Thousands of fish killed in River Thames pollution

[TF_geepsterParticipant]

Half a million tonnes of sewage kill thousands of fish on Tidal Thames

Thousands of fish have been killed in a pollution incident on the tidal Thames in West London after nearly half a million tonnes of sewage poured into the river over the weekend. Anglers were out on Monday evening trying to rescue dying fish stranded on the river’s beaches. The fish included roach, dace, bream, eels, perch, pike, sea bass and flounder. The tidal Thames is an important coarse fishery as well as being a vital nursery area for marine fish species for the whole of the South East of England.

Heavy rain over the weekend led to London’s sewerage system overflowing into the river. Because the spill followed a long dry spell, the sewage was particularly noxious. More than 250,000 tonnes of storm sewage entered the river from combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and at least 200,000 tonnes from the Mogden Sewage Treatment Works in Isleworth, which is currently being upgraded.

The Environment Agency is monitoring oxygen levels in the river and Thames Water has dosed the polluted water with hydrogen peroxide to add oxygen to the water. The company’s oxygenation vessels have also been deployed to the area.

Anglers and environmental campaigners have been calling for decades for improvements to the capital’s sewerage network because of a series of similar incidents in recent years (notably in 2004 and 2009). Plans are now at last in place for a new ‘Super Sewer’ under the Thames which would prevent these spills happening, but completion of these works is still years away and could be threatened if funds are not made available or planning authorities stand in the way.

Angling Trust Chief Executive Mark Lloyd said: “It is heartbreaking to see so many young fish being repeatedly poisoned in sewage. We hope that incidents such as this will convince policy makers and London local authorities of the need for the Thames Tunnels scheme, which is vital for the future of the capital’s river.â€

[TF_MICK THE BOOKIE]

Another heart breaking peice of fffing news about our River Thames.I just cant take any more of this shite.When are we going to be heard and the bloody politicians and Environment heirachy who are supposed to be in charge going to do something about this ongoing threat.
I am in total shock,and like others will be so angry and upset that this has happened once more.
YEARS AND YEARS OF IMPROVEMENT GONE IN A FLASH.

[TF_piperpilot]

Heads should f**king roll after yet another debacle. I wait to see if the man?? at the top will take responsibility(Joke),

[TF_simon pavey]

Legal pollution?

[TF_Waveney One]

Why wasn’t this front page news and the opening item on the main TV news? Because it is only fish that appear to be affected I presume. Instead the BBC showed us Lord Coe down at the Olympic sailing centre.

Utterly disgraceful that nothing has been done over the years even though many people including one of anglings’ media mouth pieces, Keith Arthur going on about it for years.

All the good work that ‘Mushroom’ and others have done over the last year clearing rubbish from the tidal Thames and making links with people in charge and other Thames user groups and yet it still happens. Gutted as others have said!

[TF_Waveney One]

Perhaps consideration should be given to taking this to the Court of Human Rights in Europe? Our rights to have a clean river flowing through the capital have been ignored by successive Governments!

[TF_Dr.Phil]

Legal pollution – how right a statement !

Again the anglers suffer , the fish suffer and the wild life associated to the fish deaths suffer !

Maybe things would be different if 100 swans or a 100 otters were lying dead on the bank ! Then it would get the public’s attention.

Seriously ! ….how many times have sewerage works overflowed ? …..it should not happen ! .All that work by local people and clubs to maintain a better environment for wildlife ,fish and better for local fishing all vanished again by ‘Legal Pollution ‘

Pathetic ! ….NRA statement ? , at 27 GBP a year licence fee then a strong word is required from this body who we gladly keep paying to every year!

[TF_MICK THE BOOKIE]

DONT PAY YOUR LICENCE FEE NEXT YEAR LADS.THEN THE “REAL SHITE” WILL HIT THE FAN.WHAT ARE WE PAYING FOR ANYWAY?.LET JOE PUBLIC AND ALL THE BOATERS AND BANK WALKERS SEE THE DIFFERENCE WHEN US MUGS STOP PAYING.ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT T.A.C HAVE DONE HAS BEEN SABOTAGED IN A MOMENT OF STUPIDITY.AND DARE I SAY THIS…”WHEREFORE ART THE A.T NOW THAT WE NEED THEM?”.~sick ~sick ~sick ~sick ~sick ~sick ~sick ~sick ~sick

[TF_Swimfeeder]

Well said Waveney one.

