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BBC News
4 days ago
- Climate
- BBC News
South east rivers hit by pollution as temperatures soar
The health of rivers across south-east England is under growing threat as hot and dry weather has caused water levels to plummet and pollution to spike, according to the Angling Trust. The charity warns that the UK's hottest spring on record coupled with pollution has pushed some rivers -including the River Medway in Kent and River Wandle in Surrey - to the brink. Conservationists say low flows and concentrated pollutants such as ammonia and nitrates - that come from the likes of farming and sewage - have caused fish to die. Alex Farquhar of the Angling Trust said the concentration of pollutants was "through the roof and that's what really matters to fish and ecosystems". So far in 2025 up to 21 June, temperatures across rivers in England and Wales have been recorded at their highest since the trust began a nationwide citizen science monitoring project three years the River Wandle, a chalk stream that runs through Surrey and London, water temperatures that typically range between 11C and 13C have soared to more than 20C in places this month, putting the fragile ecosystem under temperatures in March, April, and May were significantly above average – up 1.8C higher than in spring 2023. Even small increases have major consequences for species like wild brown trout and the endangered Atlantic salmon as warmer waters hold less oxygen, disrupt spawning, and intensify the toxicity of pollutants. In its latest report, the trust said the ecological consequences of this year's warm, dry conditions were already being seen in rivers across England and far in 2025, there have been 87 confirmed fish kill incidents, including those caused by pollution, low oxygen, and natural factors. There have been 36 incidents of low flows so far this year- when river levels are reduced and pollution concentrations are Angling Trust's Water Quality Monitoring Network (WQMN), powered by volunteers, has this year registered record pollution the River Medway in Kent 15 sites were tested at least eight times between July 2023 and July 2024. Each one breached the upper limit for good ecological status, due to high phosphate levels. Call for action The warnings come as policymakers, regulators, and environmental groups gathered for a national summit this week to address the crisis. Water companies, Ofwat, campaigners and government representatives discussed how to curb pollution and strengthen river resilience in the face of climate restoration expert Dr Jack Hogan said the future was "not looking good". He said: "If things were to continue as they are, in the next couple of decades, many of our rivers are going to be too warm to support brown trout, so we increasingly will lose that iconic species." The situation was "looking very grave," he said as the changing conditions were impacting life "all the way down the food chain". Water Minister, Emma Hardy MP, declined an interview, but told audiences that the government was committed to improving water quality and ensuring security of said: "We're looking to build new reservoirs. I've been round to visit some of them and see what's happening. And we want, by the end of this parliament, to have cut those sewage spills by half."CEO of Ofwat, David Black, also declined an interview. Water companies respond to criticism Water companies said they were increasing investment in reducing storm overflows, upgrading infrastructure and further habitat enhancement to help improve the health of our rivers but acknowledged that the dry spring was having an impact. The situation has drawn comparisons to the drought of 1992, when rivers like the Darent in Kent ran dry. Experts fear a repeat could be on the horizon.
