lowman via surface water drains and
an interceptor tank.
Later that day the Environment Agency
received reports of a ‘chemical smell’ in
the River Lowman and dead and dying fish.
Agency officers arrived at the river and
found hundreds of dead fish including
salmon, trout, bullheads and minnows.
Sodium Lauryl Ethoxy Sulphate kills fish
by damaging their gills causing them to
suffocate.
‘This was a serious pollution incident
that resulted in the loss of at least
1,000 fish including 281 salmon and
trout. Salmon numbers on the River Lowman
are already low, so a fish kill on this
scale is a cause for serious concern.
Companies must be especially careful when
taking delivery of potentially harmful
chemicals,’ said Catherine Lockwood for
the Environment Agency.
Broadoak Toiletries Limited of Tiverton
Way, Tiverton were today fined £8,000 and
ordered to pay £4,196 costs after
pleading guilty to an offence under the
Sectinn 85 (1) of the Water Resources Act
of causing noxious or polluting matter to
enter controlled waters on August 21,
2009.
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Environment Agency
boosts breeding ground
Published: 11-Mar-10
Environment Agency boosts breeding ground
A Buckinghamshire river will be entering
the ‘spawn’ of a new era when vital fish
breeding grounds are given a new lease of
life.
The Environment Agency will be joining
forces with Prestwood and District
Angling Club and a local landowner this
Thursday (11 March) to create new fish
spawning sites on the River Thame at
Nether Winchendon, near Aylesbury.
Some of the river’s natural features lost
through historical dredging will be
reintroduced and 30 tonnes of locally
sourced gravel will be used to replenish
the river bed. The Environment Agency’s
operations delivery team will lift one
tonne bags of gravel into the river at
three different locations. This will then
be raked out by fisheries staff to create
gravel riffles.
Jenni Balmer, an Environment Agency
Fisheries Officer, said: “We are
delighted we are able to be involved in
this project. It will make a real
difference to fish as well as the
diversity of wildlife in the area.
“The upper Thame lacks suitable spawning
areas for gravel loving species. We hope
the creation of these riffles will see
more fish spawning successfully and more
fry emerging, giving a boost to fish
populations. The site will be monitored
in September using electric fishing
equipment, which will allow us to see how
fish populations are improving.”
Bob Baker from Prestwood and District
Angling Club, said: “It's great that we
are seeing improvements to the river
Thame and its fish populations. The river
provides a cracking variety of coarse
fishing, with good catches of specimen
fish, like large chub and dace. We hope
to see the improvements reflected in our
catches!”
This scheme hopes to create the perfect
breeding ground for fish such as chub,
dace and barbel as well as an ideal
habitat in which other wildlife can
thrive. The new gravel beds will create
shallow, fast flowing areas that remain
silt-free. A number of flow-loving fish
species can then lay their eggs in the
gravel beds and the emerging fry will
shelter for several weeks in the gaps
found among the stones. This will boost
fish populations in this section and also
along the River Thame.
The work is part of a habitat enhancement
plan to rejuvenate the river and its fish
populations. The Environment Agency has
already completed substantial work on the
upper Thame, around the Eythrope area,
and hopes to continue improvements
downstream.
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Three year 'double' ban
for elver fisherman caught with illegal
net on a Somerset river
Published: 08-Mar-10
Three year 'double' ban for elver
fisherman caught with illegal net on a
Somerset river
Elver fisherman Michael Watts faced a
double whammy after a Crown Court jury
found him guilty of illegal fishing on
the River Parrett
As well as a three year elver fishing
ban, the judge extended the sentence to
cover all licensed fishing. This means
Watts, 56, a keen carp angler, is also
banned from coarse and game fishing.
The verdict came at the end of a two-day
trial at Taunton Crown Court. Watts had
earlier pleaded not guilty to illegal
fishing. The case was brought by the
Environment Agency.
On April 22, 2009 Agency bailiffs were on
a routine patrol on the River Parrett
near Huntworth when they discovered an
elver net tethered to the bank by a rope
and stake. A float had been attached to
the other end. A net used in this way is
known as a fixed engine and is illegal.
Elver dip nets must only be operated by
hand.
Initially Agency officers didn’t see the
defendant who was obscured by rushes.
However, as one of them walked passed he
saw Watts handling the net and, after
walking a short distance upstream, saw
him reset it.
