THE Westcountry Rivers Trust has launched a £2.2-million project to restore freshwater fish habitats in two iconic Cornish rivers — the Camel and the Fowey.

Working in partnership with the Environment Agency, Natural England and South West Water, the Westcountry Rivers Trust has secured £1.6-million of European funding to enhance the rivers, benefitting wildlife and people.

The Westcountry Rivers Trust and partners met with Conservative MP for North Cornwall, Scott Mann, last week on the banks of the River Camel to launch the Water for Growth project.

This capital investment project will focus on improving habitats for declining salmon and trout by making it easier for fish to migrate and spawn.

Water for Growth will enable the trust to remove up to 20 more barriers to fish migration, working with landowners and local interest groups. The team aims to open up over 150 kilometres across both rivers to migrating fish.

The trust will also restore a number of sites across both rivers. Working with volunteers, they will clean gravel to restore spawning grounds, increase light on shaded gravels to increase invertebrate life and create habitats in the rivers and on the banks to ensure they can support all stages of fish development.

Mr Mann said: “It’s great to see so much money being invested into Cornish rivers to restore freshwater fish habitats.

“The River Camel and River Fowey provide very important habitats to wildlife in Cornwall, and it’s very important that we make it easier for salmon and trout to migrate and spawn.”

Laurence Couldrick, CEO of the Westcountry Rivers Trust, said: “The Rivers Camel and Fowey are important rivers for Cornwall. The River Camel is a Special Area of Conservation, largely as a result of declining salmon, while the Fowey provides most of Cornwall with its drinking water.

“We have a strong track record of improving both of these rivers, but securing this investment means we can really step up our game to protect and enhance these two Cornish rivers. By creating a better habitat for wildlife and bringing more salmon and trout to the rivers, the project will bring long term benefits to local anglers and our tourism industry.”

Alan Burrows, Environment Agency area manager, said: “This is a great opportunity to work in partnership on an exciting river restoration project to create a cleaner, healthier environment that will benefit people and the economy.”

The Water for Growth project is funded by £1.6-million from European Structural and Investment Funds, £400,000 from the Environment Agency and £200,000 from South West Water and Westcountry Rivers Trust.