Trout rehomed downstream due to dry weather
BBCMore than 50 brown trout have been given new homes because of the extreme heat and dry weather this summer.
The fish are being relocated from a section of the River Lambourn, near Hungerford in Berkshire, where the water level has "significantly dropped".
The rescue and relocation comes after the country suffered its driest spring since 1893.
Peter Gray, fisheries team leader in the Thames Valley for the Environment Agency (EA) and in charge of the transfer of fish, said: "We've acted today to save the fish."
Earlier this month, the EA declared the Thames Valley and parts of Surrey to be in a period of prolonged dry weather.
Expected rainfall in the area has been down 50% over the last three months.
Three heatwaves and a long dry spell have put more pressure on wildlife and habitats, including rivers.
The healthy fish were removed from the Lambourn in oxygenated tanks, then rehomed in deeper waters a short distance downstream.
Officers will monitor the juvenile and adult trout to make sure they get used to their new surroundings.
Mr Gray said: "The water level has dropped significantly, we are trying to be proactive and move the fish before the situation creates anymore problems.
"We hope this population of brown trout, up to around three years old, will be much happier in a part of the Lambourn with stronger flows.
"We've acted today to save the fish. They can be the first casualties when conditions deteriorate, and react better to being moved in cooler temperatures."
The EA has urged anglers, swimmers and boaters to report any environmental concerns they see, such as fish gasping for air on the surface of a river or lake.
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