At first Watts denied using the net and
refused to give his name and address. He
was told he would be arrested if he
didn’t identify himself. Watts became
aggressive and threatened the bailiffs.
Records showed the defendant was a
licensed elver fisherman, but had been
using a net in an illegal manner on the
day of the offence.
Fixed nets give people an unfair
advantage over law-abiding fishermen as
they increase catches, damage eel stocks
and have a serious impact on the
environment. The European Eel is an
endangered species and their numbers have
plummeted in recent years.
The River Parrett plays a vital part in
the life of elvers, or baby eels. They
enter this stretch of freshwater after a
long journey from the Sargasso Sea near
Mexico. At the time of the offence elvers
were fetching £220 per kilogram.
‘Illegal fishing enables people to catch
more than their fair share of elvers. It
harms the environment by removing food
for creatures such as otters and
kingfishers and is unfair to law-abiding
elver fishermen. This case sends out a
clear message to offenders who risk
serious penalties including the
confiscation of their fishing equipment
and lengthy bans,’ said Richard Dearnely
for the Environment Agency.
In addition to a three year ban, Michael
Watts, of Gloucester Road, Bridgwater,
received a two year conditional discharge
and had his fishing equipment confiscated
after being found guilty of illegal elver
fishing, an offence under Section 27 of
the Salmon & Freshwater Fisheries Act
1975. The case was heard by Taunton Crown
Court on March 4- 5.
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Environment Agency
helps fishing club solve 'otter problem'
Published: 08-Mar-10
Environment Agency helps fishing club
solve 'otter problem'
Members of Chard and District Angling
Club can look forward to some first class
fishing this season thanks to an
Otter-proof fence installed around their
pond
In recent years the club has been hit
hard by Otters at Perry St Pond close to
a tributary of the River Axe. A number of
high quality carp up to 20 lbs were among
fish taken by the hungry predators that
were using the pond as a ‘fast food take
away.’
Now, thanks to funding and advice from
the Environment Agency the whiskered
intruders have been stopped in their
tracks after the club erected nearly a
quarter of a mile (420 yards) of sturdy
wire fencing around the perimeter of the
site to keep the unwelcome visitors out.
‘Members have done an absolutely first
class job and we’re more than happy to
contribute towards the cost of this
fencing. Although relatively small, Perry
St Pond is popular venue with local
anglers, a peaceful place where people
can enjoy some excellent fishing at a
very reasonable cost,’ said Andy Locke
for the Environment Agency.
‘Unfortunately, the pond was also very
popular with otters and the club lost
some first class fish. Once Otters
discover an easy source of food they’ll
keep coming back and are not easily
deterred. The only solution is to erect a
secure Otter-proof fence,’ said Andy
Locke.
The project cost around £1,200, half of
which was funded by the Environment
Agency from money generated from rod
licence sales.
‘Otters have had a serious impact on our
pond. By working closely with the
Environment Agency we have come up with a
cost-effective and workable solution to
the otter problem. The new fence will
make a tremendous difference. It has been
a great help working with the Agency’s
local fisheries officer. I believe the
club and pond have a bright future,’ said
chairman of the Chard and District
Angling Club, Steve Bishop
Otters are protected by law and it is an
offence to disturb or injure them. They
went into serious decline in the 1960’s
as a result of toxic pesticides, habitat
loss and pollution. Numbers have only
recently recovered. Their diet consists
mainly of fish, supplemented with frogs,
crayfish and crabs. Their active
lifestyle means they must eat 15% of
their bodyweight each day to survive.
Many otters end up as road casualties. An
adult female was recently found dead
beside a road near Hayle in Cornwall with
a live cub nearby. The cub was taken to a
local animal rescue centre where, sadly,
it later died.
Photos of the new fence are available
from the Agency’s regional press office
on 01392 442008.
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New fish pass helps
transform the Upper Derwent
Published: 08-Mar-10
New fish pass helps transform the Upper
Derwent
A new fish pass built by the Environment
Agency at historic Calver Weir on the
River Derwent has been completed at a
cost of £165,000. On Friday 5 March 2010
it carried water for the first time
offering fish a route up the river beyond
the weir.
Calver Weir Restoration Project (CWRP), a
local charitable trust, has been raising
money for a number of years to restore
the 18th century weir to its former glory
and to prevent its collapse.
