Martin James fighting pollution on the River Aire

With kind permission from Martin I would like to post the following.

For a long time we have had a problem on the River Aire near Skipton with effluent coming into the river from a pipe.It stinks, its a horrid black colour, sometimes a grey colour. Underneath the liquid there is some three foot of horrid sludge. It effects both Bradford No 1 AA and Bradford City AA. As you can see from the pictures me and my son have built a dam around the effluent. The river is full of fry at present, we could lose everything if this effluent gets into the river. I feel the EA have let us anglers down rather badly. Below is a letter I sent the the Head of Fisheries at the EA. and Mr Evans prompt reply. I also had a quick response from Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans who writes Hi Martin it looks bloody awful......I will get onto it straight away. Nigel

I will keep you all posted on events as they unfold, It will also be featured in the Anglers Mail next week and perhaps some national newspapers. We have been badly let down by the local EA. Hopefully the Head of Fisheries will now get to grips with this problem

Martin also wrote

Dear Mr Evans

I am writing to you as I understand that you are head of fisheries at the EA. For some time the EA have been aware that we have had a major problem at Funkirk Farm on the River Aire near Skipton. Picture attached. This problem has been going on for several years unchecked, yet no-one at the EA is prepared to see an end to the problem. All I get are excuses such as we do not know where the effluent is coming from. Surely its up to your people to do some work and find out where its coming from and what this effluent actually is. We have two pipes side by side coming into the river. I am sure it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out where the effluent originates from by doing some tests.
To the best of my knowledge no one has taken any samples for analysis. Surely this should be a priority.

Yesterday (22nd August) I called the EA. This morning, Janet Johnson of the EA at Leeds called me and three hours later Nick Reynolds of the EA met me at the site. I was told that the farmer concerned would pump off the effluent. An hour or so later, a small amount was pumped off. At the same time more effluent was coming in from the pipe and today it was all foamy and back in situe. I again reported this to Janet Johnson and Nick Reynolds. I stayed at the site until 6-0pm yet to my astonishment nothing was done. I then went off home. As a 68 year old diabetic I should not have to sit on the river bank for many hours to see if any action was being taken when there is a national organisation who is paid to deal with this responsibility. I will be back on site tomorrow Wednesday morning. Where this effluent has been coming into the river over a long period of time, we now have three feet of deadly sludge.

At the present time the river is extremely low, with high water temperatures and low oxygen content. On the plus side, we have for the first time in several years a large number of chub fry. If this effluent gets into the river we could lose all those fry which are the future of the river. There is no point in having a NFW if we are killing off our future fish stocks. Its time the EA came off the fence and did the job we anglers and tax payers expect, that being to clean up of our waterways, starting with this problem on the River Aire at Funkirk Farm Skipton. This effluent isn't going away unless the EA get tough with someone and I am certainly not going away. We have two big angling Associations involved - Bradford City AA and Bradford No1 AA. Talking with club officials I am told they haven't even had a reply to their correspondence. I must ask what are your staff supposed to be doing? Senior members of the EA with their own heirarchical agendas taking precedence over their duty to the public will not improve the environment. Several of us are getting to the stage where we if we do not get this problem sorted we will seek the help of Greenpeace and take the matter into our own hands by welding the pipe up. Then no doubt we shall quickly learn where the effluent is coming from.

You may, or may not be aware that I have a twice weekly fishing and environmental programme aired on BBC Radio Lancashire, and also broadcast worldwide on the Internet. You can be assured that my audience will be kept appraised of any developments at this site, and also be told who is responsible for any failures to deal with this problem.

I trust that this letter which has been copied to my MP Nigel Evans, The Environment Minister and various newspapers. will result in some swift and decisive action being taken at this potentially devastating site. I Look forward to hearing from you in response by return.I can of course be contacted on my mobile 07779-473798


Yours sincerely

Martin James

We need to take action now. This is not what we want and our environment is the heart of our sport.
Why has this been going on for some time without any action from the EA. They need to respond now and prove to us they do care about the environment and will protect life that so many of us hold close to our hearts.

Regards
Stuart

Hi

Martin has just sent me an update on the situation.

