 Trout were among the fish killed |
An estimated 100,000 fish were killed after insecticide got into drains on an industrial site near a river, the Environment Agency said. Officers said pollution spread over a 13-mile (21km) stretch of the River Slea, in Lincolnshire, devastating fish stocks.
Brown trout, dace, perch, pike, roach, tench and eels were killed when cypermethrim was released into the surface water drains of an industrial site in Sleaford.
Cypermethrim is an insecticide which is extremely toxic to fish and aquatic life.
John Giles, team leader of environment management for the agency, said: "This is one of the most severe river pollution incidents in Lincolnshire in living memory.
 We will continue to do what we can to bring this stretch of the River Slea back to life  |
"What makes this case particularly sad is that it could have been easily avoided had procedures for the storage and movement of potentially dangerous chemicals been followed properly."
It is believed the chemical was released into the watercourse on 15 or 16 February.
The agency confirmed a prosecution is being considered.
The insecticide has been contained at the source and officers said there should be no further pollution of the river.
"We will continue to do what we can to bring this stretch of the River Slea back to life," said Mr Giles.
"That will include a programme of survey work which will let us know when invertebrate life has returned sufficiently to sustain fish re-stocking."
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