Jane Nower - 4-Dec-2007
- POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER
Environment Agency fisheries officers will
release nearly 5,000 juvenile fish into the
River Wandle on Thursday 6 December 2007,
in an attempt to rejuvenate the river devastated
by a pollution incident earlier this year.
The release marks the first stage in what
will be a long term restoration process. The
batches of one to two year-old chub, dace,
roach and barbel have been specially reared
and trained for life in the wild at the Environment
Agency’s Calverton Fish Farm in Nottinghamshire
and will be released in three areas along
the river.
In September 2007, a chemical spill killed
tens of thousands of fish of varying ages,
sizes and species along a five km stretch
of the River Wandle between Beddington and
Merton. The incident generated an enormous
amount of public concern and the Environment
Agency has been working closely with local
anglers, the Anglers Conservation Association,
the National Trust, the Wandle Trust, Thames
Water Utilities Ltd and independent surveyors
to determine the impact of the spill and decide
on the most effective way to rehabilitate
the river.
Post-pollution survey work by independent
contractor (APEM) and the Environment Agency
has shown that some species of fish were completely
wiped out in the upper reaches of the river,
closest to the pollutant’s origin. However,
at the very bottom of the affected five km
stretch, some fish survived.
Theo Pike of the Wandle Trust said: “The
recent surveys have confirmed the serious
impact of the pollution, but they have also
demonstrated that there is adequate food and
shelter for this limited initial restocking.
This is important because we need to give
nature a helping hand to restore fish stocks
as there are many barriers to the free movement
of fish up and down the river, meaning natural
recolonisation would be very slow."
Tom Cousins, one of the fisheries officers
who will assist with the release of the new
fish, said:
“Although it is important that the river
is restocked so that we can spur on recovery
and improve the river we need to remember
that the size, quality and number of fish
lost in the pollution incident means that
it is impossible to physically buy or collect
equivalent fish from elsewhere. It will take
several years before these fish will be of
a size to be of interest to recreational fishermen,
and many years before they approach the size
of those fish lost in the pollution incident.
“Analysis of scales taken from some of the
fish carcasses that were collected in the
aftermath of the pollution incident, show
that the fish in the Wandle were above average
in size when compared with that expected in
similar rivers in the South of England. This
is because the river was considered a highly
productive river system, containing plenty
of food for the fish.”
Despite these first steps towards nursing
the river back to health, team leader for
the Environment Agency Mike Denbigh commented:
“The Environment Agency plays a dual role
in this situation. Although we are happy that
restocking has begun, our investigation into
this unfortunate incident is progressing well
and we are preparing a case file for our legal
department. With incidents of this severity
it is the Environment Agency's policy to fully
investigate the incident and, where possible,
to gather evidence for submission. Our Enforcement
and Prosecution Policy and Guidance indicates
that, where the evidence exists, the normal
response to such an incident is to prosecute
where the likely offender is identified. Carrying
out a robust investigation and undertaking
legal action is not a quick process.”
Ends
Notes to Editors
The opportunity to photograph the restocking
of the Wandle and interview Environment Agency
officers will take place on Thursday 6 December
at 2.30pm, Ravensbury Park, Morden. There
is no parking available on site. Please make
your way to the footbridge over the Wandle
via Ravensbury Lane or Wandle Rd next to Ravensbury
Park.
This restocking is only possible due to the
Environment Agency maintaining a coarse fish
production facility for the entire UK, based
in Calverton, Nottinghamshire. This is the
largest fish farm of its type in Europe and
millions of fish have been reared there. They
are bred from only health certified broodstock
and are specially conditioned in fast flowing
water tanks to enable the young fish the best
chance of survival in a river system upon
release. This fish farm is paid for and operated
using rod licence income from recreational
anglers, such as those who fish along the
River Wandle.
The Environment Agency will continue to monitor,
via APEM and its own work, the fish populations
in the Wandle, and use this data to inform
its decisions on what levels of future restocking
will be required.
+ More
Multi-Million pounds fish farming and stocking
industry recieves major boost from Environment
Agency
Head Office Press Office - 7-Dec-2007 - Multi-million
pounds fish farming and stocking industry
receives major boost from Environment Agency
The multi-million pounds fish farming and
stocking industry in England and Wales will
receive a major boost this month when the
Environment Agency’s new on-line fish movements
consenting service goes live on Wednesday,
December 12, 2007.
"E-consenting is a round-the-clock service
that allows applications to move fish to be
submitted by fish farms, angling clubs, fisheries
owners, ecological consultants and crayfish
trappers at their convenience," explained
Environment Agency Fish Permitting and Enforcement
Manager Sarah Chare.
"The new service is accessible by registering
at www.efishbusiness.co.uk. The site will
steer you through to your own secure personal
business page. The new electronic version
of the consenting system complements the existing
one and paper applications will continue to
be processed in the normal way.
"We process about 12,000 fish movement
applications every year, and issues consents
to stock more than 7.5 million fish of some
30 species. We will be able to give our customers
a quicker service that reflects their working
needs and also improve the quality of our
own consenting.
"The new system allows users to track
their applications on-line and make date changes,
as well as receive their consent documents
via e-mail. Customers who register for the
online service will also benefit from access
to the fish movement records we hold for their
business for the last three years, including
a mapping facility."
Angling is big business and the fish movement
industry helps support the largest all-inclusive
sport in the UK. There are estimated to be
4 million freshwater, coarse, game and sea
anglers in the UK who spend around £3
billion pounds ever year on their sport. The
Environment Agency issues about 1.4 million
rod licences every year, and the sport supports
20,000 full and part-time jobs and provides
important economic and social benefits to
the rural and urban communities.
"As one of the main suppliers in the
country I am looking forward to the e-consenting
system, as I can access my consents 24/7,
which is a big help for me personally, and
will be a big step forward in our industry,"
added Carl Francis, owners of Mainstream Fisheries
Limited and member of the Coarse Fish Farmers
Trade Association.
