It’s been a particularly hot couple of weeks, even in our usually chilly rivers. Although things have now cooled down, last weekend’s high temperatures saw the Environment Agency stage an unusual but very necessary underwater rescue in Shropshire.
The recent hot weather, coupled with unusually low water levels, almost led to disaster for over 150 fish in Shropshire’s River Redlake. Thankfully, the Environment Agency was on hand to rescue over 160 fish from the rapidly disappearing river’s waters.
Altogether, some 166 fish were caught by Environment Agency staff on Sunday – 113 salmon and 53 brown trout, all juveniles. It’s not the first time a rescue has been necessary on the River Redlake, either.
According to the Environment Agency—a non-departmental public body sponsored by the government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs—the River Redlake is “prone to drying” to some degree during summer, although rarely to such an extent that fish require rescuing.
The fish rescued at the weekend were promptly released in a less-affected section of the river where water levels remained higher and temperatures lower.
The Environment Agency continues to monitor flow and water levels in the River Redlake and elsewhere across Shropshire in case further rescues are required.
Anyone witnessing fish in distress as a result of low river levels or unusually high water temperatures should report the matter to the Environment Agency as soon as possible.
