Top-up for park pond as fish are dying
TANKERS of water are to top up the pond at Saumarez Park, after its current low levels led to a number of fish dying.
‘This has been caused by the hot weather and lack of rainfall,’ an Agriculture, Countryside & Land Management Services spokesman said.
‘The water level in the pond is slowly reducing, which is concentrating the fish into a smaller area and so reducing oxygen levels, as well as increasing ammonia, nitrites and nitrates within the water which are harmful to the fish.
‘A number of fish are moving into the shallow water and then becoming stranded and subsequently dying.’
From today, it is expected that a few tankers-full of fresh, non-drinking water will be added in the hope of reducing the mortality of the pond’s high population of fish.
Islanders have been asked to stop feeding the ducks, as this impacts on ecosystems in the pond.
‘We do ask people not to feed the ducks as this increases the levels of organic matter breaking down in their environment which in turn puts more pressure on this ecosystem, impacts on the health of pond life, and leads to a higher mortality in fish,’ said the spokesman.
ACLMS will be monitoring the pond and fish population as the hot weather conditions continue.
‘Conditions will improve in autumn when the pond naturally starts to fill again,’ the spokesman added.
‘Using tap water to fill the pond would have its own set of issues due to the chemical composition of tap water.’
La Societe conservation officer Jamie Hooper said they had not seen similar problems at its reserves, many of which have water flowing into them from connecting streams.
‘Spring tides can top them up as well,’ he said. ‘It has been very dry, but in our reserves we are seeing nothing comparable [to the situation at Saumarez Park].’
