Invasive Non-Native Species

The Angling Trust was proud to support Invasive Species Week, 2024.

This an annual raises awareness of the issues our angling venues and general environment are confronted with. It also highlights ways in which anglers and the general public can help prevent the spread and reduce the harmful impacts, of invasive non-native plants and animals including, but not limited to, those below.

The term Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) reflects a group of invaders that can do massive damage. Individually and collectively, they can ravage fish stocks, outcompete and dominate native species of plant and animal life and, from an angling perspective, ruin fishing locations served by still or moving water.

Our involvement in the 2024 campaign was our best yet and, along with the Non-Native Species Secretariat, covered a number of topics through the week to raise awareness.

• What are Invasive Non-Native Species?

There are over 2,000 plants and animals that have been brought into Britain, but not all are ‘invasive’. In general terms, 10/15% establish themselves in a manner that causes harm to our native wildlife – including fish that are present in our rivers, streams and stillwaters. Our I.D. Guide lists some of the species that might be present in waters that you fish, lease or own. It also contains information on the correct ways to report and control any INNS you might find.

• How Are INNS spread?

Many of the animals and plants in the Invasive Non-Native Species category produce large numbers of  eggs, young, seeds, spores or fragments. These are often so tiny they are difficult, perhaps impossible to spot with the naked eye.  They are known as propagules and one can sometimes be enough to start a new invasion. From an angling perspective, they can be inadvertently spread to different venues such as commercial fisheries or rivers on equipment, clothing, even a vehicle.

Following the Check, Clean, Dry programme after an angling session can help stop the spread. Even if you only ever fish the same venue, you could still be transporting something to your own garden – or someone else’s – so the practise is important on every visit.

For more information on Check, Clean Dry, click here.

There’s even more information for anglers on the pages of the Non-Native Species Secretariat.

• Why are INNS a problem?

The survival of our native wildlife, including fish, and our ecosystems is threatened by the spread of Invasive non-native species. They do this by preying on, or out-competing other plants and animals. Some will disrupt habitats and and can spread harmful diseases.

The Non-Native Species Secretariat reports that in the last five hundred years, 72% of global extinctions have occurred on islands such as ours and invasive species have contributed to 86% of these extinctions. There’s more on the problems associated with INNS, in our Lines On The Water blog.

• What can I do?

For anglers, one of the best ways of preventing the spread of INNS to other waters, is to follow the Check Clean Dry practice referred to above. As a reminder, more information is available here. An informative video presented by the Non Native Species Secretariat is available here. You can also access an online iRecord form via you phone to report sightings of Invasive Non-Native Species. To help identify a species, our I.D. Guide presents some of the species you might find around your waters and even more information from the Non Native Species Secretariat is available here.

To promote INNS Week, we organised or supported events across the country including: 

Monday 20^th May – River Lee Navigation, Stonebridge Lock, Haringey.

An impressive total of 3 tonnes of Floating Pennywort was removed from 2 miles of the River Lee Navigation between Stonebridge Lock and Springfield Marina in Haringey.

An excellent turnout of volunteers from angling and paddling clubs and other local organisations, removed the massive haul of the Invasive Non-Native Species and turned the exercise into a major success.

A washdown station ensured participants didn’t taken any ‘leftovers’ home with them at the end of the day.

Thursday, 23^rd May – Leeds Liverpool Canal, Tarleton, Preston

An attendee list incorporating more than 50 volunteers  and representatives from a series of organisations including the Angling Trust, Paddle UK, the Canal & River Trust and Southport & District Anglers confronted the challenge of a heavy ‘invasion’ of Floating Pennywort on the Leeds Liverpool Canal near Preston.

It’s estimated that as much as four tonnes was lifted from the water with Himalayan Balsam also taken away during the session.

Friday, 24^th May – Fossdyke Navigation, Lincoln

The Angling Trust partnered with East Mercia Rivers Trust and RiverCare and removed around 2 tonnes of Floating Pennywort from the Fossdyke Navigation & Catchwater Drain in Lincoln.

More than 20 volunteers joined the group and special thanks go to Lincoln & District Angling Association, East Mercia Rivers Trust & RiverCare for helping us organise a successful event that benefits anglers and the local environment in general. Our picture above show Fisheries Officers, Ian Doyle (Back Right) and Drew Chadwick (Front Right) with just some of the attendees in Lincoln.

Sunday, 26^th May – Outward Nature Trail, River Irwell, Bury

The (inevitable) Bank Holiday rain couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of those who attended our ID tour at Outwood Nature Trail on the River Irwell in Bury.

Hosted by our Fisheries Officers. Ian Doyle, Drew Chadwick and Mark Egerton, some of the most common INNS species in UK were spotted along the way including Himalayan Balsam, Japanese Knotweed and Giant Hogweed.

The team also reflected the correct management techniques reflected when such species are found. If you wish to discuss any potential issues on your own waters, scroll further down this page for Ian and Drew’s contact details.

There is always more information on the pages of the Non-Native Species Secretariat. To find out more, scroll down on this page.

Be informed; Get Involved; Stop the Spread!

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Our freshwater and marine environments are under threat. Invasive non-native species are one of the top five drivers for biodiversity loss worldwide, and present a huge threat to native species, aquatic environments and our sport.

Plants and animals from other countries are finding their way into our waterways after being imported for ornamental or agricultural use. Many of these non-native species wither and die in the wild. Others survive, but don’t spread rapidly. A few spread like wildfire, as they don’t have the natural controls of diseases, predators and grazers to keep them in check. They can therefore do massive damage to our water environment and negatively impact our fishing. These are known as Invasive Non-Native Species. 

Recognising the detrimental impacts invasive species can have on our environment and economy, an EU Regulation on Invasive Alien Species (1143/2014) came into force in January 2015. The Angling Trust are working to ensure effective implementation of this regulation and to encourage Government to take action on invasive species more broadly. This work has been funded by fishing licence money as part of our National Angling Strategic Services contract with the Environment Agency.

We are also working with organisations like The Rivers Trusts and the Riverfly Partnership’s Angling Monitoring Initiative groups to set up procedures to control and eradicate these species that threaten the objectives of the Water Framework Directive. 

Part of the Regulation also involves the production of guidance for different recreational users – including anglers – that outlines measures clubs, anglers and the land owners can implement to reduce the risk of invasive species being introduced to their waters. This includes a variety of free materials and information on the potential risks of invasive species spread associated with fish stocking and habitat management. For more information, please see below: