Colwick: Work on 'England's largest' fish pass complete

The fish pass goes around the Holme Sluices, a huge flood defence structure

Construction of a new fish pass, billed as the biggest in England, has been completed in Nottinghamshire.

The £12m fish pass at Colwick Country Park will open up the River Trent for migratory fish, such as salmon, trout and eels.

It was constructed by the Environment Agency at the Holme Sluices, a flood defence structure, which became a barrier to fish.

The pass will bring a £18.6m boost to the local economy, the agency said.

The structure took around two years to build, the Environment Agency said

Holme Sluices, which spans the width of the River Trent, was built in the 1950s as part of a large-scale flood defence to help protect Nottingham.

Now, fish will be able use the new, 200m-long pass to swim around the flood barrier, which will open and close based on the water levels throughout the year.

The agency called the completion of the scheme a "significant step in restoring the River Trent catchment to its former glory".

The pass, which is 6.5m (21ft) wide and 6m (19ft) deep, is divided into 20 ascending chambers that water will flow into through narrow slots, which fish will be able to pass through before continuing along the river.

A public viewing platform has also been installed above the water as part of the project with information about the local wildlife and the fish expected to use the pass.

The scheme is the first of wider plans to remove all barriers to fish migrations along the river - the third longest in the country.

Simon Ward, fisheries technical specialist at the Environment Agency, said: "We are working with partners to improve the situation and hope that the Colwick fish pass will serve as a catalyst for other Trent Gateway projects, which will in turn enhance the river and boost the local economy."