ANGLERS are being asked to report catches from the River Ribble in a bid to discover if seals have damaged fish stocks in the winter.

Two seals invaded the River Ribble earlier this year in search of food, and locals named one Murphy' as it was thought to have arrived from Ireland.

They were spotted at Walton-le-Dale and one went as far up as Ribchester, where it is thought to have stayed for three months.

A world expert on seals estimated they could each eat eight kilos of fish a day, which added up to a potential fish loss of two square kilometres of river in total.

Now the Environment Agency has said there may have been "significant local damage."

Lancashire Fisheries Consultative Association, a link between water-holding clubs and the Environment Agency, is widening its Ribble catch monitoring, which has been running since fish-eating sea birds, cormorants, struck in 1989.

Secretary John Weedon, who has monitored the Ribble's history for 40 years in regional and national newspapers and magazines, explained: "The seals haven't put anglers off from fishing, and there have been some really good catches up and down the river.

"But worryingly one angler told me that he had caught a number of barbel about 1lb, which had bite marks.

"Now we want to extend this catch appeal as wide as possible, so I hope as many anglers as possible will join in and help. This exercise is vitally important.

"Reports of no fish are just as important as double-figure barbel and 6lb chub. I am quite happy not to reveal locations, if that's what anglers want.

"We'll go where facts take us, with no snap judgments and it will probably be into November before any damage assessments can be made."

However, Ian Bentley, local resident and former Environment Agency baliff stated that: "No one has noticed a difference.

"There's no way that one or two seals would make any difference at all. If anything, catches are improving. Recently, the local fishing's been really good."

Reports can be sent to: John Weedon, 15, Elm Road, Abram, Wigan WN2 5XG. Tel:01942 866474 or e-mailed to: john@weedonj.freeserve.co.uk