MAGICAL videos showing 27 fish varieties in the River Severn – alongside a family of curious otters – have been revealed.
Diglis Fish Pass was built to help the marine populations navigate Victorian-built weirs during migrations upstream to spawn.
The Unlocking the Severn Project features a unique underground viewing gallery allows visitors to see what lies beneath the water.
Severn Trent was among the partners in the scheme after providing crucial access to the site, opposite its water treatment plant.
The Severn Rivers Trust and Canal & River Trust bosses have revealed cameras have so far captured 27 varieties of fish.
Pike, salmon, bream, carp, trout, chub, barbel and perch are among the fish featured.
Since opening to the public two years ago, some lucky visitors have also spotted a rare family of otters living near the Diglis Fish Pass.
Alice Fallon, from the Severn Rivers Trust charity, said:
“It’s wonderful. People can go down and stand in the chamber and see fish swimming past the window – a very exciting and unique experience.
“Diglis Fish Pass been great for public engagement as well. We run school visits and public open days, so people can actually come in and see the site for themselves and hopefully see the fish.
“We know that the river is a really important eco-system and the cameras were set up to try and understand which species of fish are using the river and their behaviours. So far we have captured 27 varieties of fish, which is amazing.
“There is also a family of otters who have been seen on camera – another sign of a healthy river because that shows there are enough fish to sustain them.”
The scheme was funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the European Union LIFE Programme and saw four fish passes built along the Severn.
Corinne Spiller, from the Canal & River Trust, said:
“Unlocking the Severn was an incredible collaborative project to help restore a once-renowned species of fish to the River Severn.
“We are delighted that our fish passes at Diglis, Bevere, Holt and Lincomb have now provided access for the twaite shad to key spawning habitats, as well as reconnecting 158 miles of river for a whole host of fish species.
“Community engagement has also been a vital part of the project and its legacy, and we are proud to have welcomed over 15,000 visitors to our new visitor sites at Diglis in Worcester, to learn more about the amazing fish in our River Severn.”
Severn Trent has a team of River Rangers who cover the region to improve the health of our waterways.
Gareth Mead, team manager of the River Rangers, said:
“It is wonderful to hear so many varieties of fish have been caught on camera at the Diglis Fish Pass. Improving river health is a priority for Severn Trent, which is why we were delighted to help with site access for this project.
“In the last year, we’ve already reduced our impact on waterways by a third. However, we know there’s more to do, which is why we’re continuing to invest into making rivers the healthiest they can be.”
