Following advice and with the assistance of the Environment Agency and a generous donation from an overstocked local angling club, 78 carp were successfully rehomed to Doctors Pond on Friday 20th March.
All fish were health-checked prior to release to ensure that they were healthy and free from parasites. Ben Norrington, from the Environment Agency, confirmed that this number of carp is a appropriate and healthy stock level for a pond of this size, in contrast to the 2000+ carp that were previously rehomed.
He also advised that the Environment Agency will be providing tench during the winter months, and will additionally help maintain the ecological balance of the pond by topping it up with small perch. These perch act as a natural predator, helping to control eggs and detritus and supporting a stable, healthy environment.
Mr Norrington expressed that he was very pleased with the current condition of Doctors Pond and thanked the Town Council, local fisheries and other advisers for working collaboratively to achieve such a positive outcome in resolving the algae bloom issue.
In line with Environment Agency guidance, fishing at Doctors Pond should NOT resume until the closed season ends on 15th June.