The total restoration project cost is
£1.841 million and it is expected to be
completed by August 2010. Defra
contributed £165,000 to fund the
construction of the fish pass. Heritage
Lottery Fund (HLF) awarded £1,279,400
towards the project to restore and
interpret the weir and its surrounding
wetland. English Heritage awarded the
project a further £100,000.
These sources of funding largely
underpinned the major works, augmented by
other donations from Peak District
National Park Authority, local businesses
and the community in general.
Calver Weir is a large unique S-shaped
Grade II listed structure some 106 metres
long situated on the Upper Derwent. It
originally provided water to power the
cotton mill at Calver which was part of
the new industry pioneered by Richard
Arkwright. However it also formed a
barrier to natural fish migration and has
prevented the river achieving a ‘good
ecological status’ under the Water
Framework Directive (WFD).
Brown trout, a UK Biodiversity Action
Plan (BAP) species, grayling and brook
lamprey (also a BAP species) are the main
species present in these reaches. Without
a fish pass these fish could not move
upstream of the weir to complete their
natural lifecycles.
As well as being necessary to help the
river reach ‘good ecological status’
under WFD, the new fish pass helps us
meet our objectives to improve the
fishery and angling experience on the
River Derwent.
Together with other work we are doing to
improve habitat it is a move towards
sustainable fish populations and may
reduce the need for re-stocking in the
future.
Environment Agency Fisheries Officer
Bryony Devoy says “The new fish pass
opened on 5 March and we are hoping that
we will soon see the first fish in
hundreds of years move up past the weir
and colonise new stretches of the River
Derwent.
“This is really good news for the river
and for the restoration of this historic
weir. We now aim to target more of these
man-made obstacles on the Derwent,
opening up larger stretches of river for
more natural colonisation.
“We also hope this first project will set
the standard for the fish passes that
will be required for future hydropower
applications within the Derwent catchment.”
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25 million GBP boost
for anglers thanks to record rod licence
sales
Published: 05-Mar-10
25 million GBP boost for anglers thanks
to record rod licence sales
Angling becoming more popular every year
The Environment Agency today announced
that another 25 million GBP from anglers’
licences will be ploughed back into
improving fisheries this year.
Last year sales of rod licences broke
records and similar sales are expected in
2010. All money raised by rod licence
sales goes straight back into the sport.
This enables the Environment Agency to
carry out work such as habitat
improvement, monitoring of fish stocks,
restocking and fish rescues – vital when
angling is becoming more popular every
year. Licence funds are also used to help
people take up fishing.
Anglers fishing in England and Wales must
hold a valid rod licence. The new licence
year starts on April 1, and rod licences
for the 2010/11 season are available now.
The attractive credit card-style licences
show pictures by celebrated Wales-based
wildlife artist David Miller, and this
year feature either a barbel or a sea
trout.
Prices for the 2010/11 rod licences are:
Full season (expires 31 March 2011)
Non-migratory trout, char, freshwater fish (coarse fish) and eels £27.00
Salmon and migratory trout (sea trout)., non-migratory trout, char, freshwater fish (coarse fish) and eels £72.00
Concession
Non-migratory trout, char, freshwater fish (coarse fish) and eels £18.00
Salmon and migratory trout (sea trout)., non-migratory trout, char, freshwater fish (coarse fish) and eels £48.00
Junior Concession
Non-migratory trout, char, freshwater fish (coarse fish) and eels £5.00
Salmon and migratory trout (sea trout)., non-migratory trout, char, freshwater fish (coarse fish) and eels £5.00
8 day
Non-migratory trout, char, freshwater fish (coarse fish) and eels £10.00
Salmon and migratory trout (sea trout)., non-migratory trout, char, freshwater fish (coarse fish) and eels £23.00
1 day
Non-migratory trout, char, freshwater fish (coarse fish) and eels £3.75
Salmon and migratory trout (sea trout)., non-migratory trout, char, freshwater fish (coarse fish) and eels £8.00
Getting a rod licence is easier than ever
- they can be bought or renewed online on
the rod licence page, by telephoning 0844
8005386 or at any Post Office in England
and Wales.
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/rodlicence
The Environment Agency’s Head of
Fisheries Mat Crocker said: 'The new rod
licences are available now and look
great. Angling is more popular than ever,
with more people taking part and more
access to fisheries. Remember to buy a
licence before you go fishing and get
ready for what looks set to be a cracking
year ahead.'
For images please contact the press
office on 020 7863 8710 or email press
office . Outside normal office hours,
please contact the National Duty Press
Officer on 07798 882 092.
