The National Crucian Carp Project has this week launched a new information video aimed at encouraging angling and fishery interests to embrace crucian conservation and draw up plans for more crucian waters in their areas. The video is also part of a new episode of the Fishing Britain series produced by the YouTube channel FieldsportsChannel.tv and features the Angling Trust’s Martin Salter as a guest presenter.

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The National Crucian Conservation Project group was launched in 2014 following widespread concerns about the loss of crucian habitat and the threat to the species through hybridisation caused by inappropriate stocking practices. It aims to: “Promote the conservation of the species and its habitat and to encourage the development of well managed crucian fisheries.”

Plans include:

• A regional network of growing on centres to increase the availability of wild crucian stocks to compliment increased crucian stockings
• A ‘pure’ crucian accreditation scheme
• Factsheets on creating and managing waters, avoiding hybridisation and a crucian ID guide
• Courses or events for fishery owners and managers

The video, which features scenes from Catching the Impossible, was filmed at waters belonging to Newbury and Godalming angling associations and shows crucians from the Environment Agency’s fish farm at Calverton being stocked into new waters that will be developed as future Crucian fisheries.

Angling Artist Chris Turnbull, one of the projects founding members said:

“In what seems like almost no time at all the National Crucian Conservation Project has really taken off and is attracting great support from clubs and private fisheries all around the country. People are waking up to the fact that crucian carp are a fabulous species that needs all the help it can get. Just two years ago we could see a time when  crucians might be on the verge of disappearing altogether, whereas today more, new, bespoke crucian fisheries are being created. Not only does this offer hope for a bright future for crucians, it also shows anglers can be a strong force for conservation when they put their minds to it.”

Angling Trust Campaign Chief Martin Salter added:

“It’s been great to have the support and assistance from the guys at Fishing Britain and to be able to use quality footage from renowned wildlife film maker Hugh Miles in our quest to create better prospects for this wonderful little fish. We hope that many more angling clubs and fishery owners will be inspired to create more diverse stillwater  fisheries rather than simply stocking to the rafters with king carp and all manner of ghastly hybrids and ornamentals.”