The Independent
7 days ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Increased temperatures harming fish and wildlife in UK's rivers
The UK's hottest and driest spring on record has caused an increased risk to fish and wildlife as it has led to record levels of water pollution in rivers, according to the Angling Trust. With just 14 per cent of the country's rivers in good ecological health, the high temperatures have amplified nitrate and ammonia pollution, showing that global warming is placing 'severe stress' on Britain's waterways. The Angling Trust said that river temperatures in England and Wales between March and June were the hottest since records began three years ago. So far in 2025, the organisation have already recorded 87 fish kills, which refers to a spate of localised deaths, due to pollution, low oxygen and natural factors. They have also confirmed 36 incidents of low flows, which reduces river levels and concentrates pollution, while fish rescues have already been needed on the River Teme at Stanage and River Redlake at Bucknall. All four nations in the UK have recorded their warmest spring since records began in 1884, and has also been recorded as the sixth-driest since 1836 with only a small amount of rainfall in June. The report by the group's Water Quality Monitoring Network (WQMN) found high levels of nitrate pollution, with 53 per cent of samples containing above 5ppm, compared to only a minority of samples in previous years. This is known to fuel the spread of algae, known as algal blooms, which can kill freshwater life. Toxic ammonia levels also hit its highest levels in 2025, with 5.4 per cent of ammonia tests failing to meet good ecological standards, up from 2.2 per cent in 2023. The organisation, which has seen 800 volunteers submit over 10,000 pollution monitoring samples, has said that this combination of record warmth and drought has caused treated sewage, urban discharge and farm runoff to concentrate in rivers. 'These results are a wake-up call to tackle the double impact of river pollution and climate change,' said Stuart Singleton-White, Head of Campaigns at the Angling Trust. 'We urgently need to see much tougher regulation resulting in immediate reductions in river pollution, goals for 2030 are too little too late.' The Environment Agency told The Times: 'We take all reports of environmental pollution seriously. We have expanded where we monitor and expanded the diversity of data we collect in recent years. Last year we collected over 99,000 water quality samples.' It comes as Yorkshire Water announce the first hosepipe ban from Friday, with restrictions on watering the garden, cleaning cars and filling paddling pools as the company aims to conserve water. Customers who ignore the hosepipe ban could face fines of up to £1,000. Experts warn human-caused climate change is driving increasingly extreme weather such as hotter drier summers, and making heatwaves such as those seen recently, which can push up water use just as supplies are scarce, more intense and frequent. A drought was declared by the Environment Agency across Yorkshire in June, while the North West of England entered drought status in May – though the region's water company United Utilities said on Tuesday it had no plans to announce a similar hosepipe ban.
Times
08-07-2025
- Climate
- Times
Warm rivers passing 20C has been ruinous for fish
The UK's hottest and driest spring on record has overheated rivers around the country, leading to concentrated water pollution, low flows and more fish deaths, according to the Angling Trust. River temperatures in England and Wales from March 20 to June 21 were the hottest since the trust's major citizen science project to monitor water quality started three years ago. In 2025 there have been 87 confirmed incidents of fish kills — meaning a sudden spate of localised deaths — which is higher than at this stage in any of the past three years. While those include deaths caused by natural factors, 36 were due to low flows which concentrate pollution from farms and sewage — higher than at this point in 2023 and 2024. Fish rescues have already been needed on the River Teme in Wales and River Redlake in Shropshire.
BBC News
05-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Dorset's Lydia Thomas heads to US for fly fishing world championships
A Dorset schoolgirl is part of a squad heading to the US to compete in the World Youth River Fly Fishing Thomas, 17, from Maiden Newton is the only female in the Angling Trust's England under-18 Rivers Squad, and is heading to Idaho Falls. The teenager, who is studying for her A-levels, has been fly and lure fishing since she was 11 years said she had never fished outside of the UK and it would be her first time travelling abroad. Lydia, who has been in the squad for six months, said she got hooked on fishing thanks to her father, said: "Mum took me to Sutton Bingham where he was fishing and I would sit underneath him, watching the line over my head."Mr Thomas said he would be travelling to Idaho with his daughter, who has type 1 diabetes."I am going as her health supporter so she can concentrate on fishing and I can worry about her blood sugar levels," he said."We've never been abroad and, with the heat, that will affect her blood sugars so it's all a bit unknown."I don't fish any more, I watch Lydia, that's where my enjoyment is."She's taken it to the next level."The World Youth River Fly Fishing Championships takes place at Snake River, Idaho, from 12 to 19 July. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Scotsman
