Yellow fish campaign launches in Adur and Worthing

Released: Tuesday, 12 August 2025

Yellow fish are set to appear beside dozens of drains in Adur and Worthing as part of a national campaign to help prevent coastal waters from being polluted.

We have partnered with Southern Water and the Environment Agency to highlight the damage that can be done when waste is poured down drains carrying surface water into the sea.

Across the area there are dozens of surface drains, particularly along coastal roads and paths, which collect and transport rainwater away from roads.

Surface drains are designed to only transport rainwater, and are linked straight to the sea via outlet pipes along the foreshore. Liquid waste including plaster, paint, chemicals and even campervan waste or dog poo entering the area's surface drains means that local water quality is being directly affected as a result.

To raise awareness of the issue, large stickers featuring yellow fish are being positioned beside surface drains along the seafronts in Worthing and Shoreham, at the areas which are believed to be the worst affected by third-party contamination locally. Signs will also be installed near the stickers to explain their meaning and direct people to more information.

Local swimmers, residents and citizen scientists are kindly helping with the rollout in Goring, which is taking place this Friday and will cover surface drains from opposite Amberley Drive to Wallace Avenue. Goring will be the first area to receive the stickers, with other parts of Worthing and Shoreham expected to get them in the coming weeks.

Southern Water and the Environment Agency will also be hosting a pop-up stall at Goring Greensward on Friday morning to answer any questions people may have about the campaign or seawater quality in general.

The campaign, supported by the catchphrase ‘only rain down the drain', forms part of our ongoing work to improve the standard of our bathing water sites.

Councillor Andy Harvey, Adur's cabinet member for the environment and leisure, said:

“It will be fantastic to see yellow fish appearing beside key surface drains in Shoreham. The campaign is a great reminder that the public also has a big role to play in protecting our coastal waters, for the benefit of residents, visitors and the environment.”

Along with the Environment Agency and Southern Water, we are committed to improving the standard of our bathing water sites - particularly in Worthing, which currently hosts two ‘sufficient' sites and a single ‘poor' location as a result of last year's classifications.

It's hoped that the Environment Agency's seawater samples from this year's bathing season, which runs from May to September, will show signs of progress, as the town's two new bathing sites at Goring Beach and Worthing Beach House have led to several sources of pollution being identified and halted.

Councillor Vicki Wells, Worthing's cabinet member for environmental services, said:

“We're committed to improving our coastal water quality. We are working collectively with the Environment Agency and Southern Water to test, find and fix sources of pollution.

“We've now got three designated bathing areas and have a better picture of the types and sources of pollution impacting Worthing coastal water. Road surface drains are also part of the jigsaw puzzle, as the source of potential contamination of both chemical and bacterial pollution. The yellow fish campaign aims to help inform residents and visitors that surface drains are a no-go for disposing of their waste.

“Even litter such as cigarette butts can be easily washed into surface drains and affect seawater quality, so it's hugely important that we all dispose of our waste responsibly.

“Together, we can protect our coastal waters for the benefit of all.”

It is hoped that the campaign will encourage residents and visitors to dispose of their liquid waste responsibly, either at their nearest recycling centre or another specialised site.

Rob Butson, Bathing Water Manager for Southern Water, said:

“It's vital we all work together to protect our beautiful beaches and bathing waters. Campaigns like Yellow Fish really help engage the community and spread the message that only rain should go down the drain!

“We're proud to work in partnership with Adur & Worthing Councils to help play our part in improving bathing water quality across our region.”

To find out more about the area's bathing water sites, see:

Bathing water quality - Seawater