SHOALS of dead fish are being seen in the rivers and canals, Roger Fox reports.
Due, it is understood to combined heat—particularly in the shallow canals—together with pollution.
Related to heat
The Environment Agency believe that the dead fish in stretches of the Avon are related to heat, as are those discovered around Banbury in the Oxford Canal, with it adding:
“Summer can see the Environment Agency staff responding to many reports of fish in distress. Water naturally carries less oxygen during hot dry spells and prolonged warm dry weather can affect fish in rivers, canals and still waters.
"Prolonged warm weather followed by intense summer rainstorms can wash material into watercourses which can build up on roads and in gullies. Once in a watercourse, this material will further deplete the water of oxygen, and can lead to serious fish mortalities.”
Pollution
Questions are being asked about pollution especially in Barford on the Avon where many dead fish are being seen.
One resident of Barford told the Herald that he had lived there for 40 years and never before seen anything like it.
In Stratford there were small and medium sized silver fish lifelessly floating through the town, with similar occurrences along the river.