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A suspected pollution incident in Huddersfield is under investigation after hundreds of fish were killed.

The Environment Agency received reports of distressed and dying fish in the River Colne and Huddersfield Broad Canal on the afternoon of Friday, 20 March. Environment officers attended immediately and have been on site over the weekend.

Some 400 fish, mainly roach, are thought to have been killed and inquiries are ongoing to establish the cause.

“There is no obvious evidence of pollution but we are trying to trace the source,” said environment management team leader Mark West. It’s very unlikely the fish died because of natural causes, such as a lack of oxygen in the water.”

Environment officers have taken water samples from the river and canal and are conducting an ecological survey to assess the impact on invertebrates and other river life.

Up to three kilometres of the River Colne are thought to have been affected. The dead fish in the canal have been found mainly in the Aspley Basin.

Local angling groups have been alerted and have responded with reports of distressed and dying fish. Environment officers would be keen to hear from anyone with information about possible pollution of either watercourse in recent days as any incident may have happened some days before 20 March.

Anyone with information can contact the Environment Agency’s incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60

Source: www.environment-agency.gov.uk/news