Direct individual measurements
Largest motherless minnow / sunbleak 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 | Main River AxeSouth West | 14.3 cm (5.6 in) | 8.2 cm (3.2 in) | 100 | 28 May 1991Downstream Lower Weare |
| 2 | River ShuttleSouth East | 10.9 cm (4.3 in) | 10.2 cm (4 in) | 2 | 26 May 2021Bexley Park, River Shuttle |
| 3 | River Tetford Country CottagesAnglian | 8 cm (3.1 in) | 7.1 cm (2.8 in) | 31 | 10 Nov 2004Tetford Country Cottages - Stock Pond |
| 4 | Main River ParrettSouth West | 7.9 cm (3.1 in) | 4.5 cm (1.8 in) | 255 | 21 Jul 2008Westover Bridge (Te) |
| 5 | King's Sedgemoor DrainSouth West | 7.6 cm (3 in) | 4.9 cm (1.9 in) | 32 | 7 Sept 2011u/s Parchey |
| 6 | Durleigh BrookSouth West | 7.5 cm (3 in) | 4.8 cm (1.9 in) | 81 | 10 Apr 2006Downstream Durleigh Reservoir |
| 7 | Main River ToneSouth West | 7.2 cm (2.8 in) | 7.2 cm (2.8 in) | 1 | 14 Apr 2015Newbridge |
| 8 | Bridgwater / Taunton CanalSouth West | 6.9 cm (2.7 in) | 5 cm (2 in) | 32 | 12 May 1994Coxland |
| 9 | Sowy RiverSouth West | 6.8 cm (2.7 in) | 4.9 cm (1.9 in) | 89 | 6 Jul 2011Monksleaze Clyse (Te) |
| 10 | Main River IsleSouth West | 6.6 cm (2.6 in) | 5.3 cm (2.1 in) | 21 | 28 Jun 2017Midelney |
Equal maximum lengths are ordered by sample size. Measurements are shown as recorded and are not converted into estimated weights.
924 fish measured
Measured motherless minnow / sunbleak lengths
The median divides the measured sample in half. This distribution describes surveyed fish, not every motherless minnow / sunbleak living in England.
Only positive individual lengths that pass RiverFish's general measurement checks are included. Each bar covers a 20 mm range.
Latest EA evidence
Latest motherless minnow / sunbleak observations
The ten most recent survey visits that recorded motherless minnow / sunbleak in named waterways.
| Date | River or waterway | Survey location | Fish recorded |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jun 2025 | River Cary | Cradle Bridge | 8 |
| 23 Jun 2022 | Main River Isle | Midelney | 1 |
| 26 May 2021 | River Shuttle | Bexley Park, River Shuttle | 2 |
| 14 Jun 2018 | River Great Stour | Grove Ferry | 1 |
| 12 Jul 2017 | River Cary | Cradle Bridge | 1 |
| 29 Jun 2017 | Sowy River | Monksleaze Clyse (Te) | 23 |
| 28 Jun 2017 | Main River Isle | Midelney | 3 |
| 20 Jun 2017 | Durleigh Brook | Downstream Durleigh Reservoir | 10 |
| 14 Oct 2015 | River Mole | Downstream Gatwick | 1 |
| 21 Jul 2015 | River Wantsum | Wantsum AC car park | 1 |
A survey record confirms motherless minnow / sunbleak at that place and time. It does not show present-day abundance or fishing access.
74 positive survey visits
Survey distribution
EA surveys recorded motherless minnow / sunbleak at 40 locations across 21 named waterways represented on RiverFish.
| Region | Waterways | Locations | Survey visits | Latest record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South West | 14 | 33 | 67 | 5 Jun 2025 |
| South East | 6 | 6 | 6 | 26 May 2021 |
| Anglian | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 Nov 2004 |
9 detailed pages
Motherless minnow / Sunbleak by river
Open any river-specific page for its measured lengths, largest surveyed individuals, locations and observation history.
South West 9 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 motherless minnow / sunbleak.
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 →