Zooming out from the dead Chub, we see the fish kill on the river Windrush
Why are citizens needed to investigate fish kills?
1) Fish kills devastate aquatic ecosystems
Fish kill incidents severely disrupt aquatic ecosystems by removing large numbers of fish, which play key roles in maintaining food webs and ecosystem balance. No river in the UK is free from pollution, and in many cases the vast majority of fish have already died. Where fish cling onto life in these fragile habitats, fish kill incidents can wipe out those that remain.
2) The EA's investigations often fail
In many cases, the EA fails to respond to a fish kill. There are a range of cases where official investigations have failed to act rapidly enough or follow proper procedures. Polluters are being let off the hook, with the cause of fish kills remaining unclear. This guide allows citizens to add evidence to any environment agency investigations, not to replace it. None of the methods described interfere with official processes.
3) Citizens can investigate properly
Time is of the essence in fish kill investigations, and local citizens as first responders, armed with an understanding of what evidence to collect, can obtain on-site evidence much faster, and more widely than EA teams are able to. The guide presented below provides a rigorous framework for the proper collection of evidence, which could be crucial to hold polluters to account.
The Guide
The guide consists of 2 elements:
1) Guidance document
2) Epicollect
The guidance document provides detailed information to take you through the fish kill investigation's 5 stages (preparation, notification, observations, testing, and submission)
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Epicollect (see next section) is the best means of recording your investigation in the field, but the guidance document includes a paper version, should you not have access to a smartphone.
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Whichever means of recording your investigation you choose, having access to the guidance document in the field will be extremely useful to ensure your safety, as well as the integrity of the investigation.
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The most straightforward and accurate method of recording your observations and measurements is through the epicollect app by searching ‘epicollect5 data collection’ on android and IOS devices, or clicking the link below. Epicollect is a free and easy-to-use mobile data-gathering platform, produced by Oxford University, which is widely used in the water industry.
Once you have downloaded the app, you can find our step-by-step data- entry process by searching for ‘Citizen science fish kill investigation guide’ or by clicking this section's title.
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Data-entry is made straightforward, and you need only follow the instructions given and answer the questions on the app.
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Click here to download app
What next?
Read
Read through the guidance document to be prepared should you, or someone from local area find a fish kill. Together, we can be the first feet on the ground.
Share
Share as widely as possible! The more people are aware of this guide, the more chance of citizens launching an investigation and polluters being held to account!