River Brent Eel Recovery Project is Living Waterways Award Runner-Up for 2014

At a glittering award ceremony held at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds on Wednesday September 24th, the Environment Trust's River Brent Eel Recovery Project was awarded as the runner-up in the Natural Environment section of the Canal and River Trust's Living Waterways Award for 2014.

Since April 2014 almost 30,000 juvenile eels, also known as elvers, have been recorded by a dedicated team of 20 volunteers. The eel trap is checked on a daily basis by one or two volunteers, who measure the length of 50 elvers and count the remainder. The data is then submitted to the Zoological Society of London as part of their London-wide eel monitoring programme.

As well as thanks to CRT and ZSL, the design of the pass constructed by Aquatic Control Engineering has been key to the project's success. By being able to successful and humanely trap the eels, it is possible to get an accurate picture of eel migration into the River Brent/Grand Union Canal. Once measured and counted, the eels are released upstream of the weir and allowed to continue their journey upstream. However, the story doesn't end there. Upstream there are other weirs, some of which already have eel passes, and some that don't. The Environment Trust is continuing to work with ZSL and other partners to improve the river for eels and other fish, including tackling the problem of sewer misconnections which result in raw sewage entering the river on a daily basis.

This is the second year that elver migration at Brentford has been monitored, following installation on the eel pass in early 2013. The project was originally initiated under the auspices of the Thames Rivers Trust, who secured a River Improvement Fund grant from Defra and the Rivers Trust in 2012.

Chris accepts the award at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds.

Elvers are counted and measured.

Before being released upstream.

An elver in the measuring bag.