Lucy
Harding - 5-Sep-2006 - The Environment Agency
has finished essential improvement work that will
help safeguard the future life of Holland Lakes
in Oxted, Kent for the next 30 years.
Holland Lakes has just had its
first fishing event since work was completed and,
with one angler catching a 10lb 5oz carp, indications
are that the project has been successful and fish
in the lake are doing well.
The Environment Agency was called
out to Holland Lakes in Oxted in the summer of
2004 with reports of fish in distress. Fisheries
Officers managed to save the fish by aerating
the pond to raise oxygen levels in the water.
Holland Angling Club, who lease the lakes, later
carried out an investigation to find out what
had caused the drop in oxygen levels. It looked
at the amount of silt in the lakes and how many
fish were in it. The investigation identified
that there was too much silt in the lakes.
The Environment Agency Kent
Fisheries team used £25,000 from money made
from rod licence sales across the country to carry
out a project to remove silt from the lakes. Silt
was dug out of the lakes and used to build up
the banks.
Environment Agency Fisheries
Technical Support Officer, Ben Lord, said:
“Just two years ago we were
called out to rescue fish in distress at Holland
Lakes so we’re really pleased to have completed
the work. The angling club reported that their
first fishing event went well – this is a really
good sign that the project has been successful.
“We plough all the money we
raise through rod and line licence sales back
into maintaining, improving and developing fisheries.
This is just one fantastic example of how we spend
the money raised.”
