'I've never seen anything like it' say anglers after hundreds of dead fish found in West Lothian loch

Local anglers said they have “never seen anything like it” after hundreds of dead fish were discovered in a loch in West Lothian.

Images from Linlithgow Loch showed a large amount of dead fish washed up at the popular trout fishing spot – sparking an investigation.

Scottish Water and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) said they are aware of the incident and attended the site on Tuesday, November 12.

The incident is believed to be linked to pollution but investigations are under way to confirm the cause.

Hundreds of fish found dead at Linlithgow Loch STV News

Local anglers who regularly use the loch said finding the dead fish was “concerning”

Tom Lambert, secretary of Linlithgow Loch Fishery, told STV News: “We had never seen anything like it. There must have been over 100 dead young roach.

“It is quite concerning, fish killed like that it must have been a chemical of some sort. It’s not sewage.

“We’ve been told not to remove the fish until investigations are complete.

“We’re hoping for a good conclusion.”

He added: “We’ve never seen anything on this scale before. I’ve seen clumps of sewage before but nothing like this.

“If it’s happened now, it could easily happen again. That’s a problem.

“To see any wildlife – whether its fish or birds – being affected by human input is not good. It’s sad and disappointing.”

A Scottish Water spokesperson said: “We have found no issues with any of our infrastructure in the area but will assist SEPA in any investigation that is carried out.”

A spokesperson for SEPA said: “SEPA received reports of a number of dead fish found in Linlithgow Loch on November 11 and officers attended the site the following day.

“We continue to work with partners as we investigate potential causes for the incident.

“We would like to thank those who submitted reports and encourage anyone who is concerned about a potential pollution incident to contact SEPA as soon as possible via the Pollution Hotline 0800 80 70 60 or by submitting a form online at sepa.org.uk/report.”