The EA seem to be having a purge on non native fish. Some extracts from their web sites:

The Environment Agency is using a specialist fishing boat to help remove non-native catfish to help improve the quality of our rivers and lakes across the North West for people and wildlife.
As part of a plan to remove non-native species from our environment, we are visiting rivers, lakes and ponds to enforce licence conditions and seek the removal of the fish.
Species such as the Catfish have significant consequences for animal and plant communities. The introduction of non-native fish can have a direct effect on native species and can upset the natural balance of waters. Such species can also introduce and spread diseases to which our native species cannot survive.

This year, the Environment Agency have visited and removed Catfish from 29 waters in Merseyside, Cheshire, and Greater Manchester.
Recently officers successfully removed six catfish from Sale Water Park, Manchester ranging between 6 and 10lbs.

Electrofishing places as large and deep as SWP can surely be little more than a gesture. I know they are worried about catfish leaking into the Mersey catchment, when they use SWP for flood overflow management, but 6 catfish in what I understand is a couple of days work, is hardly going to clear them out. Rather pointless bit of strutting about. Also some anglers joined the syndicate specifically for fish for the cats.

I wonder what the full list of 29 waters is, and how successful they were in the smaller venues.

I heard a rumour that those fish removed were to be taken to a catfish sanctuary. What in hell is a catfish sanctuary? And where?

Any chance of them removing some carp, and rainbow trout, both being non native species? ;-)

The cats are already in the mersey, I'm sure I saw a video on YT of a mersey cat fish.
They should spending money on altering weirs.

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Originally Posted by Glenn

The cats are already in the mersey, I'm sure I saw a video on YT of a mersey cat fish. They should spending money on altering weirs.

I agree entirely on the weirs: but I am not at all sure that the fish pass approach is efficient. It does enable fish to be counted, but a system of pools forming a navigable fish ladder, of manageable step height, would be far, far better. No migratory fish can reach the Irwell at the moment, unless they sneak through the locks with the very limited boat traffic, and there are a number of very high weirs on local rivers as well, that need attention. Woolston weir, looks a major Mersey obstacle, and although there is a fish pass at its side, it is small, and I personally suspect many fish simply would not find it when they reach the weir.

Had a search but was unable to find a Mersey Catfish video. I suspect that catfish will "spread by themselves" far quicker than the EA can eradicate them. A lost battle, like the zander, knotweed and balsam. Carp too have reached plague proportions, and I feel have a far greater effect on waters than do catfish, in large numbers they cloud previously clear water, and are a major food competitor.

Quote:

a system of pools forming a navigable fish ladder, of manageable step height, would be far, far better.

Yes just what I was thinking, I did see some photos of just this type of work but I can't find them now.

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totally agree john n glenn,a futile effort to say the least on swp,6 kitties on such a vast expanse of water was indeed a "we came and did our job" type of thing to satisfy their remit and their boss lol,if they leave well alone nature will i'm sure balance itself out in the long run,

Its my understanding that there are cats in reddish vale. Dont suppose it would be too remote a possibility for these to find there way into the tame. Apparently there doing a pretty good job much through the roach in the ponds, this I guess would be a good place to get rid of them.

Paul

There are cats in RV, but as far as I know VERY few in number. I have only seen one photo of a Wels from the Vale, and another of an Amazonian species, one that is unlikely to have survived any winters.