YESTERDAY WEDNESDAY 18TH MARCH Canal & River Trust, is completing an important ecological milestone in the recovery from December’s canal breach on the Llangollen Canal at Whitchurch.
1,00O fish in field
Around 1,000 fish washed into a neighbouring farmer’s field are being rescued and safely returned to the canal.
Photograph shows Canal & River Trust national Fisheries and Angling Manager John Ellis with MEM Fisheries at a major fish rescue from a farmer’s field below the Whitchurch canal breach today. (Photos credit: Lynn Pegler/Canal & River Trust.)
The pool of water in the field, which was up to six feet deep in places, has been gradually drained to around knee height to allow a specialist fish rescue team to begin the operation of catching the fish and safely returning them back into the canal. The fish include native species such as roach, perch, gudgeon, bream and ruffe.
Using specialist fisheries equipment, the rescue team will temporarily stun the fish by passing a low‑voltage direct electric current through the water. This is a safe and widely‑used fisheries management technique that temporarily immobilises the fish and allows them to be collected without harm. They will then be carefully lifted into aerated buckets and transported back to the canal.
Key priority
John Ellis, national fisheries and angling manager at Canal & River Trust, explained:
“Fish welfare is a key priority for our charity, and we will take the utmost care when relocating the fish back to the canal. I’m expecting about 1,000 fish totalling around 200lb to be rescued. The fish appear to be in good health having temporarily been rehomed in a field of water for two months.
“The breach has had a real impact on people living and working on the canal and nearby, and this rescue is one small but important step in putting things back together.”
The investigation into the breach along with a plan for the repair is ongoing. Following the initial effort to make the area safe and recover the stranded boats, work has been continuing to secure site access that will be needed to undertake the repair to the canal embankment. This includes the ongoing creation of a site compound and access track.
For more information on Canal & River Trust including how you can donate money or volunteer with us to support our work visit www.canalrivertrust.org.uktrust