Twenty thousand eels released into Lincolnshire river
- Published
Eels take about 15-20 years to mature in freshwater
Some 20,000 eels have been released into a Lincolnshire river as part of a national project to help boost numbers in the UK.
It is part of a scheme organised by the Sustainable Eels Group to encourage people to take action to enable the species to recover.
Numbers have declined as they cannot reach their breeding habitats due to man-made barriers in their way.
The young eels were released at four sites along the River Lymn.
Other initiatives on the river include the construction of eel passes by the Environment Agency and conservation projects organised by the Lincolnshire Rivers Trust.
The eels were released at four sites
Andrew Kerr, from the Sustainable Eels Group, said: "They've been caught on the River Severn - in the spring - and they've been grown on by UK Glass Eels and then given to us to restock here in Lincolnshire.
"You want to see the eel doing well and prospering as it tells us how well we are managing our water."
Earlier this month, thousands of young eels were released into Blagdon Lake, North Somerset, and more are being introduced in Shropshire and Wales.
About 100,000 young eels are being released nationally.
- Published1 October 2013
- Published24 January 2012