Update on River Aire Effluent Problem

I was on the river at 6-30 this morning, as I was rather worried about the effluent getting into the river with all the extra rain over night. The river was up about three inches. The dam was holding. About 10-30 this morning two guys came and pumped off a lot of the effluent, in fact they filled the tanker. They then went off to empty the said tank and will return this afternoon to take even more effluent off. What was interesting, once they had pumped off a lot of the liquid the waste coming from the pipe went from black to grey then quite clear. I feel its important that we find the source and deal with the problem. I am going back again this afternoon, hopefully we can get rid of the sludge which will help greatly. Its been a long week but its had to be done


Lets hope they do find the source and correct the problem.

Well done Martin, you've made a difference.

I have to salute your persistant communications to the EA and others. also your time investigating and monitorinf this situation.

i too am in the same boat as you on the river cray in SE london.

Pipes, outfalls, sludge, residue, oil, smells, pictures and evidence provided, volunteers calling the EA & Thames Water & local council engineers. In a park in a urban/industrial town center in full view and smell of the high st.

And still no action even with EA hot line called several times a week. Ok we get a sample taken when an officer comes out, but thats all.

Another site with the same problem was dealt with by the EA & Thames water. However, it was next to a TW Pumping Station that leaks, in a Green Flag Award Landscaped Park, council jumping up and down when we reported it in an affluent area. Ok situation better but still get at least 1 or 2 discharges a week, Grey to Black and stinks of Crap and detergeant.

I do get on well with the EA Fisheries team down here and they are only to happy to turn out or provide surveys/nettings etc. Seems other departments cant respond to e mails & only after several months of requesting a response do we sometimes get one.

i suggest you look at www.thames21.org.uk
www.cacg.co.uk

And call the ACA and join it if your not a member. They will no doubt look into this and maybe more.

I wish you the best of luck.

Hi

Martin has kept me up to date on situation and I rec'd this on Friday.

Friday August 26th River Aire I was on the river very early this morning hoping not to see any dead fish through the effluent escaping. Thankfully the dam was holding.The river had gone back down. Around 11 o'clock this morning Matthew from the farm turned up to pump off the effluent. As he pumped it off, I was in the pit raking all the stinking sludge towards the pump. After what seemed hours but was probably thirty minutes the effluent was in the tanker, along with much of the sludge. All my chub fry are safe for the present time. Remember these fry are like new born babies they are very fragile. Sadly no help from the EA. All this week I have been on the river for an average of about 12 hours a day since Sunday working to save our fish. I should have been fishing with some friends chasing some big bream, and I couldn't fish the Aire as its been low and horrid.

Well done to Martin and Matthew.

Ashe lets hope the situation improves. At least this one had a happy ending thanks to Martin and the farmer who worked together to clear the problem.

Well just as things looked good Martin sent me this as an update.

Dear Stue Through a rise on the River Aire on Friday or Saturday night the dam broke and lots of fry were lost. I cannot put a number on the total It could be several thousand. I just don't know. When I arrived on the river today the gulls were still having a feast. I found lots of dead fry left behind in the margins. Where last week I had huge clouds of fry, most have now gone. I called the EA on 0800-807060 they didn't seem bothered. I called another guy at the EA who said he might be out later in the week. Having scoured the roadside and hedgerow today I think I might have found the pipe that runs from the road to the river. I am going to buy some table tennis balls tomorrow which I will put in the pipe and see if they end up at the bottom of my problem pipe where it comes into the river. Today I scoured my town trying to get hold of some Hessian sacks I eventually struck lucky. I have put a sack over the mouth of the pipe hoping it will trap the rubbish. Its all I can do Cheers Martin

Martin is devastated and sent me a photo of some of the dead fry. He and the local farmer tried so hard to prevent this from taking place.
I'm afraid the EA have again failed to protect the wildlife. Perhaps if they had responded earlier to Martin this could have been avoided.
Does no one care anymore?

Im so sorry to here this news. For gods sake why are the EA not responding? Even today i was on the Hot Line for 30 mins and hung up, Again!

I suggest to try to seek advice from the ACA or join it now.

the incidents have been reported and recorded, the Farmer has helped and you have documented evidence.

I would suggest a press release at all levels.

This is what happens when known problems are not dealt with ASAP.

Hi Ashe

I believe Martin may well publish this in a mag and talk about the subject on his radio show.
Not sure about the ACA, Martin might well have contacted them, I will have to pop him an email later.
I bet if he phoned the EA and said 'look there's a guy fishing with no licence here' someone would be down straight away.
Can't have the law broken, but a few dead fish don't hurt and not forgeting all the other life that has been killed as well.