Mick, The Angling Trust are being ignored, simple as that…….IGNORED BY ANGLERS THAT IS,

When are the MAJORITY of anglers ever going to take out an insurance policy to protect their sport by joining A.T.?

It is both unfair and unrealistic to expect the A.T. to function with any real clout if the majority of anglers refuse to join, in life you get what you pay for nowadays, it’s a simple concept that the majority of anglers refuse to conceed because of incredible small mindedness and largely sheer ignorance.

This sort of industrial vandalism will continue forever, of course there is a solution, but the majority of anglers cannot be bothered to fund it because it does not directly affect their local venue/s, I find that fact repugnent and I am so ashamed to be associated with them.

[TF_piperpilot]

Clearly these people need to be sacked or better still jailed. If ‘Joe Bloggs’ even accidently caused this amount of Pollution he would face the full force of the law. Maybe the AT should take a leaf out of the budget Airline book and sell it cheap and pack it out. Surely even the tightest Angler wouldn’t begrudge a Fiver or so,

[TF_Roachpole]

As all others, I was gutted to read the sad news. The Sewage Treatment Works in Isleworth, which I read is currently being upgraded should have taken place years ago. I grew up in Westminster opposite Battersea Power station and remember the cargo boats in use and a dirty tidal river. Since then the tidal Thames has recovered enormously with both fresh and salt fish stocks to a level we never expected all that time ago. Those overpaid t@ssers who can sit on the terrace at the Houses of Parliament and drink Pimms should ensure our infrastructures are sound and able to cope with excess conditions. Yes it would be good to see a large membership of the AT, but perhaps we need a stronger body. The AT and EA linked and stronger bye-laws and hefty fines for the culprits.

[TF_Fordy]

How many of the people who are moaning about this incident are the anglers who have refused to join the Angling Trust? (I don’t mean on here necessarily….)

[TF_FBlues]

This will be a very interesting case because the Thames Anglers’ Conservancy is a club and it is a member of the Angling Trust. Whilst Thames Water have broken no laws – the government that sold off the family silver made them immune and also, unbelievably, the last government made water companies immune from the FOI act – there is an obvious loss of amenity to tidal Thames anglers. Whether there is sufficient to give Fish Legal a case is a moot point.

The cure is the Thames Interceptor Tunnel but the borough of Hammersmith and Fulham are against it because of increased road traffic and local residents have set up a group to campaign against it, called RATS. I have offered to deliver a parcel containing items taken from the river following a discharge – human excrement, female sanitary items, condoms (Mick the Bookie will recall the days of ‘Thames Trout’ as we used to call them when they fouled our stick float shot!) and of course an abundance of dead fish. They didn’t seem that keen.

[TF_proper tidal boy]

@Fordy wrote:

How many of the people who are moaning about this incident are the anglers who have refused to join the Angling Trust? (I don’t mean on here necessarily….)

So who do you mean then fordy ?????~think ~think ~think

[TF_Fordy]

Errrrr…the ones who are moaning about the incident, moaning that stuff isn’t done to represent angling but who haven’t joined the Angling Trust. It wasn’t a cryptic question Brian.

Maybe a few people who are anti parting with £25 quid to join the AT will do so. But we said that the last time the Thames was polluted, or was in the Wandle? or the Severn?

Part of the reason there’s an outcry when something happens to birds is that the RSPB are a powerful organisation , which has grown through massive membership.

[TF_FBlues]

MICK THE BOOKIE: This incident has nothing at all to do with the EA. It is Thames Water, a private company owned by Australian venture capitalists. Withholding the water rates would be more suitable.

[TF_tomlegge]

Sickening. Agree with everything Richard, Keith & Bob have said here. Nice reminder about who it was that ‘sold off the family silver’ Keith.

