To quote the EA 'The fish survey carried out in the spring this year showed a decline in the number of silver fish caught. This does not necessarily mean that there has been a decline in fish stocks per se, just that that there were not so many caught in the survey areas'.
Surely the point of such fish populations surveys is sample a sufficient number of sites along the river that ensure they are representative of the river as a whole, otherwise surely they are a waste of time & money? If the completed surveys are only indicative of the fish that were within few hundred metres of river that were netted, then I would seriously question their value to say anything meaningful.
Whilst I don't think re-stocking is a long-term solution here (it rarely is), if the EA are to enter a debate on the issues then I would certainly want to hear much stronger answers than those provided.