28-06-2025
- General
- Scotsman
Cormorant population growth causes concern
There are estimated to be over two million cormorants now, compared to around 50,000 in the 1970's, and that growth is causing concern among fishery owners and impacting on your fishing. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Fishing lawmakers appear to have taken note as the hungry birds hit local coastal and inland waters hard, and the growth has been noted across Europe. Currently, cormorants are estimated to cost aquaculture and fisheries more than E350m a year, according to a report in the Angling Times, and indications are that the birds consume more than 274,000 tons of fish every year. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Behind the scenes, organisations like the Angling Trust have been compiling data. Their head, Jamie Cook, revealed new proposals are set to be presented at a high level meeting later this year. They are, he said, a 'hard-won step forward' and are 'balanced, sensible and long overdue'. A section of the Almond near Cramond Cook told the newspaper that it has taken a great deal of work, including commissioning experts, to push this issue onto the agenda of key policy makers and a draft plan is due to be presented to the European Commission and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation in October. If successful, it will be rolled out to European Governments for adoption and, basically, it recommends control to reduce cormorant numbers to sustainable levels to protect fish and biodiversity. The draft was recently endorsed at a special conference in Brussels, attended by delegates from around 30 countries. Another step forward and good news for fishery owners and local anglers. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Elsewhere, Fraser Thomson, chairman of West Lothian Angling Association, attended a meeting on the future of The Almond and said all relevant organisations were there. He added: 'Rome was not built in a day, but I am satisfied that the future of our river is being taken seriously.' Thomson urged his members, and those who regularly fish the Almond, to follow the River Almond Action Group (RAAG) on social media and he aims to explore ideas with them for the potential of the water which flows from near Breich in West Lothian into the River Forth at Cramond. Meanwhile, officials of Cramond Angling Club, who administer the lower stretch of the Almond from Newbridge downstream, urge anglers to give fish more time to recover before they are released in low water levels and warm weather. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A spokesman also revealed that during the recent warm weather, green weed built up on rocks because of the lack of water flushing the river, and this has made rocks extremely slippery. Anglers should therefore take care entering the water to prevent falls and potential injuries. Bosses remind anglers that there is no Sunday fishing on Beat One, from the breakwater at Cramond Beach upstream to the Cramond Old Bridge. This includes the tidal area at Cramond and features mature woodland, fast funs and pools with salmon, sea trout/finnock and brown trout available. The club also remind anglers that a catch and release police operates for all species. Allandale Tarn are now open from 9am until 10.30pm Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday with Sunday hours from 9am to 8pm. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad David Walker had a good day at Morton Fishings near Livingston with eight. His friend had seven and they were tempted by yellow owl and jelly tot FAB. Bowden Springs near Linlithgow report that Gregor Crookston had three, best 3.5lb, on dries and J Cowan had one of 4lb in the bait pond on Powerbait. Kevin McCabe had over 20 to the boat at Glencorse in The Pentland Hills on buzzer and orange daddy and, in East Lothian, Frazer Kerr (Kinross) had 11 on foam daddy and Ron McDonald (Haddington) also had 11 on grunter. Chris Kerr (Tranent) eight on hopper and buzzer. Sea fishing now and Aquamarine Charters report 'huge' mackerel are being caught in the Berwick area and they have regular trips out of Eyemouth. Ring 07860 804316 for updates. Leanne Taylor of Forth Sea Safaris is regular testing. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad She confirmed that the popular fish have not yet arrived in numbers around their Burntisland base, but keen anglers can now book a slot for trips in July and August on their website or by ringing 01592 747280. George Harris continued his run of form, winning the midweek retired members match run by St Serfs on Balmerino beach at a canter. He totalled 167 points with the runner-up on 79 points. Frank McFarlane had the longest fish at 35cm. The Scottish Federation for Coarse Angling (SFCA) confirm that the Scottish Canal Championship is scheduled for Sunday, June 29 on the Forth and Clyde Canal between Wyndford and Dullatur. Fishing is between 11am and 4pm and, if you want to take part, see the SFCA Facebook page or ring organiser, Gus Brindle, on 07812 241816. Meanwhile, Dougie Campbell won March Day 4 of the summer league organised by the Edinburgh and Lothians Coarse Angling Club at Orchill near Auchterarder with Shug Smith second with 23lb 3oz. Elsewhere, Brian Dudgeon had over 40, small perch and roach and F1, plus a crucian and mirror carp, at Drumtassie Coarse Fishery near Blackridge.
