Environment Agency: November Update
Hello from everyone at the Environment Agency.
We are pleased to be bringing you the latest updates from us! It has been another busy month for our teams as our officers patrol across the country and continue to seize illegal nets and traps, protecting precious fish species.
Despite colder weather setting in, fishing remains popular and our staff are hard at work protecting and improving the resilience of our fisheries. According to our latest stats, 36,851 people either bought or renewed their licence in October. Due to current restrictions, if you do go fishing you must ensure you are following the latest Government guidelines. The Angling Trust has put together a helpful advice page for anglers that can be viewed here.
Last month we also celebrated World Fish Migration Day, with technical specialist Charles Crundwell updating us all on progress made in improving Shad populations on the River Severn. Charles lends his expertise to the ‘Unlocking the Severn’ project which is led by the Canal and River Trust and supported by us as well as several other partners, including Natural England. As well as shad, it will help many fish species move up and down the Severn, improving stocks and fisheries.
Creating fish habitats and restoring our rivers
Income from rod licence sales funds vital fisheries work, including work restoring our rivers and nurturing fish habitats to allow our much-loved fish species to thrive. Team EA have been working hard on a river restoration project on the River Colne in Halstead. The work involves using natural material in the river, such as sand, gravel and rocks, to create river habitats for fish and biodiversity – it is a great example of the innovative techniques we use, which include mimicking natural processes to encourage river enhancement.
Calverton fish farm restocks fishing lake used in the rehabilitation of armed forces
Fish bred at the Environment Agency’s National Coarse Fish Farm in Calverton, Nottinghamshire have been used to restock a fishing lake at Stanford Hall Rehabilitation Estate.
Over the summer we launched a campaign to raise awareness of the wellbeing benefits that fishing offers all of us. At Stanford Hall, these benefits are already recognised, and fishing is incorporated into rehabilitation methods for veterans residing at the estate.
Over 10,000 fish were stocked into the lake, including 2000 bream, 2500 rudd, 4666 roach and 1300 crucian carp. Maintaining fish populations in the lake is essential to ensuring that there are enough angling opportunities at the site. We are pleased by the results and hope to see this take place annually going forward.
EA crackdown on illegal activity continues
In the North East, fisheries enforcement officershave been continuing their investigation into illegal nets being used on the River Wear. They apprehended a man on the beach at Ryhope, Sunderland, and seized an illegal net after receiving a report of illegal fishing. The net, measuring 25 metres long by 2 metres deep, was seized along with dead fish. The man was questioned and has been released while the investigation continues.
Meanwhile the team have also been working with Durham Constabulary to carry out joint patrols targeting illegal fishing and anti-social behaviour on the banks of the River Wear in rural Weardale. They targeted locations around Witton Park, Willington and Witton le Wear, where anglers were checked and suspicious activity investigated. Patrols will continue as part of the crackdown.
Elsewhere in Skinningrove, East Cleveland, fisheries enforcement officers seized an illegal fishing net across Kilton Beck which created an impenetrable barrier across the full width of the beck. This sort of illegal activity prevents migratory fish from reaching their spawning grounds and has a damaging impact on fish stocks.
The Environment Agency ethos has always been focused on protecting lives, livelihoods and the environment. Our commitment to this does not change while dealing with the effects of coronavirus. We take all reports of illegal activity very seriously, if you spot anything suspicious do not hesitate to get in touch. Our fisheries enforcement officers remain on the ground and will investigate suspected illegal activity.
EA staff perform rescue mission to save trapped baby sharks
An eventful month for our teams in the East of England, who alongside incident response work, elver monitoring, river restoration and parasite projects for fly fishing clubs, carried out a rescue mission to save three baby sharks. Officers rescued the two smooth-hounds and one starry smooth-hound after the sharks found themselves trapped in a borrow dyke in Burnham-on-Crouch in Essex. The officers quickly hand netted the sharks and released them into the near-by estuary.
And in further positive news we have had an increase in eel sightings! Our East fisheries team are seeing an encouraging number of eels and elvers at local eel passes, particularly at the Judas Gap and Beeleigh in Essex. Our officers continue their weekly visits to eel passes, monitoring the migrating eels – this work is an essential part of our efforts to protect this critically endangered species.
Don’t forget to stay in touch!
You can stay up-to-date with the latest news and information from the Environment Agency on Twitter and Instagram at @envagency.