Christmas stockings boost fish populations in Leicestershire
Thousands of fish will find new homes this Christmas thanks to the Environment Agency’s annual restocking programme.
Income from rod fishing licence sales is used to fund our work to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries.
In Leicestershire, 3,700 fish – including 1,500 chub, 700 dace, 1,000 roach and 500 bream - reared at the Environment Agency’s National Coarse Fish Farm in Calverton, Nottinghamshire, will be released in the River Sence and River Soar as part of the annual programme.
Every year, Calverton Fish Farm breeds coarse fish for release into rivers and still waters across England to help boost fish populations. The restocking in Leicestershire will provide a welcome boost to the angler experience in the area.
Responsible fishing provides a good opportunity to connect with nature and feel the range of benefits doing so can bring. However, it is important to remember that a valid rod fishing licence is required, and anglers must adhere to fishing byelaws and fishery rules.
Jake Dorey, Fisheries Technical Officer for the Environment Agency, said:
While there is a healthy amount of fish in Leicestershire’s waterways, occasionally a helping hand is needed to restore the natural balance following a pollution incident or decline, or to create new fisheries and opportunities for anglers.
The work of our National Fish Farm is funded by income from licence fees, so in the lead up to Christmas it’s great to see the fish farm continuing to produce strong and healthy fish needed for restocking and recovery.
The restocking is part of an annual programme funded by income from rod licence sales. Restocking occurs in winter because water temperatures are low and this minimises any stress on the fish, giving them the best possible survival rates.
Christmas is a good time to introduce the fish into rivers, as it enables them to acclimatise to their new surroundings, ahead of their spawning season in the spring. Fish also play a critical role in sustaining a river’s finely-balanced eco-system, so the wider natural environment will also get a festive boost.
You need a rod fishing licence to fish for salmon, trout, freshwater fish, smelt or eel with a rod and line in England. Get yours from https://www.gov.uk/fishing-licences.
Notes to editors
- Income from rod fishing licence sales is used to fund our work to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries. This includes improving habitats for fish, reinvesting money back to facilities and clubs for anglers, tackling illegal fishing and working with partners to encourage more people to give fishing a go.
- The Environment Agency’s National Coarse Fish Farm at Calverton remains our principal supply of coarse fish for restocking.