Hundreds of young crucian carp fish have been released into Thirleycote Lakes north of Scarborough, North Yorkshire, to give stocks a boost and offer more opportunities for anglers.

Alongside boosting vital fish stocks, the Environment Agency hopes the restocking will encourage people to go fishing and reap the well-known wellbeing benefits of the sport.

All the fish were reared at the Environment Agency’s national fish farm near Calverton, Nottinghamshire, using funding from fishing licence sales.

The work is part of the Environment Agency’s ongoing plan to develop, restore and create fisheries in the region to encourage people to get outdoors and enjoy angling safely.

Fish ‘will enhance the fishery’

Paul Slater, Fisheries Team Leader for the Environment Agency in Yorkshire, said:

The fish will enhance the fishery by boosting stocks and providing more opportunities for anglers. The venue has a thriving junior membership and a growing number of female anglers and we’re keen to support this growing diverse interest in the sport.

This is part of our summer stocking programme in Yorkshire which will encourage natural restoration and develop and enhance fisheries across the region.

We work closely with our partners to protect and enhance our fisheries. Our teams are on the ground responding to pollution incidents, working to improve habitats and water quality, and removing barriers to fish migration.

The Environment Agency releases fish into waterways annually. Fisheries officers carry out fish stocking using data from national fish surveys to identify where there are problems with poor breeding and survival, as well as supporting angling clubs to boost local fishing spots.

All rod licence income is used to fund work to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries. You can buy your rod licence online