Fish stocks boost for North East waters
Fisheries experts have boosted stocks in the North East as the Environment Agency continues to develop and restore rivers in the region.
Fisheries experts have given a boost to stocks in North East waters as part of the Environment Agency’s ongoing plans to develop and restore rivers and lakes in the region.
Fish including dace, chub, roach, crucian carp, tench, rudd and bream have been stocked into rivers and stillwater fisheries this week.
At the River Skerne near Darlington, 4,000 chub, dace, roach and barbel have been stocked, and a further 3,000 dace, chub and barbell have been released into the River Wear near Durham.
The River Don at South Tyneside and the River Tees at High Conniscliffe also received stocks of chub, dace and barbel.
Stillwater fisheries in the region – Willows Reservoir at Barmston, Washington; Eden Grange at Station Town; Grey Towers Lake at Nunthorpe; Wheatley Hill; and Wydon Water near Hexham - have also been stocked with 15,000 roach, rudd, bream, tench and crucian carp to help improve angling.
The Environment Agency releases fish into our waterways annually. Fisheries officers target fish stocking activity using data from national fish surveys to identify where there are problems with poor breeding and survival.
Environment Agency Fisheries Officers Paul Frear and Robbie Stevenson led the work to introduce the fish to their new homes this week.
Robbie said:
We’re pleased we can provide these fish for stocking as part of our commitment to rod-licence paying anglers.
Restoration and the creation of new fisheries for all people to enjoy is a very important aspect to our work.
The River Skerne above Darlington has suffered from poor water quality and habitat degradation in the past, but a concerted effort by the Environment Agency has helped to turn this watercourse around.
High Spring flows and cool summers, along with barriers to fish passage, on the Rivers Wear and Tees have impacted on coarse fish survival, so the Environment Agency stocks fish to help support impacted recruitment.
The fish all come from the Environment Agency’s fish farm at Calverton, Nottinghamshire, where between 350,000 and 500,000 fish are produced each year to stock rivers across the country.