A Christmas fish for Huddersfield river

Nov 29 2008 by Sam Casey, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A CHRISTMAS FISH

IT’S a Christmas stocking that will bring cheer to anglers across Huddersfield.

Environment Agency staff have filled the River Colne with new stocks of fish.

About 1,500 dace and grayling were released into the river at Colnebridge.

Fisheries officer Pete Turner said the fish could now be reintroduced to the water after pollution levels dropped.

He said: “The rivers around the area are much improved but because of the industrial past and the effect it had on waterways, we don’t get the range of species that we should.

“If humans hadn’t been around and the industrial revolution hadn’t happened, these fish would have been in the water naturally.

“So when it’s clean enough, when the habitats are right, we can start to put them back.

“When we see the opportunity to restore things to the way they should be, we act quickly.

“Hopefully these fish will become the mums and dads of the future to create a sustainable population without our help.”