Bottom Flash restocked with 11,000 baby chub (From Northwich Guardian)
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Bottom Flash restocked with 11,000 baby chub
2:20pm Thursday 1st November 2012 in News
Fisheries manager for Winsford Angling Club, Guy Humphreys, watches on, as EA technical officer Graham Harrison transfers the fish from an oxygenated tank into the river
FISH are breathing new life into the River Weaver, after the Environment Agency (EA) replenished Winsford Bottom Flash with 11,000 baby chub on Thursday, October 25.
The one-year-old chublets, measuring around two inches, are the first new arrivals in a programme that will see thousands of young bream and roach put back into the river.
Around 5,000 fish were found dead in Winsford in August following a sudden drop in the Weaver’s oxygen.
The disaster is thought to have been caused by algal blooms, following torrential rain resulting in an increased nutrient run off into the river.
“The river will recover naturally on its own eventually. We are supporting that natural recovery giving it a quick boost of fish where it’s needed,” explained environment management team leader Simon Oldfield.
EA staff set off from Winsford on a 180-mile round trip to fisheries in Calverton, Nottinghamshire, where the chublets were selected from over 1 million fish kept in backup stocks on-site by the agency.
Steve Powell, Environment Agency specialist for fisheries, said: “We are delighted to be able to replenish the fish stocks on the river – today is all about providing a helping hand to the recovery of the river.”
Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Executive Member for Community and Environment Lynn Riley added: “I am sure the local community will welcome these efforts to replenish fish stocks.
“Following the recent community clean-up of the river, it marks yet another positive step in the response to this unfortunate incident.”
