News

Pollution kills thousands of canal fish in the Leicester area.

The Grand Union Canal near Fleckney, in Leicestershire, has had its fish stocks decimated by a shocking pollution incident. Caused by farm slurry, ammonia levels reached critical levels with an estimated 2000 fish dying as a result.

Match Fishing regular Rob Wootton has fished this area of the canal all of his life and was understandably upset by the disaster. “This is a venue that I have grown up fishing and to see so many fish die is shocking. The Canal & River Trust are taking action to try and move fish but I question what they are actually doing!

“Fish are being moved from stretches of canal above and below the pollution but I can't understand why. Angling clubs are rightly proud of their stretches of canal in this area and to have the fish removed for cautionary reasons is a bit sad. I just hope these stretches get restocked with the same amount of fish that are being removed!”

With natural-water fishing seemingly on the rise again, the last thing angling needs is careless incidents such as this. Let's just hope that the people responsible are brought to justice.