Unlocking the River Severn

Friday, October 28, 2016

Almost £20 million has been secured to fund the largest restoration project of its kind in Europe which will reopen the UK's longest river to all fish species, including endangered shad, salmon, eel and lamprey.  A partnership between The Severn Rivers Trust, the Environment Agency (EA), the Canal & Rivers Trust and Natural England (NE) successfully secured this funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and EU LIFE-Nature.

From the EA and NE:  This is the largest project of its kind ever attempted in Europe and will reopen the UK’s longest river to all fish species, many of which became extinct in the upper reaches following the installation of weirs required to power the Industrial Revolution in the 1800s. The work will remove blockages and secure the long-term future of many of the UK’s declining and protected fish species by substantially increasing access to important spawning grounds.

This includes historically economically vital species such as the now threatened twaite and allis shad – a species favoured in the court of Henry III, once abundant and famed all across Europe for its taste and quality. The project will also benefit other critically declining species such as salmon and the European eel – all species on which the communities along the banks of the River Severn were historically built.

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