Great Yorkshire Rivers Partnership
Addressing barriers to fish migration in Yorkshire’s rivers to help restore natural river processes, improve water quality and promote biodiversity to create better blue spaces for both nature and people.
In 2022, the Great Yorkshire Rivers Partnership of Yorkshire Water, The Rivers Trust and Environment Agency formally came into being following many years of informally working together on addressing over 100 barriers to fish in Yorkshire rivers. The ambition was to rid Yorkshire’s rivers of all significant barriers by 2043. This could be by installing a fish pass, but ideally it would be to remove the structure entirely as this brings the most benefit, including:
- Allowing all fish species to pass up and downstream
- Beginning to restore natural river processes
- Bringing improvements in water quality
- Improving habitat quality that supports sustainable fish populations and the wildlife that is reliant upon them
- Supporting and promoting biodiversity increase
All in all, removal is the best option for nature and creates a better place for people to enjoy!
"By 2043 this leading and innovative partnership approach will have addressed all artificial barriers negatively impacting fish populations in Yorkshire, allowing recovery of our native fish species; helping rivers and their communities to thrive."
Visit the Great Yorkshire Rivers Partnership website to learn more.
