26/07/2005 - Fish all
over North North Yorkshire and South Durham
will be stunned this summer during a series
of surveys to assess the fish populations.
their health.
As part of the annual surveys, specially trained
Environment Agency officers will use electro-fishing
techniques to stun fish so that they can be
counted and measured before being returned
to the water.
A current is passed through the water to
temporarily knock the fish out so that they
can be caught easily and handled without causing
them any distress.
Electro-fishing also allows Environment Agency
officers to remove a small number of scales
from each fish, which will give an indication
of their age and growth rates.
Officers will be operating from boats as
well as wading in shallow rivers from river
banks to conduct the surveys on all the main
rivers in the region including the Wharfe,
Nidd, Ouse, Ure, Swale, Tees, Esk and Derwent
as well as many tributaries Swale, Ure, Wharfe,
Nidd, Ouse, Derwent, Esk and Tees. Nets will
also be used to catch fish during the survey.
Most species of river fish will be surveyed,
including salmon, salmon trout, grayling,
dace, barbel, chub, roach and pike.
Environmental Appraisal Team Leader for the
Environment Agency, Richard Jenkins Richard
Jenkins said: "These annual surveys give
us vital information, enabling us to assess
the current status of fish stocks and identify
any changes in populations that may have occurred
over recent years.
"It is also invaluable for putting together
future action plans for improving the local
environment."
