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Keeping fish in their place

A new riverbank at Sabey’s Pool in Rickmansworth has improved the habitat, and will help keep fish in the right place.

Sabey’s Pool is a mixed still-water fishery leased from British Waterways by West Hampstead Angling Club. Historically, the fishery was separated from the adjacent River Chess by a 50-metre corrugated iron and chain-link fencing barrier. This was in a state of disrepair, which meant the fish could still get through it and move freely between the river and the pool.  Not great for the angling club nor the river.

Because the River Chess is a chalk stream and, as such, a national category one Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) habitat, a large influx of coarse fish could damage this habitat. In addition, the amount of fish movement meant that disease was more likely to enter the fishery. Clearly, we had to do something.

In February 2009, Cain Bio-engineering Ltd and the Council’s Countryside Management Services, created 50-metres of naturalised bank. This separated Sabey’s Pool from the river to stop the transfer of fish and water, and to protect the chalk stream habitat.

Speaking of the new bank, Matt Hart said, “We have a basket filled with local indigenous plant species to provide a natural and fully vegetated bankside habitat. We have also erected a permanent two-sided netting arrangement to protect the plants from roosting birds, and to prevent coarse fish species migrating into the Chess when the waters are high.”