A NEW DRIVE has been launched this week to halt the ongoing march of invasive species across Britain’s network of waterways.
Over the past year of lockdowns, many of the country’s rivers, lakes and canals have witnessed record footfall as people used angling-related green spaces as their means of local exercise. However, the Canal and Rivers Trust (CRT) is now warning that the trend could be aiding the spread of non-native species, and is urging all water users, including anglers, to ‘check, clean and dry’ all equipment and clothing every time they move between different waters.
One of their ecologists, Tom King, said:
“Invasive quagga mussels were found in an isolated Anglian Water reservoir in Lincolnshire, but the nearest other known place they’re present in is London – over 140 miles away. They must have hitchhiked on a person, or their gear” he said.
“Signal crayfish, invertebrates, and plants are also at risk of spreading, and we need to do everything we can to stop this. We can do it by checking clothing and equipment and giving them a good clean, before leaving them to dry, ideally in the sun.”
**_To find out more visit:_** **_[www.canalrivertrust.org.uk](http://www.canalrivertrust.org.uk){
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