Free netting services help fisheries catch potential problems
The Environment Agency fisheries team in Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire have launched their annual netting programme for the 2024/2025 season.
Environment Agency officer netting a fishery
A programme, funded by rod licence income, that provides free netting services to clubs and fisheries in Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire has launched.
The service will run until 18 March 2025 and is central to the fisheries team’s commitment to sustainable fisheries management, promoting balanced fish populations and healthier aquatic ecosystems.
Netting allows the safe removal of fish from across the region to be sent to the Environment Agency fish laboratory in Brampton for a health check.
Additionally, it allows the team to remove smaller fish to control fish stock numbers, a process known as cropping.
Cropping creates a more sustainable environment for the remaining stock to thrive.
If the team crop a fishery and they have passed a health check, those fish can be donated to other clubs and fisheries in the area that have been surveyed and identified as having low stocks due to pollution events, predation, or weather-related oxygen crashes.
Restocking of this nature, will only proceed once measures are in place to reduce these risks, ensuring the donated fish are introduced to safe and supportive environments.
Fisheries Officer Charley Bunce
Rod licence benefits
Charley Bunce, Fisheries Officer in Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire said:
Netting is one of the essential services we offer to support and benefit rod licence payers.
Our role as fisheries officers is a blend of enforcement and providing advice and guidance on fishery management.
This balance allows us not only to protect local waters but also to work closely with clubs and fisheries, ensuring they see direct benefits from purchasing their rod licence.
Netting happens through winter for several reasons:
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Species have a lower metabolism, meaning the fish are not as active and easier to catch with minimal stress.
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Winter surveys help identify and address any fish population imbalances, habitat issues or water quality concerns. Proactively managing fisheries in winter can help reduce the risk of stress, disease outbreaks or oxygen crashes in warmer months when fish are at their most vulnerable.
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Colder water generally has higher dissolved oxygen content, which helps reduce stress for fish during netting, The cooler temperatures also create more stable conditions for accessing and relocating the fish if needed.
The netting programme in Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire aims to improve stocks at fishing locations across the region for many years to come.