Barbel Fish restocked into River Severn for first time since 1950s

Fishing groups, Pixham Farm, Clevelode and Beauchamp Court Syndicate, and the Worcester Angling Society have collaborated with the Environmental Agency in order to restock the river with Barbel fish. 

The first restocking is currently set to take place on the first week of December, which will see 250 of the species released into the river. There will be two more instances of restocking to follow, on an annual basis - with 250 more fish to be released in each instance. 

"They're going to be about a pound each," said Mark Rogers, who runs the Pixham Farm, Clevelode and Beauchamp Court Fishing Syndicate. "All the fish are tagged so we hope in a few years where the fish have gone, hopefully they will have survived and grown on.

Barbel fish are being restocked into the River Severn on the first week of December (2024) (Image: Mark Rogers)

"They grow to over 20 pounds in weight, they’re great looking fish, and they’re very hard fighting.

"The number one fish that people fish for in the UK is carp, and they live in lakes. The second most popular fish is barbel, and they live in rivers.

"They are probably the second most sought after fish."

The local area has always been a popular fishing spot in the Severn, with the area between Bridgenorth and Bewdley previously being known as Barbel alley. However the number of the species has gradually dropped over the last 10 years. 

"I don’t think any of the rivers in the UK had Barbel in originally. But the Severn got stocked in the 50s," said Rogers. "The piece of the Severn between Bridgenorth and Bewdley is called Barbel alley, its where a lot of anglers in the UK come to fish and it is quite a known holiday destination to come and fish on the River Severn.

"Over the last 10 years, the numbers have dropped considerably due to pollution and phosphates.

"There is not as many young fish as there was before."

The Environmental Agency will fund and provide the fish from their own fish farm.