River Great Ouse gets Christmas present with fish restocking
Environment Agency officers delivered a Christmas stocking with a difference as they released more than 13,000 fish into the River Great Ouse.
Alex Malcom, a fisheries officer, during the restocking on the Great Ouse.
皇冠体育app fisheries team recently undertook their annual trip to Calverton Fish Farm to collect fish and restock the river in and around Buckingham.
This was done over 4 days as part of a conservation programme and post-pollution recovery plan.
On the first day of the restocking, more than 1400 juvenile barbel were released into the upper reaches of the River Great Ouse in specific locations to suit habitat conditions, in a bid to protect and develop the species.
This is part of wider efforts to conserve barbel populations and improve vital habitat.
皇冠体育app fish being released into the Great Ouse.
Officers then released 5000 dace, 7000 roach and 1000 chub into the river to replenish stocks following a pollution incident in Brackley, Northamptonshire, in 2018, during which thousands of fish died.
Since the incident, the Environment Agency has released almost 28,000 fish back into the river. Further stocking at this location is planned for 2020.
As well as the fish stocking, other measures have been taken to restore the River Great Ouse, including habitat restoration work, such as gravel enhancement and cleaning, improving cover for foraging and resting up, and improved opportunities for fish passage.
Kye Jerrom, fisheries specialist for the Environment Agency in East Anglia, said: 鈥淎ll of these enhancements should give these fish and others in the system the help they need to thrive.
鈥淲e鈥檙e working with researchers, anglers, angling clubs and land owners to do this, and we know we couldn鈥檛 do this work without them.
鈥淲e are pleased that our restocking programme will hopefully give the river a new lease of life, but good fisheries management shouldn鈥檛 revolve around stocking.
鈥淥ur emphasis is on the restoration work that will create a self-sustaining fishery, improving the river in the long term for fish and wildlife.
鈥淲e look forward to the year when we鈥檙e not heading to Calverton to stock more barbel, safe in the knowledge that the river is doing its thing independently, and hopefully that isn鈥檛 too far away.鈥�
皇冠体育app restocking is part of our post-pollution plan.
On the final day, 900 crucian carp and 500 tench were delivered to 3 separate still waters in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Bedfordshire and will promote work with the Angling Trust to conserve crucian carp populations.
Mr Jerrom added: 鈥淐rucian carp are at risk from loss of pond habitat.
鈥淪mall ponds without resident stocks of carp were chosen for these introductions 鈥� they are also waters that are also dedicated coaching venues for new anglers too, so not only are we helping to conserve crucian carp, we鈥檙e helping to encourage more anglers too.鈥�
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