An Environment Agency rod licence is
required by all anglers aged 12 or older
before fishing for freshwater fish, eels,
trout or salmon in England, Wales or the
Border Esk in Scotland.
A Junior licence is available to anglers
aged 12 to 16.
Concession licences are available to
those:
aged 65 or over,
who hold a Blue Badge parking concession
or
are in receipt of Disability Living
Allowance.
Fishing without a valid licence is an
offence with a fine of up to 2,500 GBP
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Thumbs up to improved
access for disabled anglers at Iremongers
Pond
Published: 05-Mar-10
Thumbs up to improved access for disabled
anglers at Iremongers Pond
The Environment Agency’s fisheries team
have provided funding for angling paths
and pegs for disabled anglers at
Iremongers Pond in Wilford, Nottingham.
The platform will now allow safe passage
for individual anglers, of all ages, and
provide easier access for people with a
broad range of abilities. It was
installed at a cost of £5,660 by Dominic
Cawley and Partner, Woodland and Water
Management. It was funded by the
Environment Agency from money generated
by rod licence fees. Before this work was
carried out, access to the pond, which
links with the River Trent, was poor,
uneven and posed serious health and
safety risks for angling.
The site, which is in close proximity to
Clifton, the Meadows and West Bridgford
areas of Nottingham, is controlled by the
award-winning Iremongers Pond Association
(IPA), which runs angling participation
projects.
The installation of paths and angling
pegs will enable the IPA, a
not-for-profit organisation, to increase
the number of angling participation
projects in partnership with the
Environment Agency’s fisheries team.
Matt Buck, Environment Agency fisheries
officer, said: “This is a terrific
example of the work we do with funding
provided by anglers when they buy rod
licences. We are investing this money in
the future of angling, benefiting both
today’s and tomorrow’s anglers.”
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Dairy farm fined for
polluting stream with dirty water
Published: 04-Mar-10
Dairy farm fined for polluting stream
with dirty water
A farm company was today ordered to pay
£1,848 in fines and costs after waste
water escaped into a Devon stream killing
dozens of fish
The case was brought by the Environment
Agency.
On June 27, 2009 Agency officers were
called to the Rivar Dalch to investigate
a pollution incident. They found a number
of dead fish, mainly brown trout and
bullheads, in the river at Hele Bridge
near Black Dog, Crediton.
The pollution was traced to Higher
Henceford Farm where a field had been
recently irrigated with dirty water from
a large dairy unit. The dirty water
entered the Henceford Stream via two
field drains and then into the River
Dalch, a tributary of the Lapford Yeo
River and River Taw.
Agency officers found a ‘significant
quantity’ of sewage fungus in Henceford
Stream, a clear indicator of organic
pollution. They also saw a dark green
liquid discharging from a nearby land
drain. There was a strong smell of
slurry.
The court heard the Rivers Dalch, Lapford
Yeo and Taw support a healthy fish
population including salmon and sea trout
and that the Henceford was an important
feeder stream. A total of 150 dead fish
including brown trout, bullheads,
stoneloach and minnow were found on the
stretch of the River Dalch between Canns
Bridge and the pollution discharge point.
‘Farmers must take extra care when
irrigating land with dirty water and
ensure it does not escape into local
watercourses. These liquids are highly
polluting and kill fish by removing
oxygen from the water and adding
ammonia,’ said Andrew Leyman for the
Environment Agency.
Standon Holsteins Ltd, of Windemarsh
Street, Hereford, Herefordshire was fined
£600 and ordered to pay £1,248 costs by
Honiton magistrates today after pleading
guilty to causing polluting matter,
namely dirty water, to enter the
Henceford Stream and the River Dalch from
land at Higher Henceford Farm near Black
Dog, Crediton contrary to Section 85(1)
of the Water Resources Act 1991.
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Brown trout thrive at
Buxton
Published: 04-Mar-10
Brown trout thrive at Buxton
The Environment Agency announced today
(Tuesday 2 March 2010) that, thanks to a
new sewage treatment works at Buxton, the
River Wye between Buxton and Rowsley now
contains more brown trout than virtually
any other part of the Trent or its
tributaries.
Recent surveys by the Environment Agency
have confirmed a significant long term
improvement in water quality brought
about by the rebuilding of Buxton sewage
treatment works in 2004.
