Efforts made to save one of England's rarest fish

A research project is aiming to find out why the population of a rare UK fish is declining.

The Freshwater Biological Association (FBA) plans to study the spawning grounds of Arctic charr in Windermere to determine the reason behind the fish's falling numbers.

Although more common in Nordic countries, the Arctic charr is one of the rarest fish in England and its presence in the Lake District contributed to the area becoming a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2017.

Prof Bernd Hänfling, one of the project's researchers, said the fish were a "keystone species" in many large, deep UK lakes.

"Their adaptation to cold, clear water makes them highly vulnerable to pollution and rising temperatures," he said.

"This project will generate critical evidence to support the conservation of this enigmatic species."

In England, the Arctic charr is only found in the Lake District, although they also live in Llyn Padarn in Snowdonia, Wales.

The FBA believes climate change, waste water pollution, and non-native species competing for food could be causing their decline in Windermere.

They are related to salmon and trout and require clean gravel beds to lay their eggs.

The FBA said it planned to assess the condition of spawning grounds in the lake and find out whether historical grounds were still being used.

Researcher Steve Thackeray said: "During this time of great environmental change, Arctic charr, a culturally-important cold-water fish species, have been in dramatic decline.

"By working together under this important project, we can gather vital evidence on this charismatic species, and help guide conservation efforts."

The FBA is aiming to raise £10,000 to fund its study, with donations doubled via the Green Match Fund until 29 April.

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