Wild brown trout stocks are at risk, particularly in the long term. This is because they can interbreed with the 900 000 domesticated, fertile fish that are stocked into English and Welsh rivers each year.

This is the conclusion of a major review1 which we have recently published.

Angling interests are greatly concerned about the genetic impacts of farmed salmon on wild stocks in Scotland 2 and in the United States concerns exist around the restocking of steelhead trout3.

In England and Wales we want to protect our wild trout stocks for the enjoyment of current and future generations of anglers. We don’t think this is possible with continued stocking of domesticated, fertile trout.

We recognise that many fisheries rely on regular stocking. However, recent research4 suggests that non-fertile brown trout provide a suitable angling alternative, whilst not posing the same risk to wild stocks.

We are proposing that future brown trout stocking in river fisheries be restricted to non-fertile fish or fish derived from locally sourced broodstock. Fertile fish could still be stocked into enclosed stillwaters with no significant natural production.

We have put forward two options for implementing this change. Our proposals are set out in the Review of Brown Trout Stocking Policy 5 which is being discussed at our advisory committees at present. We would like to hear your views on this Review.

Specifically, we would like to know –

If you are an angler:
1. Where do you predominantly fish?

2. Do you think the proposed policy will benefit the waters you fish and why?
Or do you think there is a problem with the proposed policy and why?

3. Which of the two implementation options set out in the Review of Brown Trout
Stocking Policy 5 do you support?

If you are a fish farmer or fishery owner:
1) How would the policy affect your business?

2) How will each of the two implementation options affect your business?

We are also keen to hear how you think we can help with this change in policy and in particular how we can work with partners to help improve natural trout production.

References:-

Ref 1 - Genetic impacts of stocking on indigenous brown trout populations (Acrobat, 455KB, 3 minutes)
Ref 2 - Wild fish interests deplore yet another major escape of farmed salmon, Association of Scottish River & Fishery Management Trusts
Ref 3 - Genetic Effects of Captive Breeding Cause a Rapid, Cumulative Fitness Decline in the Wild – BBC news website
Ref 4 - Triploid Trout Phase 3 - Performance of stocked triploid and diploid brown trout and their effects on wild brown trout in UK rivers (Acrobat, 224KB, 1 minute)
Ref 5 - Review of Brown Trout Stocking policy, Environment Agency Fisheries, Ecoloty and Recreation Advisory committee (Acrobat, 299KB, 2 minutes)
Do you care about native trout?

Other references

Click on the 'Do you care about native trout' link above to see the complete set of evidence we have used to inform this review.

Please send us your comments by 18th January 2008 to trout.stocking.review@environment-agency.gov.uk or to Dr Brian Shields, Trout Stocking Review, Environment Agency, Richard Fairclough House, Knutsford Road, Latchford, Warrington, Cheshire, WA4 1HT.

We will acknowledge every contribution we receive, but will be unable to respond to individual correspondence. A summary of the consultation response will be posted on our website in early 2008.

All info kindly supplied by the EA Wales Website.