Anglers' anger at fish cull in Bristol lake
Bristol anglers have reacted angrily to plans that will see hundreds of fish in Henleaze Lake removed and killed.
The committee of Henleaze Swimming Club, which manages the lake, has decided to close it from Monday until November 17 so that the lake can be "de-stocked" to improve the water clarity.
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A certain number of fish will be returned to the water but many of the fish that are removed will be killed. The Environment Agency said the fish cannot be moved to another lake because they have a parasite in their gills which could infect other fish.
The club, which has 1,500 swimming members and 200 angling members who use the lake in Lake Road, was established in 1919.
Anglers at the club have complained about the plans, and have set up a Facebook group in protest – which currently has about 120 members.
They are concerned too few fish will be left in the lake and about the proposed disposal methods.
The Environment Agency has approved the de-stocking. Iain Turner, a fisheries technical officer at the agency, said the majority of the fish would be left in the lake.
He said that a technique called "electric fishing" would be used to drive fish towards nets and traps. This would involve putting controlled electric currents through the water, and would not harm the fish if carried out correctly.
A large number of fish will be returned to the lake, with the aim of leaving a high proportion of predators such as pike and perch to keep numbers in check.
Mr Turner said: "The fish that need to be destroyed will be put into a tank of water which has a widely used anaesthetic in it called benzocaine – this is a humane way to kill them.
"Many of the fish will actually be kept alive and taken to a research centre in order to find out more about the parasite which is affecting them."
Small roach up to a total weight of 2,200lbs will be removed, along with small bream up to a total weight of 1,100lbs. The carp population will be reduced from 156 to 65 fish.
Andy Gregory, who has fished at the lake for 35 years, said many people are very unhappy with what the club wants to do.
Mr Gregory, 46, who lives in Southmead, said: "All they are interested in is improving it for the swimmers, they don't care about the anglers. It seems like the club wants to stop us fishing."
Retired builder Brian Davis, 77, of Southmead, has been fishing at the lake for 40 years and is "disgusted" by the plans.
He said: "I am very upset by this, I can't believe it is happening. I don't understand why all these fish will be killed like this."
Lake trustee Mark Thompson said some of the reasons behind the plans were that the lake is overstocked, the fish have poor growth rates, and that water clarity is poor due to fish feeding from the bottom of the lake.
The de-stocking was suggested in a report commissioned by the club last year. Mr Thompson said no swimming members have complained about water quality.
He said: "The lake has been de-stocked once before in the late 1980s, when 7,000 fish were removed in order to reduce the fish stock.
"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."
13 Comments
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by David, Bristol
Monday, November 09 2009, 5:25PM
“In my comment I meant to say "carp care" rather than "car care".
Sorry!”
by David J-M, Bristol
Monday, November 09 2009, 5:23PM
“As a member of Henleaze lake angling section myself I am appalled by the cull and in fact by some members of the public.
It is important to note that Henleaze lake is NOT OWNED by the swimming club. It is in fact owned by the Henleaze lake commite which was set up to ensure that BOTH swimmers and anglers have an equal voice in the goings on at the lake. Within the contract for the lake that allows angling and swimming it states that swimming cannot continue if angling is stopped and vice versa.
This cull is merely a device that certain swimming members (Mark Thompson particularly) are using to get around this clause in the contract. They can say: We still allow angling so we can keep the swimming (even though there are barely any fish to angle for). What the swimmers want is the whole lake to themselves and they are using this loophole to achieve that.
It is the SWIMMERS that pollute the water with the huge amounts of sun tan lotion and oils that they transfer into the lake every day from the may to September season.
The swimmers do disturb the bottom a huge amount (they dive down).
The real problem with the clarity of the lake is the algae if the commite did something about that it would satisfy both the anglers and the swimmers.
On a closing note we DO NOT kill any fish when we angle for them, we take as best care of them as we can just look at all the "car care" products available for us to use if we have to.”
by TRUEBRIT, Bristol
Monday, November 09 2009, 1:02PM
“"It is the swimmer¿s lake"
Comments like that Robert are why this sorry afair is public, with out the anglers the lake could fold as well documented in the HSC book. As it happens they have found the fish a home, pending EA approval, so none are to be killed (my concern) and the numbers to be removed have been revised. I feel this is a fair compromise and would like to thank Mark for listening. If there were no fish to angle for I would not rejoin, if the water clarity is not to your liking you have the same choice, as killing the fish for this reason only was just not right.
Regards.”
by Robert, Bristol
Monday, November 09 2009, 11:37AM
“TRUEBRIT66, I swim in pools every week and, while the clear warm water is all very pleasant, it is not a substitute. The practise I need is outdoor swims in colder, deeper water, over unbroken long distances. The confines of a pool do not allow this. Being able to see where I am going, rather than swimming in soup is also quite nice.
As I said, I would welcome moves to improve water clarity at the lake. I would like them to take fish and anglers into account.
If you have a beef with the club, telling swimmers to go to a pool is not going to win you any support. It is the swimmer¿s lake, if you are not trying to get them on your side you are almost certainly not going to get what you want.”
by Gary, Lancashire
Saturday, November 07 2009, 1:21PM
“Why dont the EA just take out the fish and put them in other fisheries instead of killing them and then other fisheries will benefit from the stocks and then less money will need to be spent on fish stocks”