Anglers are being advised not to fish for pike in the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads until 1 October.
The Environment Agency is working with the Pike Anglers' Club of Great Britain, Norwich and District Pike Club, the Broads Angling Services Group and others. Joint advice and guidance for the Broads and local angling tourism associated with the Broads' holiday industry has been worked on in collaboration.
The area's shallow waters can be warm in the summer months, leading to problems for the iconic and popular pike. Coupled with large numbers of holiday makers visiting the area to go fishing, this means pike are often under increased pressure in summer months.
Continued hot weather can cause problems in rivers, lakes and drains. These include low oxygen levels, low river flows, elevated water temperatures and algal blooms. This can in turn lead to increased levels of stress on fish populations and even fish deaths. When water temperature reaches 21°C, pike are particularly susceptible to heat related stress. The capture and release of them during fishing can also lead to further stress and pike fatalities.
Kirk Markham, fisheries technical specialist at the Environment Agency in East Anglia, said:
This is a precautionary measure for local pike conservation based on data from our monitoring programme and our understanding of water temperatures in the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads.
Everyone from boat hire companies and fishing tackle shops to the general public can help communicate this. You can also help us by reporting signs of distressed fish, pollution and other environmental incidents or concerns to our free incident hotline number, 0800 80 70 60.
