A £50,000 project is underway to help critically endangered European eels recover in West Cumbria. The initiative, led by the West Cumbria Rivers Trust, involves dismantling a redundant weir at Glinger Burn near Longtown to make it easier for the eels to migrate.
The European eel has seen a significant decline in numbers over the past three decades, with a staggering 90% drop. The Environment Agency has funded the project, which aims to create a more fish-friendly environment by building natural steps, known as step pools, that will increase habitats and allow the eels to move up and down the stream to spawn.
Assistant director Luke Bryant from the West Cumbria Rivers Trust explained that the weir posed a significant barrier for the eels, particularly when river levels were low. He hopes the work will help 'right some wrongs' that have affected not just eel numbers but also salmon and trout in rivers.
This is the first of several projects planned by the trust over the summer to help species at risk. If successful, the initiative could pave the way for a more resilient ecosystem in the country.