Wild trout fishing on the River Ebble - Do you want it?

There are just a few weeks to go for people who live in the Salisbury area to let the Environment Agency know what they think about plans to turn the river Ebble into a wild trout fishing river - one of the few in England.

The Agency has been consulting local people for the past few months about reclassifying the Ebble - one of the best trout chalk streams in England - into a Wild Fishery Protection Zone.

If local people agree to the idea, it would mean only wild trout would thrive in the river. Stocking it with farmed trout could no longer take place. Doing this would mean wild trout in the Ebble are not mixed up with farmed fish.

D-J Gent from the Environment Agency said: "Every response we've had to the proposal so far has been really positive. We are nearing the end of the consultation process, but there is still time to tell us what you think about reclassification proposal. From our point of view we are keen to protect the native wild fish population, but there is also potential benefit here for local angling businesses who will be able to
market themselves to the niche market of wild trout fishing."

The Environment Agency is keen to formally reclassify the river by the end of September, so if anyone has a point of view on the proposal, they are being urged to get in contact with us as soon as possible. People can do this by calling D-J on the Environment Agency customer service line on: 08708 506 506.