Anglers fishing the Bristol Avon between Bath and Chippenham are being asked to assist the Environment Agency in a crucial study monitoring the barbel population.
The agency recently released 1,500 barbel, each marked with a distinctive blue dye on their underside, at three locations along the river.
These 18-month-old fish will retain the dye for two to three years, providing a valuable tracking opportunity.
The initiative comes in response to a suspected decline in barbel numbers within the Bristol Avon catchment in recent years. Jim Flory, area environment manager for the Environment Agency, explained: "This 'mark-recapture' method will offer crucial insights into the barbel's migration patterns and growth rates, ultimately enhancing our understanding of their lifecycle within the Bristol Avon."
The release of the dye-marked barbel was part of the Environment Agency's annual fish stocking program, conducted in December when water temperatures are low. Over 4,000 fish were restocked across Somerset in areas where populations had dwindled. This included various species, such as crucian carp, chub, and roach, distributed amongst several locations including Taunton, Ilchester, and Bathampton.
The agency's Calverton Fish Farm in Nottingham, funded by rod licence fees, supplies these fish to angling clubs and watercourses across the region. The agency hopes the public's participation will contribute significantly to the success of this important conservation effort.
Any angler who catches a barbel with this blue marking is urged to report the catch to the Environment Agency via email at
The agency requests the location and date of capture, along with an approximation of the fish's size (nose to fork length or weight).
*Photos from Environment Agency
