Heat partly responsible for dead fish

Tuesday 09 August 2022

Agriculture, Countryside & Land Management Services (ACLMS) says it is aware of numerous dead fish in Saumarez Park pond, and have suggested that high heat, lack of rainfall, and islanders feeding the ducks are causing the problem

Some islanders reported seeing multiple dead fish around the banks of the pond in the last few days.

Responding to Express’ questions, ACLMS 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.”

ACLMS says it is now arranging for “a few tankers of non-potable” water to be emptied into the pond this week to reduce fish mortalities. 

Pictured: Dead fish were spotted in the pond earlier this year. 

Islanders are also asked to not feed the ducks when visiting the park “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”. 

“As the hot weather conditions continue, ACLMS will monitor the pond and fish population. Conditions will improve in autumn when the pond naturally starts to fill again,” it said.