The Environment Agency is getting into the festive spirit by providing some whopping annual stocking fillers for local anglers across the South East. Rivers, still waters, and local clubs have started to receive the first batch of juvenile fish.
In the run up to Christmas the River Lee, Colne, Loddon, Stour, Thame, Cut, and Abbey will be stocked with an array of fish including thousands of bream, roach, barbel, chub, dace, roach, tench, crucian carp and rudd.
These fish are all bred and raised at the Environment Agency’s Calverton Fish Farm, which has been the Environment Agency’s principal supply of coarse fish for 31 years.
Once the fish at Calverton reach 18 months, they are ready for release.
This month over 61,000 fish destined for the South East will leave Calverton Fish Farm and begin their voyage in large, oxygenated tanks from Nottingham, travelling across our networks of motorways. Once at their release sites, fisheries officers carefully remove the fish from the tanks and they are their new-found freedom in our rivers.
Each fish released has undertaken a very complex 18-month journey. Sperm and eggs are removed by hand and treated to improve fertilisation. The eggs are then incubated in fresh temperature-controlled water for between three and 30 days, depending on the species. Once the eggs hatch the tiny larvae start feeding on miniature brine shrimp and are stocked in onsite ponds.
Once the fish reach 18 months, they are ready for release. And this month over 61,000 fish destined for the South East will leave Calverton Fish Farm and begin their voyage in large, oxygenated tanks from Nottingham, travelling across our networks of motorways. Once at their release sites, fisheries officers carefully remove the fish from the tanks and they are given their new-found freedom in our rivers.