Help Sitemap Home Skip Navigation Contact Us Disability Statement


Anglers' fury over swimmers' cull plan

Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image

Published Date: 10 November 2009
A FRESHWATER swimming club's plan to cull hundreds of fish to improve water clarity at a lake has sparked fury from anglers, with one of them chained to the railings yesterday.
The fishermen share Henleaze Lake, in Bristol, with the outdoor swimmers, who want to reduce algae.

Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 09 November 2009 7:16 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

SouthernSkye,

10/11/2009 06:38:46
Why not let the anglers continue but, instead of returning fish, let them keep ones over a certain size until the idea number of fish is reached? Everyone is a winner (except the fish!) and food is provided also.
2

stonepark,

Cumnock 10/11/2009 09:25:33
Fish Destocking at Henleaze Lake
Last year the Management Committee of Henleaze Lake commissioned a specialist report on water quality and fish stock at the Lake. We received the final report of 164 pages in May 2009 and it has since been considered in detail.
The good news is that there is no evidence of pollution at the Lake. The consultants compared the Lake water to a natural mountain Lake in term of its low pollution levels.
The consultants did identify other issues including:
? The Lake is heavily overstocked with fish especially carp, bream and roach. The stock levels are many times the Environment Agency’s recommended stocking levels. There is a need to decrease the fish stock.
? The fish have poor growth rates. It is hoped that by destocking the condition of the fish stock will improve and growth rates increase.
? Some fish have a category 2 fish parasite which means no fish from the Lake can be transferred to another water environment except to another enclosed lake that already has the same category 2 parasite.
? Dissolved oxygen (DO) levels can be too low especially during periods of hot weather, giving cause for concern and could result in significant fish deaths. Overstocking increases the likelihood of such significant fish deaths because of low DO levels. We hope that by reducing the fish stock the risk of significant fish deaths from low DO levels will be reduced.
? Water clarity is poor and has declined over the last 20 years. It is believed the overstocking of bottom feeding fish is one of the reasons the water clarity has declined. .
A copy of the report was sent to the Environment Agency who approved the various actions to be taken including the fish destocking.
A ten year Water Management Plan is being drawn up by the consultants, and we will again consult with the Environment Agency before this is finalised. This plan will require significant investment by the Club but will benefit all users. The first major action from this Plan wil
3

stonepark,

Cumnock 10/11/2009 09:26:58
The first major action from this Plan will be to reduce fish stocks in the Lake by removal of some carp, bream and roach. Those fish that are kept will be selected as the best specimens. The Lake will still be overstocked after the fish removals. The strategy being adopted is to leave a high proportion of predators (pike and perch) so that the smaller silver fish will be further reduced over the coming years.
Unfortunately because the fish have the category 2 parasite and we and the Environment Agency have not been able to find another water environment where they could be transferred to, the fish will have to be destroyed. This will be done in a humane way according to Environment Agency guidelines. We deeply regret this but have no other option.
The Club is completely committed to angling at the Lake and maintaining a mixed coarse fish stock, at a level compatible with good water quality, suitable for a local fishery.
Mark Thompson
Management Committee
Henleaze Swimming Club
4

drunken proffet,

Tassy 10/11/2009 09:41:49
I was going to add something but those guys evidently know what they are doing. Net it or bomb it and restock. That, I may add, is not a scientific solution, but it appears to be what other folk do, even in Tasmania.

 

Comment on this Story

 

In order to post comments you must Register or Sign In

 
 
RSS Feed of this article's comments
Delivery formats: RSS, Atom, Javascript & Email
 
  

 
 


Sister Newspapers:
Press Complaints Commission

This website and its associated newspaper adheres to the Press Complaints Commission’s Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then contact the Editor by clicking here.

If you remain dissatisfied with the response provided then you can contact the PCC by clicking here.