'Alien' fish to be removed from Wirral fishery

WORK is underway to remove a dangerous species of "alien" fish from a Wirral fishery.

The Environment Agency decided to act after thousands of Topmouth Gudgeon were found in the pond at Larton Livery Fishery in Frankby.

Measuring between eight to 10 centimetres when fully grown, they are members of the carp family and appeared in mainland Europe in the 1960s.

The Environment Agency says the fish are a threat to Larton’s native fish stock.

Today specialist teams will remove the native stock and treat the gudgeon with a poison known as piscicide.

The native fish will be stored at its the Environment Agency's depot in Winsford while the work is carried and will be returned to Larton.

Steve Powell, the Environment Agency's Strategic Fisheries Specialist, said Topmouth Gudgeons increase the risk of diseases for native fish and are known to eat their eggs and larvae.

He told the Globe this morning: "There are large numbers of these things. They are not very big, anywhere between eight and 10 centimetres when a fully grown adult, but they’re prolific and that's where the problem is.

"They outcompete native species and will very quickly take over a water body.

"They breed up to four times a year, and very quickly outcompete native species for food and habitat.

"When the females lay their eggs, males then guard them and egg survival rates are very high.

"They potential carry parasites that native fish would not be able to survive against.

"The main thing is they are very successful in UK waters and can go from nothing at all to being prolific pest species.

"We are here to get them out and reduce the risk to the environment.

"We gave Larton Livery's owner some fishery management advice last summer when we noticed stocks of this particular breed were high and began to plan the operation."

Read on:  

http://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/archive/1970/01/01/News/10149865._Alien__fish_to_be_removed_from_Wirral_fishery/

Fishery owner suing Environment Agency after otters put him out of business

Brian Dodson claims the government body created an otter haven on a nearby river and failed to inform him of the potential problems the furry mammals could cause.

After stocking six lakes at his new business with thousands of carp at a cost of £250,000, the protected otters sought out his fishery as a rich food source.

Over a period of years his valuable fish were decimated by the carnivorous creatures, ruining his business before it had got off the ground, the 60-year-old claims.

Mr Dodson said that had the Environment Agency told him of the probability of otters re-colonising the nearby river he could have taken protective steps, like erecting protective fencing.

He is now suing the agency for breaching the Environment Act 1995, claiming the agency had a duty of care to consult local landowners when planning the otter initiative.

He is seeking £2.5 million to cover the loss of income he believes he would have recouped from anglers using his fishery.

The matter will go before the High Court next month in what could become a landmark case for fishery owners across the country who have had similar issues with otters.

The creatures were on the brink of extinction 30 years ago until wildlife enthusiasts launched a massive programme to re-introduce them to the wild.

Since then they have returned to nearly every corner of Britain.

But critics say the scheme has been ill thought as there is not enough food in our waterways to sustain their booming numbers.

As a result otters - which have no natural predator - are said to have been picking off big and cumbersome fish from fisheries and putting them in jeopardy.

Mr Dodson's Waen Wen Fishery, near Bangor, in North Wales, has lain empty and out of use for several years now. He has been unable to sell it and it has now been taken off him by his mortage company.

Read on:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/9808555/Fishery-owner-suing-Environment-Agency-after-otters-put-him-out-of-business.html

Holsworthy fishery fined for keeping illegal fish species

The owners of a Holsworthy fishery have been ordered to pay nearly £35,000 in fines and costs for keeping two invasive species of fish in lakes.

The case, taken by the Environment Agency, is the first of its kind in the region.

Checks at Clawford Fishery, a commercial fishery owned by John and Wanda Ray, revealed the presence of two potentially invasive species, topmouth gudgeon and wels catfish, in several of the 16 lakes at the site.

The fish removal and clean up operation at Clawford cost around £170,000 and lasted several months.

Appearing before North Devon Magistrates' Court the defendants were fined a total of £4,950 and ordered to pay £30,000 costs after pleading guilty to five offences under the Import of Live Fish (England and Wales) Act 1980.

The Environment Agency said it will continue to monitor the site, but early indications are that the operation has been successful.

Matt Brazier, from the Agency, said "Invasive non-native fish pose serious risks to our native species and habitats and are incredibly costly to the angling industry and the vital recreation and employment opportunities it provides.

"The Environment Agency is working hard with fishery owners and the fishing industry to prevent their spread and where high risk invasive fish are stocked illegally we will take appropriate action to ensure they are contained and removed."

http://www.thisisnorthdevon.co.uk/Holsworthy-fishery-fined-keeping-illegal-fish/story-16949344-detail/story.html