Keeping or Stocking Wels Catfish

 

If you are planning to keep or stock wels catfish, they have been classified as a non-native species and you will require a licence.

 

Licences are issued by DEFRA in consultation with the Environment Agency (E.A.) the following link explains the details and regulations that apply.

There is a full guide to current DEFRA policy in the following link

 

Removal of Fish From Unlicensed Waters

 

Under certain circumstances DEFRA will order removal of catfish from unlicensed waters. There have been situations where catfish have been ordered to be killed on capture/removal.

 

The CCG is TOTALLY AGAINST the unnecessary killing of any catfish. The CCG would accept that if there were dangerous identified diseases in any catfish stock being removed, then appropriate action is likely to be destruction; however the CCG is not aware of any such occurrence in the history of catfish residing in the UK!     

 

There is clear provision in the published DEFRA policy regarding non-native species that fish removed can be relocated to licensed waters. The CCG would support and endorse this action as a humane and appropriate option.

 

The CCG controls a licensed catfish water and are willing to re-home ‘rescued' or forcibly removed catfish. Catfish should not be killed whilst this option is available. DEFRA and The EA are aware of the CCG's view and our offer to re-home unwanted or removed catfish.

 

The relevant section from the DEFRA document is shown below:

4.3

Removal of fish

Time-limited licences require the removal of the fish species from the water within a

specified time period. As a minimum, holders of time-limited licences are required to

instruct all anglers not to return any fish that they catch to the water, and to ensure that

this is complied with. However, licensees are also required to remove fish by any

other available means (e.g. netting, draining down, electro-fishing) as appropriate. The

fish must be disposed of and records kept. Disposal will normally entail humane

dispatch, but relocation to other ILFA licensed waters is also an option (see below).

The length of time permitted for fish removal will depend to a large extent on Agency

and CEFAS advice, taking into account factors such as the size of the water, the

number and species of fish involved, the perceived difficulty of removing the fish and

the likely cost to the owner. It will also be necessary to allow reasonable time for an

owner to comply; we would normally expect to allow at least one fishing season.

Further action, including prosecution, would depend on the efforts made by the owner

to remove the fish.

If action is taken, particularly where removal is via angler catches, the Agency should

regularly inspect the licensee's records and support this with evidence of compliance

amongst anglers. The Agency should also plan to attend any netting operations to

ensure licence conditions are met and that ILFA species are disposed of appropriately.

Monitoring of removals will also depend on the Agency/CEFAS and therefore require

careful prioritisation of cases and resources.

4.4

Relocation of ILFA species

It is recognised that the killing of fish, and particularly large specimen fish such as

Wels catfish, will be unpopular and may result in bad publicity for the Agency and DEFRA

 

The removal and disposal of fish will thus require careful handling. It is

suggested, therefore, that wherever possible fish (and particularly Wels catfish) are

removed from the site prior to disposal. Another acceptable alternative is to arrange

for the fish to be relocated, provided the new site is secure and holds a licence to

introduce and keep the species in question. It has previously been suggested that a

number of temporary ILFA reception sites might be set up to facilitate such

movements, and a number of licensed Agency sites and fishery contractor sites now

exist. For those fish species on the general licence, these can potentially be relocated

in garden ponds or tank provided the terms of the general licence are met. 

 

Anglers and Fisheries Beware!

 

The CCG was surprised and concerned to find the following text in the DEFRA policy document (section 4.3)

 

“ Disposal will normally entail humane dispatch”

 

Why would killing catfish be regarded as normal practice? The CCG's view is that this statement is totally wrong and should be retracted. Even if catfish are found in an unlicenced water there is no reason why (other than disease) they should be despatched whilst there are licenced parties willing to re-home them.

 

Further cause for concern can be found in section 4.4:

 

"It is recognised that the killing of fish, and particularly large specimen fish such as

wels catfish, will be unpopular and may result in bad publicity for the Agency and DEFRA

The removal and disposal of fish will thus require careful handling. It is

suggested, therefore, that wherever possible fish (and particularly wels catfish) are

removed from the site prior to disposal."   

 

This seems to indicate that there is potential for surreptitous action. the CCG would argue that this further supports the logical course of fish relocation which even to non-anglers can be seen as the most logical and humane action!  

 

CCG Catfish Re-homing Service

 

As mentioned previously, t he CCG operates a correctly licenced catfish water in the Midlands and we are willing to take any unwanted catfish rather than them being harmed. The CCG also has temporary holding facilities in Surrey which again are fully licenced for keeping wels catfish. Anyone who hears of catfish that are in danger can contact the CCG and we will do our best to ‘rescue' them for legal re-homing.