THOUSANDS of young fish are being released into the River Swale in a major drive to improve the waterway and give nature a helping hand.
Richmond and District Angling Society have been working in partnership with the Environment Agency and experts in the field to workout how best to boost populations of fish and improve the river.
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They have now released over 2,000 juvenile barbel into the river below Richmond and more are expected to be put in to fishing areas above Topcliffe Wier in the next three years.
It's part of a shceme to reverse declining numbers of barbel above the weir which has been happening over the past few years.
The fish are coming from the Environment Agency's hatchery which is based at Calverton in Nottinghamshire. They're aiming to release a further 6,000 barbel up to 2025.
Barbel are freshwater fish native to eastern flowing rivers in England, and are generally 50 to 100 cm long and weigh one to three kilograms.
Habitat improvement is a major part of the project with angling groups playing a major part.
Richmond Angling Society Secretary Phil Brown said that the society is busy on a wide-ranging programme of habitat improvement along many miles of river fished by members between Richmond and Great Langton.
He said: "Based on a detailed survey carried out by the well-respected Wild Trout Trust, R&DAS had embarked on a series of activities to improve habitat for fish to feed, shelter and breed in the river and its feeder streams.
"The initiatives would also benefit other wildlife such as aquatic insects and the species which feed on them."
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David Morley, Environment Agency Fisheries Technical Officer for the River Swale, said that the EA had been involved in similar initiatives on Yorkshire rivers over recent years collaborating with clubs whose members were prepared to roll up their sleeves.
He added: “Projects on rivers throughout the Yorkshire region have improved conditions for both wildlife and anglers.
"With the help of angling clubs and habitat improvement groups such as the Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust, along with cooperation from environmentally aware landowners, a lot has been achieved and I am sure that the River Swale will see similar benefits as the improvement projects roll out.”
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