Thousands of barbel stocked into UK waterways
THOUSANDS more barbel have been stocked into rivers across the country thanks to the Environment Agency’s annual stocking regime – and they now want you to get out there and catch them!
Over the last decade the authority has bolstered populations of the species on several waterways through a series of winter stockings, and if early figures are anything to go by December 2019’s additions are looking to be the largest yet.
The Derwent, Nene and Severn are just a few rivers to obtain a barbel boost although the Great Ouse has received the most – with 1,400 year-old fish finding their way into four locations across Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
Kye Jerrom, Fisheries Technical Specialist for the Environment Agency’s Great Ouse and Fenland Fisheries team, said:
“It’s already been a bumper year for us but Wednesday 11 December was our most satisfying, as we released 1,400 perfectly formed juvenile barbel to the upper reaches of the river Great Ouse.
“These stockings aren’t random but part of a huge effort alongside a carefully designed conservation programme to protect and develop the barbel stocks of the famous waterway.
“The stocking sites have been hand-selected based on the habitat they offer to young fish, which include refuge from high flows and predators, but are also ideal for foraging and future spawning too.
“We look forward to the year when we’re not heading to Calverton to pick up more barbel, safe in the knowledge that the fish in the river are doing their thing independently – hopefully that’s not too far away.”
In a further delight the barbel stocked by the EA all feature a distinctive blue dye marking under their bellies to help signify that they are stocked fish.
Anglers are now being called upon to catch and report these barbel in a drive to monitor the river’s populations for years to come.
Loughborough Soar AC were just one of a selection of clubs to receive stock from the Environment Agency and their committee member Rob Thompson said:
“The EA have just split 800 barbel between our Pillings and 11 Arches stretches on the River Soar and each have a blue dye mark under their bellies.
“Following the introduction of these marked fish we will be reliant on anglers reporting their catches so that the EA can assess their spread and progress.
“The idea is that further stockings will be made in the future so a much bigger picture of the River Soar’s barbel stock’s and health can be determined.”
Where barbel have been stocked…
350 barbel into the River Great Ouse at Sharnbrook
700 barbel and chub into River Derwent, Alvaston Park
250 barbel into the River Nene at Castor
350 barbel into the River Great Ouse at Sherington
250 barbel into the River Nene at Wellington
350 barbel into the River Great Ouse at Haversham
800 barbel into the lower River Soar, Loughborough
250 barbel into the River Severn at Coalport
350 barbel into the River Great Ouse at Harrold Country Park
4200 roach and bream into the Sedgemoor drain
How you can help…
If you catch a blue dye-marked barbel you can submit a report to Jake.Dorey@environment-agency.gov.uk
All barbel reports should include a picture of the barbel showing its dye marking, the date and time of the capture, the barbel’s weight, the location of where it was caught and the angling club that owns the stretch.
