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FISH STOCK IN RIVER LUNE The Environment Agency has joined forces with the Middleton Hatchery Group to stock the River Lune catchment in Lancashire and Cumbria with 35,000 young salmon. Seven thousand salmon fry, about four months-old and about one-and-a-half inches long, will be released into five small tributaries in the Lune catchment. They were reared at a hatchery at Garsdale, near Sedbergh, from eggs taken from Lune salmon. The fish will be added to the River Lune at Aikrigg Beck, Springs Gill, Black Horse Beck, Deep Gill Low Gill and Wasdale Beck. At the same time the Environment Agency will also be putting about 4,400 sea trout fry into Aspland Deck – a tributary of the River Greta, near Ingleton. These fish are being stocked into the river to overturn the effects of a pollution incident that occurred last year. John Cizdyn, Environment Agency Fisheries Officer, said: “The Environment Agency is delighted to be working in partnership with the Middleton Hatchery Group. These fish should thrive in the Lune and its tributaries, and are a major boost to the catchment.” Agency is responsible for maintaining, improving and developing salmon, sea trout, non-migratory trout, coarse and eel fisheries. The Agency carries out improvements to fisheries by improving habitat and fish stocks, and by providing advice to fishery owners. ROD LICENCE DODGERS SENT REELING More than 500 licence dodgers have been netted in an Environment Agency clamp-down on illegal fishing. The offenders were caught during a two-day blitz last weekend (May 25-26). In total 740 waters across England and Wales were hit and 7,971 anglers checked. Dodgers made up 6.5 per cent of those quizzed – a drop in the evasion rate of almost 2 per cent on a similar blitz last year. They now face fines of up to £2,500. Dr Dave Clarke, Head of Fisheries, said: “It gives us no pleasure prosecuting offenders. It means we’ve failed to make them realise that when they fish without a licence they aren’t just cheating the Agency, they’re cheating their fellow anglers out of money that would have been ploughed back into the sport. “However, the drop in the latest evasion rate is very encouraging and shows that, through extensive campaigns, we are getting through to increasing numbers of people.” The Agency has now launched an extensive national and local media advertising campaign urging anglers to buy a licence. Soccer legend Jack Charlton is fronting a series of radio adverts encouraging anglers to keep within the law. Jack, a member of England’s 1966 World Cup winning team and a keen angler, also stresses how easy it is to get a licence. There are around 17,000 Post Offices and other outlets which sell them direct; and for a small additional charge they can be purchased over the phone (0870 1662662) or from our web site – (One must ask the question – Why use a convicted licence dodger to advertise rod licences? Perhaps the EA would give us an answer.) ENVIRONMENT AGENCY INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY AFTER THOUSANDS OF FISH DIE IN MIDDLEWICH Environment Agency staff are attempting to discover how thousands of fish died in a canal in Middlewich, Cheshire. About 5,000 fish, including carp, roach and gudgeon, have been found dead in the Trent and Mersey Canal. A half-mile stretch of the canal, between Town Bridge and Big Lock, is affected. First reports on Friday were of a smaller number of dead fish. But today the full extent of the fish kill has become clearer. A clean-up of the dead fish is being organised by British Waterways. So far no obvious cause of the fish deaths has been found, but an Environment Agency investigation is continuing. Water samples will be analysed and post-mortems will be carried out on some fish in a bid to discover how they died. John Ellaby, of the Environment Agency, urged anyone who may know what killed the fish to get in touch. “Whatever killed these fish has left no obvious trace,” he said. “It is a tragedy that this canal, so popular with anglers, has been affected in this way. There was a major boat festival on the canal at the weekend, and if anyone has any information that could help solve the mystery they should contact the Environment Agency.” Anyone who can help the investigation should contact the Agency’s free 24 hour emergency hotline on 0800 80 70 60. — During the coming week you can see me on TV. The transmission dates for “So you wanna go fishing – Stateside”, are Sunday, June 23rd Sky Sports Extra at 7.00pm and 10.00pm Monday, June 24th Sky Sports Extra at 9.00pm and Sky Sports Two at 2.00pm and 11.00pm