Fishermen win legal battle over river pollution

The river has been damaged by pollution in recent decades, a local fishing group says

A group of fishermen have won a landmark legal battle against the government, which lost its appeal against a ruling that it failed to protect and restore a river ecosystem.

Pickering Fishery Association and environmental organisation Fish Legal took the government to the High Court over the health of the Costa Beck near Pickering.

The High Court ruled in 2023 that the government's management plan for once-thriving fishing spot was insufficient, with the groups arguing fish populations had declined dramatically in recent decades because of pollution.

The government challenged the decision, but the appeal was dismissed in a judgment handed down on Wednesday.

'Turning point'

Andrew Kelton, solicitor for Fish Legal, said Wednesday's decision should be "a turning point for improving river health nationwide".

He added: "This comprehensive win for us in the Court of Appeal sets out a blueprint for restoring damaged rivers across the whole country."

A Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs spokesperson said the government was "determined to clean up our polluted rivers, lakes and seas" and that it was "considering this judgment".

They added: "We recognise there are problems with the current system, which is why we have launched an Independent Water Commission, which is looking at widespread water sector reform including the effectiveness of the Water Framework Directive and River Basin Management Plans.

"We will continue to support the Environment Agency and its partners as they continue their work to improve the water environment in North Yorkshire and across England."

But Penelope Gane, head of practice at Fish Legal, said: "[The government] could have dropped this appeal, but instead they have dragged out the legal process, wasting time and taxpayer money trying to defend continued inaction to restore not only the Costa Beck, but rivers nationwide."

Only 16% of waterbodies and 14% of rivers in England currently had "good ecological status", she added.

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