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The charity making life better by water

Freshwater fish species

Our canals and rivers hold a great variety of fish. But do you know which are native? Which are protected? And which are actually classed as invasive species?

The more you know about a fish, the more fun you can have fishing. We;ve put together this helpful guide to the most common types of fish found in our canals and rivers and included hints and tips on the best ways to catch them too.

Remember to buy your rod licence and your Waterway Wanderers permit before you go fishing.

Meet our favourite native fish

Some of the rarest fish in our waterways

A few unwelcome invaders

Note: All references to record-breaking size fish are taken from the British Record Fish Committee January 2015.

Our fish species guide has been brought to life thanks to wonderful images from Jack Perks Photography.

Last Edited: 17 August 2023

photo of a location on the canals
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