A SCHEME has been devised by Canal and River Trust, the Environment Agency and Natural England together with the Severn Rivers Trust to spend £19.4 millions to introduce new fish species into the Severn.
Fish passes are to be be installed at weirs on the river that it is hoped will allow threatened shad to access their historic spawning grounds in its upper reaches, and perhaps other species, that disappeared after the locks were installed in the 1800's.
Favoured by Henry III
Twaite shad and allis shad are thought to have been favoured in the court of Henry III in the 13th Century, and were once abundant and famed for their taste.
The Bristol Channel, into which the Severn flows, has the only viable breeding population of twaite shad in the country, with Richard Parry, Canal & River Trust Chief Executive stating that it would help restore this important fish stock to the upper Severn.
Fish viewing gallery
The project is to install four fish passes, which allow fish to travel past the locks in the river, including a fish viewing gallery at Diglis Weir, with work stating next year that it is estimated will take five years to complete.
The funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and European Commission amounts to £16.8 millions, but is not stated where the remaining millions will come from.