Rare Fish Found In Cornish Rivers

January 29, 2008

Release from: BBC News Online

Several rare fish species have been found in two Cornish estuaries.

The discovery was made by the Environment Agency which has been monitoring fish stocks in the Fal and the Camel estuaries for a year.

So far 43 species have been counted in the Fal and 32 in the Camel. These include the Norwegian topknot, gilthead bream and seahorses.

The agency said the diversity and relative abundance of fish was an excellent indicator of water quality.

Sea-scorpions

The most common fish in the Fal and Camel are sand smelt, sprats and common gobies, but they also found mullet, flatfish, rays and bass.

Dragonets, sea-scorpions, sand eels, pipefish and the venomous Lesser Weever have also been recorded.

Rob Hillman, from the Environment Agency, said long-term monitoring provided valuable information.

"The discovery of unusual species such as Norwegian topknot and gilthead bream is especially encouraging," he added.

Scientists are also examining other ecological indicators, including the sea bed and seaweed, to measure the impact of chemical pollution on the estuaries.