When fish are stocked into rivers, anglers are often left wondering where they’ve ended up a few years down the line. But now, a gamechanging citizen science programme is set to provide answers to that perennial question.
On the River Severn at Pixham Ferry, just below Worcester, 250 barbel weighing around 1lb apiece were introduced just before Christmas, each of them fitted with a ‘PIT tag’.
These small, implantable microchips are just like the ones found in pet cats and dogs and will allow the movements and progress of each individual fish to be tracked throughout its life.
Several local anglers have been given PIT ‘readers’ and kits to record statistics on the fish they catch.
IF YOU ARE NEW TO BARBEL FISHING, THIS BEGINNERS GUIDE IS WELL WORTH A READ!
In addition, 65 of the stocked barbel were fitted with acoustic tags, meaning their movements can be picked up when they pass automatic listening stations at points along the river.
The project is run by the West Midlands Environment Agency fisheries team, and this stocking is the first of three in which tagged fish will be introduced over the coming years. It’s hoped that the results will reveal whether stocking efforts serve to enhance fish populations and angling opportunities in a sustainable way.
“The data collected will provide valuable insights into the health of barbel on the Severn,” said EA project lead, Laura Bullock.
“Anglers are playing an integral role in building a deeper understanding of barbel populations, helping to inform and improve fisheries management.”
Previous tracking studies have provided fascinating insights onto the lives of fish, as Chris Bainger, Senior EA Fisheries Officer, explained.
“As part of recent tracking, we’ve observed two large barbel successfully moving from below Worcester all the way to Shrewsbury, utilising the new fish passes in Worcester to navigate upstream,” he revealed.
“This demonstrates the potential impact of improved fish passage infrastructure and highlights the importance of this study in informing future river management strategies.”
IF YOU ENJOY YOUR BARBEL FISHING, USING THE BEST BARBEL RODS WILL HELP YOU LAND MORE FISH!
