A
prehistoric rare fish has been seen in Yorkshire rivers for the first time in 30
years after conservation work.
Sea
lampreys have returned to rivers Ouse, Don, Trent and Derwent after the
Environment Agency installed new 'tiles' to allow them to swim upstream.
The
snake-like jawless creatures predate dinosaurs by 200m years. They can grow up
to 3ft (1m) long.
Industrial
pollution and man-made barriers had reduced their numbers over the past 200
years, the agency said.
The
Environment Agency lamprey tiles have conical protrusions, allowing fish to
anchor themselves upstream using their sucker-like mouths.
Simon
Toms, fisheries expert at the Environment Agency, said: "...some rivers have not
been capable of supporting lamprey species as a result of water quality, poor
habitat and man-made barriers.
"Now
that water quality has improved and some of these barriers have been removed, we
are seeing lampreys return to the upper reaches of rivers such as the Ouse,
Trent and Derwent, where they were absent as recently as 30 years ago."
Lamprey
has a circular disc of razor sharp teeth instead of jaws. It uses its mouth like
a suction-cup to attach itself to the skin of a fish and rasp away tissue with
its probing tongue and teeth.
During
the Middle Ages lampreys were widely eaten by the upper classes throughout
Europe. It is thought King Henry I died from overindulging on lampreys. BBC.
.jpeg)