Last Thursday, 11 March 2010, Fisheries staff from the Environment Agency released 500 rudd into Golden Hill Pool, Stoke on Trent.

Golden Hill Pool was hit badly by the ‘big freeze’ this winter and lost a number of carp and bream although, fortunately, the tench that we stocked before Christmas seem to have been unaffected.

Despite providing an early Christmas stocking of over 95,000 fish for West Midlands waters in December, staff at the Environment Agency’s Fish Farm, Calverton, near Nottingham, managed to find these additional fish to help the Golden Hill Angling Club teach young anglers the art of fishing.

A further 1,500 rudd will be introduced into the Environment Agency’s own Coton Pool at Lea Marston, where day tickets are available.
 
Fisheries Officer, Mick Buxton, says “Sadly, this winter’s cold weather has taken its toll on the fish at Golden Hill Pool. We have introduced some rudd to boost stocks so that, when Golden Hill Angling Club teach youngsters to fish, there are plenty to catch. The rest will go to increase stocks at our own Coton Pool at Lea Marston.

“The fact that we can carry out this work is thanks to the majority of responsible anglers who buy a new rod licence on 1 April each year. The funds from those rod licences allow us to enhance and preserve fishing for today’s and tomorrow’s anglers.”