Pickering anglers take legal action against Environment Agency over 'failure' to stop sewage spills at Costa Beck

Pickering Fishery Association said the river was once one of the best trout and grayling rivers in Yorkshire, but frequent sewage spills have contributed to a decline of the beck’s ecology.

Martin Smith, of Pickering Fishery Association, said: “Costa Beck is a small, spring-fed stream with a delicate ecology that cannot possibly flourish with frequent raw sewage spills combined with other sources of pollution.”

Fish Legal, on behalf of the association, has applied to the High Court for a judicial review of long-term plans for the river that “do not tackle sewage discharges” despite, they claim, the regulator having linked spills to the river’s degraded ecology.

The final round of the Environment Agency’s river basin management plans, which began in 2009, was signed off by Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey in December last year.

A sewer storm overflow from Yorkshire Water’s Pickering treatment works discharged into Costa Beck more than 250 times in 2020 and more than 400 times in 2019.

The group’s case claims that spill numbers could be significantly reduced if Yorkshire Water maintained and operated its treatment works “in line with industry standards”.

Pickering Fishery Association argue that fish populations have become “progressively worse” for almost two decades and that “inadequate” permits held by Yorkshire Water should now be reviewed and updated.

Andrew Kelton, solicitor at Fish Legal, said: “20 years ago, the Government set a target that by 2027 the Costa Beck should achieve ‘good ecological status’. Yet, fish populations in the river were categorised as ‘poor’ in 2009 and have remained at bare survival levels ever since.

“In successive planning cycles, the Environment Agency has tinkered around the edges but has failed to grasp the nettle of continuing industry pollution, especially by the water company.”

Mr Smith said the updated plan “proposes little real action”.

A Defra spokesperon said: “We have been very clear that a significant reduction in discharges must be achieved as quickly as possible – and our new Plan for Water sets out the increased investment, tougher enforcement, and tighter regulation to tackle this issue.

“We’ve put the strictest targets ever on water companies, requiring them to deliver the largest infrastructure programme in their history.”