Feargal Sharkey’s angling club says Environment Agency is committing an act of environmental vandalism unmatched in recent history

The angling club was founded in 1841, making it Britain’s oldest and former Undertones frontman and environmental campaigner, Feargal Sharkey is among its members.

AMF, based in the village of Stanstead Abbotts, Hertfordshire has instructed lawyers from Leigh Day’s environment team to write to the Environment Agency warning that it may bring court proceedings if the water flow is not returned to its full natural state.

According to the pre-action protocol letter, the Environment Agency began reducing the flow of the River Lee between Ware and Stanstead Abotts on 3 June 2025, without, it appears, any statutory authority.

Originally, about 156 million litres of water per day were flowing and this was initially cut to 66 million litres per day.

On 19 June 2025, the agency reduced the flow further to 30 million litres per day, before quickly bringing it back up to 66 million litres per day.

AMF, as a holder of fishing rights in the area, is entitled to the natural flow of water in the River Lee into and through the fishery.

Interference with the flow may in law be considered as nuisance, trespass or a breach of statutory duty.

Low water levels at AMF have previously led to significant damage to the aquatic ecosystem, and AMF say that wildlife and biodiversity are now being adversely impacted.

The letter also notes that the fishery has carried out “significant conservation work”, partnering with the Environment Agency to restore brown trout to the area following the impact of weirs, sluices and flood defences.

AMF falls within a special protection area and has boundaries with sites of special scientific interest.

Amwell Magna Fishery is represented by Leigh Day partner, Ricardo Gama.

Feargal Sharkey said:

“What is most extraordinary in all of this is that very government agency established to protect, conserve and ensure our river’s futures is now engaged in decimating the oldest populations of breeding brown trout in the River Lee. An act of environmental vandalism unmatched in recent history.

“At a time when the regulation of our waterways is under such intense scrutiny you would assume that the Environment Agency would be desperate to do the right thing. Well, that time has come. It is now time to make sure that our rivers can and do have a bright, prosperous future. It’s time to act, it’s time to do the right thing.”

Leigh Day partner Ricardo Gama said:

“Our client is perplexed by the Environment Agency’s inexplicable decision to alter the flow of the River Lea.

“In our client’s view, not only has this had a devastating impact on a stretch of the river, which is an internationally designated habitat, it has put at risk a brown trout conservation project that the agency itself was running with our client.

“We have now sent a judicial review pre-action letter requesting that the agency urgently restores flow to our client’s stretch of the river.”

Barney McCay of Landmark Chambers is instructed as counsel.