Trout growing proves a success at Waterside School

The scheme, the first in south Bucks, has been developed by Chilterns Conservation Board and the Impress the Chess group.
Alan Beechey, Chiltern chalk streams project officer for the conservation board has taught the children about the species. These are no longer found in the River Chess in Chesham since droughts caused sections of it to dry up and trout were unable to swim past a weir at Lord's Mill.
Mr Beechey said: "When I was a kid I remember seeing trout and it was fantastic. I remember looking over the wall in the Watermeadow car park and seeing the fish lying in the river. Chesham is very lucky to have a chalk stream. We have a very special duty to protect them.
"I'll be teaching the pupils about trout, their habitats and link in how special their chalk river is and how to keep it special. I think they have about 100 in there. They started off with 250 but normally we would expect five to ten out of 1000 will make it to adulthood. I think they have done really really well, if they get 30 or 40 to release which at the moment we are expecting that will go a long long way."
The project faced setbacks before it began as new Environment Agency regulations meant only sterile trout can be released into rivers to protect wild species- making the hunt for suitable eggs more difficult and their first set of eggs hatched during the Christmas holidays.
Mr Beechey added: "The realistic option for one unit like this is not to restock the river but the primary objective is for education."
Pupils have taken a keen interest in their new fishy classmates. John Collins, 11, said: "I like the project because I had tropical fish at home and now have goldfish."
Yasmine Weston, 10, said: "I think it's really fun. I thought it's really interesting how they have their egg sack on the bottom of their tummy."