Fish Rescue & Fish Removal

The Problems

Dewatering, Drought & Stock Management

Dewatering areas for construction or carrying out works (such as sheet piling in a canal) could be harmful or disruptive to fish populations. It is important that you have a fish rescue plan in place to remove and exclude fish from the works area in these circumstances. Without this, you could be liable to a breach of legislation leading to prosecution, or if not planned far enough in advance could cause delays to your work programmes. A significant challenge when dewatering (e.g. pumping dry an area) is that fish can become stranded, distressed or die without adequate mitigation.

The effects of climate change are impacting our wild fish populations through a variety of mechanisms. One of the major challenges is managing water resources and the impact of drought. It is vital to monitor water levels and water quality to act quickly with a fish rescue should conditions pose a risk to fish welfare. Low water levels can rapidly lead to a deterioration in water quality and the risk of significant fish losses without appropriate mitigation.

Whether it’s unwanted fish in a pond, suspected presence of invasive non-native species (such as goldfish), or a need to thin out of fish stocks, it may mean that you need to undertake a fish removal. Poor stock management can lead to unproductive fisheries, water quality issues, and in the worst case, breach legislation if INNS are not appropriately licensed. Conflicts with protected species, like great crested newt, can also be a common problem in inland waters especially for housing development schemes.