ANGLERS are being urged to return any fish they catch in the River Skerne at Darlington in an effort to safeguard future stocks.

The Environment Agency's plea follows concern about the numbers of trout being taken from the river.

On one occasion, 17 trout were taken in a day, and such incidents are affecting the efforts of the Agency to replenish the river.

Fisheries officer Richard Holmes said: "Unless anglers return most of the fish they catch there will not be any left in the river to breed and produce the next generation."

The Skerne has suffered from pollution in the past, but the agency has been working with industry to improve the water quality.

In 2000 the agency spent £15,000 restocking the river with dace, chub and trout, following a pollution incident, in an effort to kick-start the population.

Mr Holmes added: "Anglers are reminded they can only remove fish with the permission of the fishery owner, but we would ask that anglers and fishery owners restrict their take to just two in order to give the fishery a chance to recover.

"We would also like to remind any anglers who want to fish for the trout that they should be using appropriate baits and that maggots are strictly banned during the coarse fish close season.