Preparations Underway for Canals Cleanup

The Canal and River Trust will rescue up to 300 lbs of fish from Caen Hill Locks in Devizes, before one of the lock pounds and side ponds is drained to allow vital repairs to take place.

The team will use a technique called electrofishing, which involves using an electrical current to temporarily stop the fish from swimming so that they float to the surface.

They are then scooped up and transferred to large bins filled with fresh water. The fish are not harmed, and can be moved to a nearby unaffected stretch of canal.

Once the fish have been moved, a section of the 200 year-old lock flight will be completely drained to allow access to the lock gates.

The repairs form part of the winter works program, which sees £45 million spent on essential repairs, restorations and routine maintenance to the canals and rivers in England and Wales.

[mappress mapid=”19968″]