The last confirmed capture of a burbot (Lota lota) in a UK river, was on the 14th of September 1969, in the Old West River at Aldreth, Cambridgeshire. Despite sporadic reports of subsequent captures, it is generally accepted that the burbot has been extirpated from the British Isles. Opinion is divided over the reasons for the loss of this species; climate change, overfishing, pollution and habitat destruction have all been advanced as possible causes, however, no research has been carried out to fully quantify the burbot’s decline. A study was conducted following the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) guidelines on species reintroduction. The project investigated the causes of the burbot’s extinction in the UK, determined whether these factors are still prevalent and whether any future risks threaten the species. Based on the research outcomes that examined the species’ biological and ecological requirements, genetic lineage, critical life history traits, and public perception associated with a possible reintroduction, the feasibility of reintroducing the burbot to the UK was assessed.
The research was funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation (Grant Number: EN/06-0469) and the Trent Rivers Trust.
Publications:
Worthington, T., Kemp, P., Osborne, P.E., Howes, C. & Easton, K. (2010). Former distribution and decline of the burbot (Lota lota) in the UK. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 20: 371-377 (doi:10.1002/aqc.1113).
Worthington, T., Tisdale, J., Kemp, P., Williams, I. & Osborne, P.E. (2010). Public and stakeholder attitudes to the reintroduction of the burbot, Lota lota. Fisheries Management and Ecology 17: 465-472 (doi:10.1111/j.1365-2400.2010.00745).
Worthington, T., Kemp, P. & Osborne, P.E. (2011). Factors affecting the population viability of the burbot, Lota lota. Fisheries Management and Ecology 18: 322-332 (doi:10.1111/j.1365-2400.2011.00786).
Worthington, T., Kemp, P.S., Osborne, P.E., Dillen, A., Coeck, J., Bunzel-Drüke, M., Naura, M., Gregory, J. & Easton, K. (2011). A spatial analytical approach for selecting reintroduction sites for burbot in English rivers. Freshwater Biology 57: 602-611 (doi:10.1111/j.1365-2427.2011.02712).
People:
Dr Tom Worthington
Prof. Paul Kemp
Dr. Patrick Osborne