West Cumbria Rivers Trust feel in 'limbo' due to funding delays
A rivers trust has said it is in "limbo" waiting for the Environment Agency (EA) to confirm funding, despite the looming start of the new financial year.The West Cumbria Rivers Trust (WCRT) said this meant several small projects, which could be "easy wins", might not be delivered this year.The schemes usually have to be carried out in the summer, it said, so even if funding was secured now, it may not be possible to find contractors in time. The EA said work to confirm any possible funding to the trust was "ongoing".
One project affected involves the removal of a barrier to Atlantic salmon at the River Ellen near the village of Ireby.The trust are hoping to remove a bridge made out of concrete tubes which gets regularly blocked and stops the endangered fish trying to get upstream to spawn.It also stops the free movement of gravel which creates habitats for insects that the salmon feed on.
'Tackle the problem now'
Mark Hastings, a member of the Derwent Owners' Association which is a representative body of the waterbody's fisheries, said many of the salmon in the river would die without the £20,000 project."[It] could save hundreds of salmon," he said.Moreover, as each salmon lays thousands of eggs, the scheme had the potential, he said, "to "give the river a kick-start and the Atlantic salmon a chance".WCRT assistant director Luke Bryant said the lack of funding confirmation from the EA for such projects made it feel like they were in a "bit of limbo"."If we can't work in this summer it has to be delayed for another 12 months," he said. "We need to tackle this problem now".An EA spokesman said its officers were "passionate and enthusiastic about improving our water environment".He said there was a significant national "demand on the money", adding: "Our work to confirm what funding we can provide to these works is ongoing and we will confirm this to West Cumbria Rivers Trust and others as soon as we can."
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