A local angler saw the fish attempting to scale the Sprotborough Falls on Doncaster’s River Don and then contacted the EA to thank them for the way they have cleaned up the river.
Chris Firth, fisheries technical specialist at the Environment Agency, said: “It makes it all worthwhile. I’m a keen angler myself and it’s great that we have such good quality fishing opportunities in South Yorkshire these days.
“There was a time when all you could hope to catch in the Don was an old boot, but thanks to improvements in the water quality, largely due to investment by Yorkshire Water and local industry, and all the work our teams have done ensuring the environment is protected and enhanced for fish to thrive, we can welcome back the salmon to these waters.”
Salmon haven’t been seen in the Don for 200 years.
A rock chute fish pass installed at Doncaster in 2000 for more than £ 1 million has allowed the salmon to progress to the falls further up stream. The fish pass was the fist stage in addressing the issue of fish passage on the River Don. Numerous weirs on the river are obstacles to all sorts of fish and the Agency is considering a number of options in a long term plan to improve fish passage.
Recent river quality results, released in September 2003, show further improvements in water quality and fisheries surveys indicate the river now supports fish throughout its length. Not only salmon, but sea trout, eels and several other species have moved further up the River Don system.
Eels are particularly important as they are the main food source for otters, another species making a welcome return to the Don.
