It was recently discovered that Wels Catfish had been illegally introduced into one of the fishing lakes at Dinton Pastures Country Park.
The council currently does not have any information on how these fish came to be in the lake in the first place.
Wels catfish are top predators and can devastate local wildlife, including swans, geese, and native fish species.
According to the Canal and River Trust, the Wels catfish is the largest freshwater fish within the UK and probably also within Europe.
READ MORE: ‘Highly predatory’: Warning released as MASSIVE illegal fish found in local lake
The UK’s northern location, cooler temperatures and lack of food availability inhibit the size these giants can grow to.
In Europe, with warm water and plenty of food, these fish can reach weights of up to 674lb, hence why our southern UK climate was perfect for them to expand.
The Wels catfish has two long barbels on the upper jaw and four shorter barbels on the lower jaw.
These barbels are used to hunt and detect prey. The body is dark brown to black, with a soft yellow to white belly.
Two of these fish were caught by responsible anglers at Dinton Pastures and immediately reported to the Countryside Team.
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One of the fish was nearly 4 feet (1.2m) long and weighed 10 pounds (4.5kg), which is allegedly small compared to its potential growth.
These fish can reach more than 9 feet, 3m long and up to 300lbs/140kg, and in some rare cases, they’ve been known to prey on birds and small mammals, which poses a serious risk to local wildlife.
It’s illegal to stock fish like this without a special licence from the Environment Agency and CEFAS (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science).
Dinton Pastures would never be granted such a licence — if these fish escaped into the river system, they could spread rapidly and cause serious ecological damage.
READ MORE: Council have ‘no further information’ on how DANGEROUS fish ended up in local lake
Wokingham Borough Council commented, “Releasing any fish into a lake without permission is illegal under the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act. It can introduce disease, disrupt ecosystems, and cause irreversible damage.
“Thank you to the anglers who did the right thing – the vast, vast majority of whom are responsible and conservation-minded – and to everyone who helps us protect Dinton’s precious wildlife.
“We’ll be keeping a close eye on things, but if you ever see anything that doesn’t look right, please let one of the team know.”
As required by law, the captured catfish were humanely removed, in line with national guidance to protect native species.
While this is never a decision taken lightly, it’s essential to prevent long-term harm to the park’s wildlife and ecosystem.
