Washing-up Liquid

[Andy Macfarlane]

In days gone by, although still within my lifespan, washing-up liquid was used to de-oxygenate pools, so that game fish could be simply scooped up with a net.

 

I can't imagine it's very good for the fish/environment at all. It might only affect fish temporarily but what about all the little plankton etc? Surely detergent has a greater effect on them and then other animals further up the food-chain as a result?

[richjones]

Thanks for your replies guys. As mentioned, I was equally as concern for the food the trout would be eating

(insect life etc) as the actual fish themselves. If we said maybe one bottle of washing up liquid going into a small river in the space of a few hours then I suppose it would be quite diluted, but the long term effects could be more serious.

 

I will take your advice and call the EA.

 

thanks

[Steve Walker]

I seem to remember that even very low concentrations of detergents can massively knock back oxygen transfer at the surface. Not such an issue for coarse fish on the Trent, but perhaps catastrophic for trout in a small stream in summer. I would also imagine that high concentrations do appalling things to the membranes of the gills of fish and other aquatic organisms.