Category
Wildlife monitoring schemes
Capabilities
FMS works with Environment Agency fish monitoring teams to collect roach annually from a range of UK rivers. The fish are euthanised by anaesthetic and frozen at -80C. Some of the fish carcasses have been analysed for pollutants, while most frozen samples are kept in the Fish Tissue Archive (see sub-category 4 below) for future use. Analyses carried out so far include: Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs); metals; antimicrobial resistance genes; pharmaceuticals in bile; and microplastics in guts.
Lifecycle
The Fish Monitoring Scheme has been running since 2007.
Uniqueness
FMS provides the only systematic monitoring and archives of freshwater fish samples in the UK.
Partners
FMS is part of the Wildlife Disease & Contaminant Monitoring Scheme (WILDCOMS). This network enhances interaction between all the major vertebrate disease and contaminant monitoring programmes in the UK, thereby providing an integrated and comprehensive overview of disease and contaminant risks to UK wildlife. FMS also works with other monitoring schemes across Europe through the EURAPMON network to enhance the ability of monitoring schemes from across Europe to exchange knowledge, data and best practice.
Access
FMS outputs and data are available online
Location
FMS is based at UKCEH Wallingford where the network is managed and samples stored, and operates across the UK.
Funding sources
FMS is funded by: NERC National Capability LTSS UK-SCaPE programme; plus support in-kind from the Environment Agency.
Users
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FMS users include: government regulators of chemical use; chemical manufacturers; environmental researchers.
Last updated
02 November 2022 15:11
