Bolton upon Dearne eel pass

Schematic of eel pass ©DCRT

Thanks to funding from the Environment Agency, DCRT was able to install an eel pass at Bolton upon Dearne to help eels swim over the weir and up our river system.

An eel pass act like a watery staircase which allows young eels (elvers) to wriggle their way over a weir, a major barrier. At Bolton upon Dearne, the pass consists of a bristle substrate.

European eels (Anguilla anguilla) were once common in the Don Catchment, but sadly, their numbers have declined across Europe by as much as 95% since the 1980s. Hundreds of years of industry and the associated pollution saw a huge decline in all fish species, but fortunately numbers are now steadily improving. However, habitat loss and barriers to migration still remain an issue.