No evidence of pollutants in Dorset angling lake
Tests have been carried out in Chickerell by the Environment Agency
Tests on a Dorset angling lake, where thousands of fish have died, have shown no evidence of pollutants in the water.
The Environment Agency (EA)'s been carrying out checks at Harbour Bridge Lakes at Chickerell, Weymouth.
70% of the fish in the lakes are reported to have died, with some birds also being affected after feeding on them.
It had been claimed that a contaminate had been poured into the water around Good Friday (8th April), but tests seem show nothing untoward.
EA have said early indications are that the probable cause of the fish deaths is algae growth, limiting oxygen present.
An Environment Agency spokesperson said:
“We continue to investigate what caused a significant fish kill in Chickerell. We await the final results of testing. But early indications are that the most probable cause of this incident was algae growth, which would have affected the amount of dissolved oxygen present. Water quality sampling has not found any evidence of pollutants likely to have contributed to the fish kill.
“If left unchecked, weeds and blooms pose a risk to the environment, particularly fish, because they limit the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water – particularly overnight. If you use a river or lake and see dead or distressed fish, contact our hotline 0800 807060.”