Steve Lewis
Senior Member
First (small) barbel starting to be caught from the river Brue in Somerset apparently, having been stocked by the EA just under a year ago in association with several clubs. Still only babies at this point, but apparently in tip-top condition according to Brue anglers I spoke to at the weekend whilst on a recce down there.
Until now, the only Somerset river to have produced barbel was the river Axe, but these have been fish that are likely to have got into the river when nearby lakes (many of which had barbel introduced years ago, due to the complete lack of them in the region's rivers) have flooded, and catches have been very few and far between, and by accident. Unlikely that there are enough of these "escapees" to promote a significant barbel population in the Axe.
The Brue, however, is the first proper Somerset river (that I'm aware of, at least) to have benefited from an official stocking, after years of the EA refusing to introduce barbel to rivers where it has never been an indigenous species. Presumably the apparent success of stocking the river Chew in nearby North East Somerset annually since 2009/10, as well as the struggle of existing stocks in other rivers across the country, has made the EA review their stance.
Hopefully this will mean similar stockings in other South West rivers - many of which are more than suitable for barbel - will take place in the near future.
Naturally it's very very early days - and, despite being 7 or 8 years into their introduction, it's still very early days for the Chew barbel as well - but I know the Brue well, and it's a healthy river with a plentiful enough ecosystem to support them. I think this is a good bit of progress.
Now if only the Bathampton and Amalgamated clubs organised themselves and got the EA to re-stock the Avon below Chippenham...
Until now, the only Somerset river to have produced barbel was the river Axe, but these have been fish that are likely to have got into the river when nearby lakes (many of which had barbel introduced years ago, due to the complete lack of them in the region's rivers) have flooded, and catches have been very few and far between, and by accident. Unlikely that there are enough of these "escapees" to promote a significant barbel population in the Axe.
The Brue, however, is the first proper Somerset river (that I'm aware of, at least) to have benefited from an official stocking, after years of the EA refusing to introduce barbel to rivers where it has never been an indigenous species. Presumably the apparent success of stocking the river Chew in nearby North East Somerset annually since 2009/10, as well as the struggle of existing stocks in other rivers across the country, has made the EA review their stance.
Hopefully this will mean similar stockings in other South West rivers - many of which are more than suitable for barbel - will take place in the near future.
Naturally it's very very early days - and, despite being 7 or 8 years into their introduction, it's still very early days for the Chew barbel as well - but I know the Brue well, and it's a healthy river with a plentiful enough ecosystem to support them. I think this is a good bit of progress.
Now if only the Bathampton and Amalgamated clubs organised themselves and got the EA to re-stock the Avon below Chippenham...