Perhaps this could be the ‘Big One’ that the Angling Trust need to run with and win in court to finally convince….well, probably only around 5000 more anglers who have considered joining thus far to pay up.

The rest? I’m Alright Jack, carry on fishin’…sad but true.

[TF_MICK THE BOOKIE]

Well because of the last few posts on this thread i am going to admit that i (like many other anglers)am one of the “repugnet and shamefull anglers”,who has not joined the Angling Trust.
And if you think its because of the £25 then you dont know me at all.I would gladly pay a £1000 if i thought that the A.T would and could make a difference.I have looked into it and i just dont believe it will ever have the clout needed to make much of an inpact on the future of our sport.
In saying this i will no doubt ruffle a few feathers of many of my forum buddies,but i hope perhaps in so doing will create a lively debate on this whole subject.My many angling friends know how i feel about this topic,and many have tried to sway my thoughts in favour of joining.
For this reason i have decided to become a member knowing that it will make little inpact in any way shape or form on the “Body” calling itself The Angling Trust.However if by doing so it makes any other disbeliever join it might…just might make a difference.For that end….I live in hope.
I REMAIN YOURS TRULY AN ANGLER FOREMOST…BUT AN ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY ADVOCATE SECONDLY……MTB.

[TF_proper tidal boy]

Cheers Fordy for reply , as it happens ive not joined either mainly due to the fact that im resigned to thames water getting away with it, as they have done for donkeys years under the cover of darkness unfortunately it happens to be where i fish so ive seen it all before . Fatalities are very small % of the thames stock due to the position of the outlets and below Richmond lock and generally this spillage of effulent is emptied on the out tide meaning that the high amount of residencies dont see it around there area as Middx bank is covered by syon house where very few people walk, or the surrey bank backs onto the rear of kew gardens where once again hardly any body can see the river due to the foliage and high walls in place. until you reach Brentford and Kew bridge where it is slightly populated with river walkers, so unless a pollution happens at houses of parliment no one will take any notice with a few sanitary towels and bog paper floating around plus a few henrys or thames trout being seen apathy is the norm because all they think of is oh its ok its off to southend and the sea . my second point and more relevant to one of my club venues is situated at barnes elms and yes you guessed is the site of the proposed digging of the tunnel to take all this crap away via a pipeline so not only my river fishing in this area will change but my club water will suffer from noise and vibrations from the digging side let alone the road congestion to the area of constant movement . why cant the use the barges on the thames to move the crap ??? another question that will not be answered ps before you slate me for my non paying pay a visit to the area and see the amount of wildlife and a very high % bird life including vast amount of the black plaque which seem to thrive in the thames swimming in it and surving .~think ~think

[TF_Waveney One]

I have always supported the ACA since I first earned a salary and found out about the good work they did. The cost of being a member was more then than it was to be a member of the Angling Trust in their first year, perhaps the same since an increase in the AT fees. I was also an individual member of the NFA.

For the cost of joining the Angling Trust at £25 pa, even if you are only supporting the Fish Legal part of the organisation then in my view it is £25 well spent.

The Thames Anglers Conservancy is another body that has only been going for a short period but in that time it has made a great impact with many and varied Thames user groups together with Thames Water and the Environment Agency. It is another worthy cause to support even if you do not fish on the lower Thames. It is also free to join so there is little excuse for not joining if you fish on the Thames or indeed just want to support anglers who are prepared to do more than their fair share. This includes organised litter picks almost every weekend as far as I can see, and work on the river itself, clearing spawning areas and tree trimming.

[TF_Waveney One]

You can join the Thames Anglers’ Conservancy through their website http://www.rivertac.org/site/

[TF_MICK THE BOOKIE]

Jesus…….Whats happened to my favourite site?.WILL TAKE ME AGES TO GET USED TO THE NEW SET UP.
I expect some of our Forum buddies will be having the same trouble.
WELCOME BACK LADS…..ANYONE OUT THERE? :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

[Author]

Posts