Biological surveys between Buxton and
Rowsley also show a steady rise in the
numbers and types of invertebrate
species, such as caddis and mayfly, which
are used to measure water quality. Last
summer’s results are the best ever
recorded and, in some places such as
Millersdale, the score has more than
doubled. Invertebrate species are a food
source for fish such as brown trout.
These latest survey results confirm the
results of our routine chemical sampling
programme, which demonstrate that average
ammonia concentrations and the level of
suspended matter in the river have now
been halved.
The new sewage treatment plant, built by
Severn Trent Water with the close
co-operation of the local Planning
Authority and the Environment Agency,
cost approximately £14 million. It uses a
unique membrane filtration process which
produces a remarkably clear effluent.
The plant replaced a conventional
treatment facility which over a number of
years had become overloaded. This meant
that no further urban development could
take place in Buxton without risking an
unacceptable deterioration in river water
quality.
The new plant had the additional
advantage of being small enough to be
placed in a nearby disused quarry. This
allowed the old site to be restored,
resulting in a significant visual
improvement to the riverside area when
entering the town.
Environment Officer, Stuart King, says
“The new sewage treatment plant has
resulted in a tremendous improvement in
the water quality of the River Wye. This
improved water quality has allowed both
the brown trout and the invertebrates
they feed on to thrive. It is an
excellent example of what can be achieved
when the Local Authority, Severn Trent
and the Environment Agency all work
together. “
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Ambitious river
restoration project chalks up success
Published: 04-Mar-10
Ambitious river restoration project
chalks up success
The River Wensum is a chalk river valued
for its wildlife, angling and as an
important landscape feature in rural
Norfolk, north west of Norwich.
The Environment Agency is working in
partnership with Natural England,
landowners, fishing clubs and others to
restore 71km of this wonderful chalk
river – a Site of Special Scientific
Interest and Special Area of Conservation
– to a favourable ecological condition.
In the past, the river has had water
quality problems as a result of high
levels of phosphates, over abstraction,
siltation and modification to the
channel. Each of these issues is
currently being addressed by a variety of
projects.
The River Wensum Restoration Strategy
aims to improve the physical condition of
the river which has been made too deep,
too wide and has been straightened. All
these modifications compromise the
natural form and function of the river
and its ability to support the wildlife
and fisheries characteristic of its type.
A whole river restoration project has
seldom been tackled anywhere in Europe
and the River Wensum presented
significant problems. To help achieve
results, the 71km stretch of river has
been divided into nine more manageable
units. Feasibility studies and outline
restoration plans are being developed for
each of these units.
The Environment Agency and Natural
England have held six public events to
engage with local residents and key
stakeholders. These were very well
attended and enabled the project team to
gather useful information about the river
from the people who attended as well as
building links with the community.
Work on the river began last year when
two gravel glides were created at
Attlebridge to provide spawning habitat
for fish. A large silt island was also
removed at North Elmham Mill to ensure a
good water flow in flood conditions and
silt has been removed from other parts of
the river.
A major project at Bintree was completed
in December to dramatically improve 700
metres of the river. This was carried out
with the co-operation of the landowners
and Bintry Mill Trout Fishery and
included reconnecting the river with its
floodplain, narrowing the channel,
reinstating the gravel river bed and
putting some of the meanders back along
the channel.
Project manager John Abraham, of the
Environment Agency, said: “The strategy
has now moved into the implementation
phase, which is a very exciting time.
Following from our successful scheme at
Bintree, we are looking to bring further
schemes to detailed design, where the
opportunities present themselves. There
is still a lot of work to do behind the
scenes, but it is great to see work now
being carried out to improve both the
form and function of the River Wensum,
which in turn will create a better
environment for the wildlife that relies
on the river.”
Richard Leishman, of Natural England,
said: “It is really exciting to be able
to take a fresh look at how society
values the river and to find new ways of
managing the river while improving
wildlife habitat. We’re really excited by
the number of restoration schemes that
have already been achieved and hope it
will fuel the development of future
projects to improve one of Norfolk’s
hidden gems.”
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Ramping it up for trout
Published: 03-Mar-10
Ramping it up for trout
Trout in the River Nar have been given a
helping hand by the Environment Agency,
following a £10k project to allow them to
swim up an existing weir near Pentney.
Trout in the River Nar have been given a
helping hand by the Environment Agency,
following a £10k project to allow them to
swim up an existing weir near Pentney.
