River Leadon recovery helped by 90,000 new fish
As part of a post pollution restocking program the Environment Agency has introduced 90,000 fish to the river
Fisheries officer pouring the fish into the River Leadon
The final batch of fish have entered their new home in the River Leadon as part of a 4 year post-pollution restocking program.
Over 15,200 fish were killed in July 2016 in what was described as one of the worst watercourse pollution incidents in Herefordshire and Gloucestershire in recent memory. Over 100 tonnes of digestate was pumped onto a field and flowed into the Preston Brook which flows into the River Leadon.
The latest addition of Roach, Chub, and Dace into the river was the final batch of the 90,000 fish that have been added to replace those killed by the pollution.
All the replacement fish have been hatched and reared at the Environment Agency’s national fish farm at Calverton in Nottinghamshire, which is funded by the proceeds of fishing rod licence sales.
David Hudson, Gloucestershire Environment Manager at the Environment Agency said:
Agriculture is the single biggest source of serious pollution incidents and all farmers have a duty to prevent it.
This was one of the worst pollution incidents on a watercourse in the Herefordshire and Gloucestershire area in the last 10 years, and we are delighted to be a part of helping it to recover.
The staff at the Environment Agency fish farm are amazing and do a great job of raising river ready fish, by introducing them to currents and creating a habitat in the ponds where they need to seek out their food. Any angler out there can be proud that they are funding this by buying a rod licence
In November 2017, the Bennions, of Rosehill Farm, Dymock, where the pollution incident started, were each fined £5,500 and each ordered to pay £25,798 in costs along with a victim surcharge of £170.