Nottingham’s Colwick Country Park will be home to the largest fish pass in the country under plans to be unveiled by the Environment Agency at a public drop-in event on Tuesday 5 October.
Construction of the Colwick (Holme Sluices) Fish Pass project will commence this autumn and run until 2023. It is the first scheme of the ambitious Trent Gateway Partnership which aims to remove all barriers to fish migration along the River Trent.
Holme Sluices, owned by the Environment Agency, is the largest single barrier to fish migration on the River Trent. The sluice gates span the river and maintain different upstream and downstream water levels, leaving fish unable to pass through.
In addition to construction of the fish pass, the project includes carrying out essential flood asset improvement works of Holme Sluices, a major flood defence that protects Nottingham from flooding.
Simon Ward, Fisheries Technical Specialist at the Environment Agency said:
“We are excited to share our plans for what will be the largest fish pass in the country. Our priority is to open up the River Trent for all fish species through the ambitions of the Trent Gateway Partnership, starting with the Colwick (Holme Sluices) Fish Pass.
“There are a number of barriers to fish migration within the River Trent catchment, including Holme Sluices, which is the largest barrier to the natural migration of fish in the Midlands. By installing fish passage, it will become easier for salmon and other fish to reach their spawning and feeding grounds.
“As part of the works, we will also be carrying out extensive repairs to the Environment Agency owned Holme Sluices flood defence, as part of our commitment to protecting Nottingham from flooding.
“We are working with partners to improve the situation and hope that the Colwick Park Fish Pass will serve as a catalyst for other Trent Gateway projects, which will in turn enhance the river and boost the local economy.
“We will work with Nottingham City Council to make Colwick Country Park in Nottingham the hub for Trent Gateway. Plans could include a visitor centre telling the story of the Trent, its history, ecology and how it has shaped communities along its length for centuries.”
The benefits of the new fish pass include enabling access to additional spawning habitat upstream, with the potential to increase the number of fish species in the River Trent, promote awareness of fish passes and river equality, provide educational and engagement opportunities, and attract more visits by anglers to the area and boost the local economy.
Cllr Rosemary Healy, Lead for Parks, Open Spaces and the Public Realm added:
“We are absolutely delighted that Colwick Fish Pass work will be starting soon. We are proud that Colwick will be home to the largest fish pass in the country, it will bring huge bio-diversity benefits to Colwick Country Park including increasing the number of fish species in the River Trent.”
The community drop-in event will be held at the entrance to Colwick Country Park from 12 noon to 6 pm on Tuesday 5 October 2021.
Further details about the project are available on our dedicated Colwick (Holme Sluices) Fish Pass webpage: https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/east-midlands/holme-sluices-fish-pass
