Litvínov, November, 15, 2017: Exactly 425 kilograms of fish fry were released into the Bílina River by the fifth-years from the 4th Elementary School near the Church of Assumption of Virgin Mary in Most. Resistant indigenous fish species, especially common roach, freshwater bream, and European perch were supplied by the North Bohemian Territorial Union of the Czech Fishing Union. The fish planting was organized and funded by Unipetrol. The company has been cooperating with the fishermen since 2010. Together, they have planted over five thousand kilograms of fish into the waters of the Ústí Region.
„It was this year’s second planting of resistant fish species in the Bílina River. In April, we planted 200 kilograms of fish in Hostomice on the occasion of the Earth Day. Now we’ve released 425 kilograms of fish in Most. We paid a total of 50 thousand crowns for the fish fry this year. This is one of the forms how we try to help the environment around us,“ says Pavel Sláma, Environmental Director of the Unipetrol Group.
All planted fish are typical for the given river flow. Common roach, freshwater bream, and European perch create a balanced community in the river which fulfils a number of environmental functions. Firstly, they form the basis of the food chain. But they are also important for the local hunting fishermen. „Given the size these species can grow in the Bílina River, they most probably won’t end up on anybody’s plate, but they can still be a valuable catch for young beginning sport fishermen,“ says Václav Jelínek from the North Bohemian Territorial Union.
„It wasn’t easy to secure the new fish for a large number of them have been decimated by cormorants already in our stocking ponds. Eventually, however, we managed to secure the amount we agreed on,“ adds Václav Jelínek. The overpopulated cormorants often thwart fishermen’s efforts to renew the fish population. Especially in the lower reach of the Bílina River near Stadice, Lbína and Hostomice there was already a well-balanced fish population. However, last year’s tough winter brought a large number of cormorants to this non-freezing river part destroying thus the local fish population.
Despite all this, the Czech Fishing Union is ready not to give up its efforts to maintain the fish population. By stocking and planting the indigenous river fish it contributes to their abundant presence in the Ústí and Liberec Regions.
Besides the Bílina River, Unipetrol and the fishermen jointly take care of the Elber River as well. In cooperation with the local fishermen organization, fish are planted in Neratovice in the vicinity of the local chemical plant. Repeated fishing tournaments as well as regular monitoring of the state and condition of the local fish population indicate the cleanliness of the water around Spolana production site.