Common bream · Abramis brama

Common bream in England's Rivers

The largest recorded measurement is 76.7 cm (30.2 in), from u/s Vexour Bridge in River Eden on 29 November 2001.

Median length: 9.9 cm (3.9 in)
Fish measured: 213,187
Named waterways: 528
Latest observation: 21 Jul 2026

Direct individual measurements

Largest common bream by waterway

Ranked by the largest individual measured in EA surveys. The sample size shows how many valid length measurements underpin each waterway's figures.

Rank	River or waterway	Largest	Median	Measured	Measured at
1	River EdenSouth East	76.7 cm (30.2 in)	14.3 cm (5.6 in)	172	29 Nov 2001u/s Vexour Bridge
2	Lincolnshire LakesAnglian	74.8 cm (29.4 in)	15.4 cm (6.1 in)	31,336	21 Jan 1998Louth Canal Refuge
3	River ColneAnglian	70.5 cm (27.8 in)	31.5 cm (12.4 in)	1,395	13 Sept 1993Alderford Mill
4	River DelphAnglian	62 cm (24.4 in)	7.8 cm (3.1 in)	347	27 Jun 2023Welmore Lake Sluice
5	Coronation ChannelAnglian	61.5 cm (24.2 in)	52.8 cm (20.8 in)	12	24 Apr 2009Clay Lake
6	Lee NavigationSouth East	60.8 cm (23.9 in)	11.5 cm (4.5 in)	407	16 Sept 2025Upstream Carthagena Lock
7	River ChelmerAnglian	60.4 cm (23.8 in)	20.5 cm (8.1 in)	1,077	14 Jun 2019Sugar Mills
8	River LeeSouth East	60.3 cm (23.7 in)	18.9 cm (7.4 in)	262	8 Oct 2009Tottenham Lock d/s
9	Relief ChannelAnglian	60.1 cm (23.7 in)	6.8 cm (2.7 in)	2,826	8 Aug 2017DS Stow Bridge
10	River ThamesSouth East	60.1 cm (23.7 in)	24.6 cm (9.7 in)	2,131	8 Jul 2005Clifton Hampden - Days (Margin)

Equal maximum lengths are ordered by sample size. Measurements are shown as recorded and are not converted into estimated weights.

213,187 fish measured

Measured common bream lengths

The median divides the measured sample in half. This distribution describes surveyed fish, not every common bream living in England.

0–19 mm

20–39 mm

3223

40–59 mm

32053

60–79 mm

43113

80–99 mm

28337

100–119 mm

18098

120–139 mm

13145

140–159 mm

11605

160–179 mm

9749

180–199 mm

7252

200–219 mm

5783

220–239 mm

4238

240–259 mm

3230

260–279 mm

2779

280–299 mm

2798

300–319 mm

2656

320–339 mm

2364

340–359 mm

2204

360–379 mm

2423

380–399 mm

2702

400–419 mm

2841

420–439 mm

3060

440–459 mm

2806

460–479 mm

2561

480–499 mm

1922

500–519 mm

1170

520–539 mm

599

540–559 mm

259

560–579 mm

580–599 mm

600–619 mm

620–639 mm

640–659 mm

700–719 mm

740–759 mm

760–779 mm

Only positive individual lengths that pass RiverFish's general measurement checks are included. Each bar covers a 20 mm range.

Latest EA evidence

Latest common bream observations

The ten most recent survey visits that recorded common bream in named waterways.

Date	River or waterway	Survey location	Fish recorded
21 Jul 2026	River Medway	Sovereign Way Tonbridge	17
21 Jul 2026	River Colne	Uxbridge	1
16 Jul 2026	River Medway	Golden Green	3
16 Jul 2026	River Colne	Watford M1 link road	5
15 Jul 2026	River Medway	Teston	2
3 Jul 2026	River Stour	Higham Hall	2
2 Jul 2026	River Dearne	Darfield (expanded 2016)	1
1 Jul 2026	River Darent	Hawley Hall	1
18 Jun 2026	River Medway	Yalding Leas	7
18 Jun 2026	River Western Rother	Fittleworth Bridge	1

A survey record confirms common bream at that place and time. It does not show present-day abundance or fishing access.

7,044 positive survey visits

Survey distribution

EA surveys recorded common bream at 2,346 locations across 528 named waterways represented on RiverFish.

Region	Waterways	Locations	Survey visits	Latest record
Anglian	211	1,228	4,106	3 Jul 2026
South East	158	554	1,782	21 Jul 2026
Midlands	69	294	618	19 Sept 2025
South West	36	96	155	3 Sept 2024
Yorkshire and North East	31	122	300	2 Jul 2026
North West	23	52	83	8 May 2025

292 detailed pages

Common bream by river

Open any river-specific page for its measured lengths, largest surveyed individuals, locations and observation history.

Anglian 131 pages

Midlands 36 pages

North West 8 pages

Manchester Ship Canal3 locations · latest 2011 River Douglas2 locations · latest 2006 River Etherow3 locations · latest 2006 River Glaze4 locations · latest 2025 River Lostock3 locations · latest 2002 River Mersey2 locations · latest 2010 River Peover Eye4 locations · latest 2006 River Wewe302 locations · latest 2014

South East 78 pages

South West 20 pages

Yorkshire and North East 19 pages

How to read this page

Survey measurements, not angling records

Environment Agency surveys are designed to monitor fish populations. Their largest measurement is not equivalent to a verified rod-and-line record, and the survey sample does not include every river or every common bream.

Waterway groups with administrative or mixed-river labels are excluded from the headline national totals and rankings. Their eligible river-specific pages remain available in the directory so no published destination is hidden.

The fish records use the Environment Agency source snapshot dated 10 August 2026.

How RiverFish handles the data →