Words really fail me on this.

Regards
Stu

he was in the anglers mail this week!

sorry didnt relise you'd said that allready! its terrible the EA have taken no notice!

Hi

Martin wrote to me yesterday concerning the ACA.

Dear Stue I am a life member of the ACA Back in 1989 I recieved an illuminated scroll from the ACA for my work. I am also on the ACA council. I did leave when the old regime were running things as I wasn't happy. But I am back. The ACA can only help when the club is a member I am hoping both clubs involved will join. This should be a lesson to all anglers and clubs don't rely on the EA I grabbed a couple of hours fishing today with a friend who was helping me. Two good fives 5-10-0 and 5-12-0 I feel I have earnt them Kind regards Martin

Yes christian it's not very good news when the EA fail to protect the environment, after all that's what they are there to do, or thats what I thought

Hopefully Martin will be able to persuade the clubs involved to join the ACA who then can take action to prevent this in the future.

Martin, glad to hear you managed some fishing and that you caught a couple. In my books you earnt them for sure.

Here's another update from Martin.

Dear Stue Latest update I had to call the EA again today sewage in that pool of effluent. Another guy Barry Leeson from Skipton called them as did Dave Sumerscales. When the guy from the EA arrived he was quite shocked at what he was seeing. As he said this is a class 1 river and this is certainly a big problem. He went off to ask the farmer if he could pump off the effluent. The farmer hoped to do something for us, even though this nothing to do with him. He is just helping out at the request of myself or the EA. I make sure Matthew who pumps off the stuff got plenty of beer. I am certainly keeping on the pressure

I had this from my MP Nigel Evans today

Dear Martin Many thanks for your recent letter regarding difficulties you have experienced in gaining a reply from Head of Fisheries at the Environment Agency. I have written with your concern to the Rt Hon Margaret Becket MP Secretary of State for the Environment, Fisheries and Food. As soon as I receive a reply I shall be in contact.

Nigel said in gaining a reply from Head of Fisheries at the Environment Agency. In fact I have had a reply. Its getting some action to cure the problem that bothers me. No doubt a press release will come out full of spin.

David Summerscales head bailiff of Bradford No 1 AA visited the site and done some pictures. I also discussed with him the site of a manhole cover and where it comes from and goes to. He is going to make some investigations. It was nice meeting with Barry and Dave Both are concerned and they are going to put on more pressure including MP's and local press

I got this from Dafydd Evans yesterday in reply to me telling him I had traced where the pipe was coming from. Kind regards Martin


Martin, It's good to hear we are making progress on this one! I received this feedback from the Area yesterday. I hope the combined tracing leads to this pollution stopping.

Regards Dafydd

Martin contacted Dafydd Evans again concerning the issue.

Dear Stue Another letter I sent to Dafydd Evans

Dear Dafydd The only way this problem will be solved is for the sludge to be pumped from the pool in question. As its being pumped someone me if I am around to rake all the sludge into the suction pipe.It will probably take three or four tanker loads to complete the job. I have fixed a sack at the bottom of the pipe in the hope of catching more sludge as it comes down the pipe from I presume the road. Though I am not certain its all from the road. Opposite the road drain is a manhole cover. What goes into this and where does it go is another question that needs answering. I note that this case
is classified as a class 3 This might be the case, but it still kills fish.
If the lot suddenly goes we could lose a lot of big fish I am talking about chub of five pounds plus and trout of 2lbs. Regards Martin

stuart is there any chance you could get hold of a few of the photos and do an article on the problem, it should make interesting reading.

At last the EA have responed thanks to Martin and the others who have put their hearts into this to protect our wildlife.

Lets hope that this situation is resolved and this can be prevented from happening again.

Well done to all those involved.

Hi Jason

Martin posted some picture here

http://p213.ezboard.com/fbarbelplaygroundfrm20.showMessage?topicID=602.topic

sorry not sure how a link works.

It would be of interest an article, I'll ask Martin first if he would do one covering this for us.

Hi Jason

Martin has kindly sent me this.

Dear Stue There are some pics on my website www.martinjamesfishing.co.uk if any person wants some pics they are welcome to some. All they need to do is E-mail me and I will send them back. Cheers Martin

Please feel free to contact Martin for any photos concerning the above and you will find his site has all the information available covering this pollution issue.

Regards
Stu

cheers stu