The West Cumbria Rivers Trust team are always on hand where help is needed to rescue fish. Fish sometimes require rescuing if they become trapped during very low flows, or where works are planned within a watercourse which would be likely to affect them.
During a fish rescue, fish are caught through the use of electrofishing equipment. This passes a slight electric current through the water which momentarily stuns the fish and allows them to be easily caught with a net. Once the fish are back to normal, they are released in an unaffected part of the watercourse.
Since the purchase of our kit in 2013 we have undertaken several fish rescues for United Utilities in advance of work on their structures and a fish rescue at Bitter Beck during a low flow event and in advance of work in-stream.