Plenty more fish in…Chard and Glastonbury!
The Environment Agency has restocked waters near Chard and Glastonbury after a harsh summer for fish. In particular a large number of fish died in the River Brue during the summer. This was due to high temperatures and prolonged dry weather lead to drought conditions and low flows.
Chard reservoir was not badly hit, but the local angling group* asked for coarse fish there to be restocked. Although the reservoir is managed by South Somerset District Council, the EA provide the fish. The reservoir has now been restocked with over 2,000 tench and roach. Liam Timothy, Environment Agency Fisheries Officer, told us: “Somerset boasts many angling clubs which is evidence there is a healthy amount of fish in the county’s waterways. But occasionally a helping hand is needed to restore the natural balance in the wake of an incident or decline.“
Over at the River Brue near Glastonbury, fisheries officers from the EA have also been hard at work. Over 1,800 fish including chub, roach, dace and bream have been introduced to the river. The EA felt that the work could be carried out now that river levels have returned to normal. Following a rainy autumn water flows in the river are plentiful for the new arrivals.
In both cases the fish are supplied from the EA’s Calverton Fish Farm near Nottingham. The farm breeds coarse fish for release into rivers and still waters across England to help boost fish populations. The work of the fish farm is funded by income from licence fees.
*Chard and District Angling Club
They won’t remain in the Brue for very long.
A van carrying men with Eastern European accents turn up several times a week to fish until they have caught as many fish as they can.
This happens along the Kennard Moor Drove between Baltonsborough and Glastonbury. It has been going on for ages and the men are never caught – I suspect they are never even looked for. The fish are not put back in the river, at best these men might give one of the fish to folk in the lived-in vehicles illegally camped there.
Obviously a member of the public would be unwise to challenge these fishermen, but if someone could take a photo of the van showing the registration this would enable the police (or Environment Agency) to follow up and maybe even prosecute……
Too dangerous to take photo.
The river Brie used to support many wild brown trout but they are not on the list of restocked fish.