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.

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."