Group raises awareness about plight of rare ‘Sussex Tiger’ trout at ‘mass trespass’ north of Lewes

Landscapes of Freedom said it held the event at the vale of the North End Stream to raise awareness about the plight of the ‘Sussex Tiger’, which is unique to the county.

Naturalist and author Dave Bangs, who is the co-founder of Landscapes of Freedom, said: “If the Sussex Tiger sea trout – our mega-beast of the streams – disappears it will be the first extinction of a major genetically distinct lifeform that I know of in our Wealden Vale in our time.”

Dave, who has written books like The Land of the Brighton Line, has previously spoken to this newspaper to express fears that housing development proposals in East Sussex could threaten the existence of the Sussex Tiger. He has described this fish as a ‘highly distinctive’ and ‘iconic’ top level predator that now has ‘critically low’ numbers.

Dave said the group’s turnout on Saturday was ‘approaching 50’ and said getting to the site was difficult after the recent train derailment near Lewes. He said: “It was a good turnout really considering that.”

Dave said ‘a very good range of people’ from all over Sussex and further afield attended the event, which started at about 10.30am and finished at about 2.30pm.

He said: “We had a small rally and we took a route around, which took us onto the Ouse bank and then down the Ouse bank and back. We saw the disastrous state of the stream after the drought and the problems of the stream, and the proximity of the proposed redevelopment along the south bank.”

He said: “In the process we saw some nice things. There was a kingfisher on the Ouse and the swallows were gathering.”

Dave said ‘a lot of information was exchanged’ about the Sussex Tiger, its problems and its needs, adding: “That was very important to do really because people just don’t know this stuff.”

Dave believes that fishing groups not wanting to give away the trout’s locations, as well as a ‘strong culture of secrecy’ to protect it from disturbance and poaching, may have inadvertently put the trout at greater risk by keeping people ignorant of its existence.

A Landscapes of Freedom spokesperson said: “For decades, the decline of the Sussex sea trout has been cloaked in secrecy and silence for fear that publicity would exacerbate its decline, and because its streams and rivers are hidden from the public by lack of access rights. Now, a wave of new developments threaten the Sussex Tiger further still, with major proposed housing developments on two of the remaining safe havens for the fish: the North End Stream and the Bevern Stream, north of Lewes.”

The group said national intervention is ‘the only way’ to prevent the extinction of ‘the largest sea trout in England and Wales’. The group also said this trout has been ‘marginalised’ by nature conservation bodies and local and national authorities, while excitement grows about reintroduction efforts for beavers, pine martens and storks.

People who are interested in joining the campaign to save the Sussex Tiger can contact [email protected].