16-Aug-2006
- Environment Agency officers have worked round
the clock to rescue 300 native crayfish after
a pollution incident at Robsheugh Burn, near Ponteland,
Northumberland.
A pollution incident on 4 August
caused a number of native crayfish to leave the
Robsheugh Burn in large numbers. An investigation
by Environment Agency officers found that approximately
2,000 crayfish had died.
Hundreds of fish, including
sticklebacks, minnows and stone loach were also
killed, along with other stream life such as freshwater
shrimps, mayflies and caddis flies. A 2.5 mile
stretch of the watercourse’s invertebrate population
was also severely impacted.
The Environment Agency responded
quickly to investigate the source of the incident
and were also able to carry out a rescue of the
crayfish in the area, which were still alive but
distressed. Around 300 white-clawed crayfish were
rescued and taken to Kielder Water to recover.
Environment Agency officers
are now happy that water quality has returned
to an adequate level and will re-release the rescued
crayfish to the Robsheugh burn today.
The native white-clawed crayfish,
Austropotamobius pallipes, is a nationally rare
species and is of significant importance in Northumberland.
However, the invasive American signal crayfish,
Pacifastacus leniusculus, is a known contributor
to the decline in native white-clawed crayfish
in the region.
Northumberland is one of the
few areas where native white clawed crayfish have
not been threatened by pollution, disease or competition
from the invasive American signal crayfish.
Environment officer Paula McRitchie
said: "Our officers worked quickly to save
as many white-clawed crayfish as possible. We
hope that returning the crayfish to their natural
habitat will aid the recovery of the stocks in
the area."
The Environment Agency
is still carrying out investigations into the
source of the pollution.
Alexandra Wales