Brown and sea trout, which have seen a
UK-wide decline, need shallow gravel beds
in which to spawn. Unfortunately
structures in the river can often make
migrating upstream to these areas very
difficult. So the Environment Agency has
created ramps below a metre-high weir in
the river near Pentney to help make this
possible. Three thirty centimetre high
ramps have been built in the river
downstream of the weir, using 140 tonnes
of clean rock and gravel from a nearby
quarry.
Chris Bell, fisheries technical
specialist, said “The River Nar has brown
trout as well as small numbers of sea
trout which enter the river at King’s
Lynn. These fish need to reach the gravel
beds of the upper Nar where they spawn.
We’ve worked together with local
landowners and our project partners, the
Wild Trout Trust to enable them to do
this much more easily. We hope that the
trout population of the river will
increase, which would improve the ecology
of the river and be good news for
anglers.”
The project is part of the wider Anglian
Sea Trout Project, which aims to improve
numbers of sea trout in Anglian Rivers.
Investigations are underway to allow
these fish better access past tidal gates
on the Rivers Nar, Babingley, Ingol, Burn
and Stiffkey.
Brown trout and sea trout are actually
the same species of fish (Salmo trutta)
and breed in freshwater. Depending upon
environmental factors such as food and
habitat availability, some of the young
will choose to remain in the river (brown
trout) and some will migrate to sea.
Sea trout live in the estuaries and will
also move around the coast, growing
rapidly. After one or two years at sea,
they will swim back into freshwater to
spawn.
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Curfew for poacher
caught on River Axe with illegal haul of
sea trout
Published: 02-Mar-10
Curfew for poacher caught on River Axe
with illegal haul of sea trout
A man from Lyme Regis was today given a
three month curfew and ordered to pay
£250 after being caught with hundreds of
pounds worth of sea trout on the River
Axe in East Devon
Environment Agency officers were on an
evening fishery patrol on the Axe on May
28, 2009 when they saw a car being driven
down a lane near the river with no
headlights on. A number plate check
revealed it belonged to Vincent O’Brien.
Officers saw O’Brien and an accomplice
use an inflatable rubber dinghy to set
monofilament gill nets across the Lower
Axe. During the course of the evening the
defendant and another man returned to the
net on three occasions to remove and kill
fish before storing them in bags nearby.
At 3.30am O’Brien and his accomplice were
confronted by Agency officers as they
headed back towards their car. After a
short struggle, O’Brien was arrested and
taken to Heavitree police station, Exeter
for questioning.
Officers found eight adult sea trout in
several bags thrown over a gate. The fish
weighed between 6lb and 10lb and were in
prime condition. Marks on the fish were
consistent with being caught in a gill
net. Fresh sea trout sells for £10 a
pound.
Officers also recovered four monofilament
gill nets that were still wet and
smothered in a type of weed found in the
Lower Axe. They also found an inflatable
dinghy and two table mats that had been
used as paddles.
‘These were mature fish that would have
helped boost the sea trout population on
the Axe had they been left to breed.
There has been a steep decline in salmon
and sea trout numbers on the river in
recent years so to lose so many prime
fish in one evening is a huge loss to the
river,’ said Andy Locke for the
Environment Agency.
A court heard that more than half of the
fish caught by O’Brien were females and
their capture would have resulted in the
loss of an estimated 250,000 eggs during
their spawning lifetime.
At an earlier hearing Vincent O’Brien of
St Andrews House, Uplyme Road, Lyme Regis
pleaded guilty to three offences under
the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act
1975 and Police Act 1996 including taking
sea trout by means of an illegal
instrument, using an unauthorised fixed
engine (a net) and wilfully obstructing
an Environment Agency bailiff.
Appearing before Exeter magistrates
today, O’Brien was given a 12-month
Community Order (120 hours unpaid work)
and a 3-month Curfew (9.00pm – 6.00am).
He was also ordered to pay £250 costs and
to forfeit his illegal nets and an
inflatable dinghy worth around £100 and
£400 respectively.
‘We will not hesitate to prosecute anyone
we catch poaching salmon and sea trout.
The illegal removal of migratory fish
from our rivers seriously threatens the
survival of these important species,’
said Andy Locke.
Photographs of the seized fish, nets and
dinghy are available from the Agency’s
regional press office on 01392 442008.
Members of the public can report
environmental crime including poaching by
calling the Environment Agency’s free
24-hour hotline 0800 80 70 60.
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