The Environment Agency is urging members of the public to report sightings of fish in distress and algal blooms in Oxfordshire.
With the county experiencing long periods of very hot weather recently, the Environment Agency revealed that across the South East it responded to 88 serious incidents which were directly related to hot weather impacts last summer.
Only this week alone, the agency’s fisheries officers have saved thousands of fish in responding to 27 significant incidents in the South East which were caused by hot weather.
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Warm weather can be highly dangerous for fish, particularly for more susceptible species like salmon and pike, and the hot weather triggers algal blooms which strip dissolved oxygen levels out of the waters.
This leads to fish becoming distressed and dying.
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Dave Webb, the Environment Agency Area Fisheries Manger, said: “We are already working hard to mitigate the impacts of recent high temperatures and are monitoring the situation closely when it comes to protecting fish at risk.
“We aim to respond to reports of fish in distress as quickly as possible and will assist and advise landowners and fisheries who look after private lakes, ponds and watercourses."
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When fish are in distress they can appear lethargic, move closer to the bank, be gasping at the surface and can show signs of infection.
Anyone who sees a fish in distress, algal blooms or suspect a fish disease outbreak are urged to call the Environment Agency’s National Incident Hotline on 0800807060.
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Ed specialises in writing political stories for the Oxford Mail and The Oxford Times.
He joined in the team in February 2023, after completing a History undergraduate degree at the University of York and studying for his NCTJ diploma in London.
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