BRITAIN’S LOST FISH — Extinct Species That Once Filled Our Rivers

A cinematic journey through Britain’s vanished freshwater species — the ghost fish that once shaped our rivers, our wildlife, and the memories of generations of anglers.

Across the Thames, the Severn, the Trent, and quiet chalk streams, these fish once surged, spawned, and fed entire ecosystems. Their disappearance happened quietly, erased by pollution, industrial change, dredging, warmer waters, and broken migration routes.

In this atmospheric documentary we explore:

• The Burbot — Britain’s only freshwater cod, lost to warming rivers

• The Allis Shad — silver spring shoals shattered by dams and weirs

• The Twaite Shad — once abundant, now confined to a few surviving runs

• The Zope / Blue Bream — a species erased from the Thames by pollution

• The Smelt — the “cucumber fish,” lost from many historic rivers

• The Sturgeon — a colossal migrant driven out by nets and industry

Through historical angling scenes, ghostly wildlife imagery, and narration inspired by expert accounts, this episode examines how freshwater extinctions often unfold in silence — and what these vanished species can teach us about protecting the fish that remain.

If you enjoy atmospheric nature storytelling, ghostly river histories, and cinematic fishing documentaries, you’ll feel right at home.

Thank you for watching. Protect the rivers you love.

Music Credits

The following music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) is included in this video.
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
“Dreams Become Real”


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