The Environment Agency released 1,000 barbel marked with a blue dye last November and are asking anglers to contact them if they catch a barbel with the mark.
Last November, fisheries staff from the Environment Agency released 1,000 juvenile barbel into the River Lea at Kings Weir and Fishers Green as part of a project to help restore historical populations of barbel in the Old River Lea.
The fish were sourced from the Environment Agency's National Coarse Fish Rearing Unit, funded by rod licence income.
Report barbel catch to help research
However, the Environment Agency 'tattooed' the fish with a blue mark and request that anglers report any captures of marked barbel.
This helps the Environment Agency gather important information on their survival, growth rates and how far the fish are moving up and downstream. They ask that any photos should be taken on both sides of the fish and a record of the length and weight if possible.
This information will help show how successful the stocking is compared with natural breading within the river. The new juveniles will also help increase the natural stocks of barbel in the River Lea in the long term.
Responding to declining fish stocks
Environment Agency fisheries team leader Richard Tyler said:
We've responded to concerns of anglers about declining fish stocks, including barbel, and this project will give us some good data to monitor barbel populations.
The work will also help anglers, and ourselves, increase our knowledge of fish populations in the river, growth-rate and just how far up and downstream the barbel migrate. It will give us great information on how well they are thriving.
If you catch a barbel from the Lea with the blue mark, let the Environment Agency know by emailing
