More than 2,500 young fish were released by Environment Agency (EA) fisheries teams in the River Wandle last week.

The batches of chub, roach and dace have been specially reared and trained for life in the wild at the EA’s Calverton Fish Farm in Nottinghamshire as part of the latest effort to restore the Wandle.

A pollution spill in September 2007 wiped out two tonnes of fish and 20 years of river restoration in one day after industrial strength bleach was accidentally released into the water.

Thames Water admitted responsibility and were eventually fined £125,000 for the spill at the Beddington Sewage Treatment Works near Mitcham.

Environment Agency fisheries officer Tanya Houston said: “The River Wandle is a prime example of providing an amenity for local anglers while creating and enhancing the environment. We know that the fish we have stocked in the past have always flourished in this area.

“It will be some years before the fish in the Wandle return to the size and number they attained before the incident in 2007.

“The Environment Agency will continue to work in partnership with the Wandle Trust, Thames Water and others to monitor the recovery of the river and seek opportunities for enhancements.”

The river was subsequently restocked in December 2007 after assessments by scientists showed the river’s ecology had recovered enough to support fish.

The EA has also been working closely with anglers, landowners and regulators to find opportunities to further improve habitat along the river. This will provide shelter for smaller fish in high flows and help protect them from predators and pollution events.

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