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Posted By: Tess65 Central Park Big Lake - dead fish - 18th Jul 2013 6:34pm
I visited Central Park in Liscard today for the first time in donkeys years.

There were several large and very dead fish at the edge of the big lake, I could see other large fish struggling in the water. The lake looks like grean algae soup, and I assume that is why the fish are dying.

Does anyone know if anything can be done about this?

(I emailed the council when I got home tonight, I'll ring them tomorrow as well).
Tess x.
Posted By: _Ste_ Re: Central Park Big Lake - dead fish - 18th Jul 2013 6:37pm
Shocking, the lake was always clean years ago.
Posted By: Tess65 Re: Central Park Big Lake - dead fish - 18th Jul 2013 6:42pm
The water looks dark green, and you can see green swirls throughout the water, I assume it is algae.

The water really doesn't look like water should look...!

Poor fish.....
Posted By: Moonstar Re: Central Park Big Lake - dead fish - 18th Jul 2013 7:03pm
They should be oxygenating the water in this weather. Those poor fish. Wonder how the Birkenhead Park fish are doing.
Posted By: RUDEBOX Re: Central Park Big Lake - dead fish - 18th Jul 2013 7:23pm
So sad.Wasn't it this green algae that killed off fish in Captains Pit, a while back?
Posted By: Tess65 Re: Central Park Big Lake - dead fish - 18th Jul 2013 7:40pm
For what it's worth, my OH has just emailed the Wirral Globe...

The fish in that lake really are in a desperate situation, it's so sad.
Posted By: venice Re: Central Park Big Lake - dead fish - 18th Jul 2013 9:02pm
Well done to you and OH .Lets hope someone takes some quick action .
Posted By: RUDEBOX Re: Central Park Big Lake - dead fish - 19th Jul 2013 3:16pm
Well done Tess and OH


http://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/1...wave_causes_toxic_algae_to_form/?ref=rss
Posted By: _Ste_ Re: Central Park Big Lake - dead fish - 19th Jul 2013 3:51pm
great news, well done tess happy
Posted By: Habdab Re: Central Park Big Lake - dead fish - 19th Jul 2013 6:45pm
The Park Lake is only two feet deep at its deepest point. It's home to Ducks and countless Canada Geese. People feed them daily on a diet of stale bread and grain. This doesn't stay inside the birds for very long and they void the remains approximately three times an hour. I doesn't take much imagination to guess what the green soup actually is. As soon as the temperature soars,the oxygen levels decrease. The fish start spawning and they get stressed as they try to compete for a mate. The two events together are a recipe for disaster as the dead and dying fish testify.

The association of Wirral Angling clubs (A.W.A.C.) control the fishing on the lake, so I would imagine it would be up to them to try and get some oxygenating equipment there ASAP. Failing that, the Environment Agency should be informed.

This has been an ongoing problem, every year that we have hot weather. As an angler, I would rather see the fish removed to a suitable habitat than watch them die year after year.

Let's face reality, people will never stop feeding the ducks, and why should they? but by offering free food to ducks, they only encourage the Canada Geese to stay. Most of the Geese have never even seen Canada!
Posted By: Tess65 Re: Central Park Big Lake - dead fish - 20th Jul 2013 12:14pm
Thank you for your sharing your knowledge with us, Habdab smile

So really then the lake is little more than a large concreted puddle, that goes stagnant in the heat. I'm sure all would agree that any fish would be happier if moved to a more appropriate environment. Although I assume the algae issue would remain a potential problem, unless the lake was extensively re-designed and altered.

(I never knew that ducks and geese pooed three times an hour though... wow, the things you can learn from this little forum....! grin)

Tess x.
Posted By: Habdab Re: Central Park Big Lake - dead fish - 20th Jul 2013 4:07pm
The lake is actually a puddled clay bottom and was completely cleaned out around 10 years ago. As far as I know, it originally had no island and was used as a boating lake. The Island now visible is made from the mud that was piled up in the centre during an earlier cleaning attempt.

Efforts are now being made to save the Fish that remain in the lake. See the article at the link below.

http://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/1..._as_heatwave_causes_toxic_algae_to_form/
Posted By: Softy_Southerner Re: Central Park Big Lake - dead fish - 21st Jul 2013 8:09am
Originally Posted by Habdab

Most of the Geese have never even seen Canada!



~So they are the Man U supporters of the Goose world then eh??? raftl raftl
Posted By: bigpete Re: Central Park Big Lake - dead fish - 22nd Jul 2013 12:42pm
Yeh - oxygenating it would help - as the algal bloom doesn't like it - so as well as helping the fish.... QED.

The major problem with ornamentally based lakes is that most have no natural water source - which would oxygenate it naturally - see Arrowe Park Lake - where Arrowe Brook basically runs through it... but if that dries up - then that suffers too.
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