Concern over fish dying in Queen's Park pond in Brighton

Several crucian carps have died at Queen’s Park's pond in West Drive, Brighton.

It comes after the water level dropped by about one foot following the hot temperatures over the weekend.

One woman said it was “so sad to see all the dead fish”, while others called for the fire brigade to refill the pond.

A dead fish in the pond pictured Monday, July 11

Brighton and Hove City Council is encouraging people not to dump fish in the city's ponds due to factors such as hot weather and low oxygen levels in the water.

Richard James, who lives near Queen’s Park, said: “Over the last few days we have had to remove many dead fish as the water is dropping, and as the pond is filthy with silt and lack of water movement, I would guess fish are suffocating.

“There are a lot of fish that are alive, but as water drops we will see more die.”

The pond is filled with highway run-off that is filtered

An email from City Parks seen by The Argus noted that the fish are being “illegally dumped” by the public. 

The pond is filled naturally by filtered drains in the surrounding area but due to the hot weather and lack of rainfall, the pond’s water level has dropped.

It also does not have flowing water to keep it oxygenated.

Brighton and Hove City Council is putting up signs to warn people not to dump “unwanted fish” such as those in the pond. There are also terrapins in the pond which have been dumped.

The water level has dropped significantly

Council park rangers have been taking the dead fish out the pond.

A council spokesman said: “We appreciate that many residents are upset about fish in Queen’s Park pond dying at the moment. 

“Ultimately the problem is due to the hot, dry weather we’ve had.  

“Our chalk ponds are not fed by streams. The water comes from highway run-off that goes through filters before filling the pond. 

Dozens of dead fish have been spotted at the pond in the last few days  

“So during periods of prolonged dry weather, even with the best will in the world the water in these ponds slowly evaporates.  

“Instances of fish dying are usually as a result of low oxygen levels, which is often related to dying algal blooms as a result of hot weather. 

“There should be no fish in the ponds in our parks for precisely these reasons. 

A picture sent in of another dead fish at the pond

“But unfortunately some people release their unwanted fish into them.  

“Moving the fish at short notice is extremely difficult because of national disease testing regulations.  

“Filling the pond with tap water would be extremely expensive and would cause further algal bloom that would further remove oxygen. 

Filling the pond with tap water is not an option according to the council

“We will be putting signs up at the pond discouraging people from dumping their fish in there. 

“Due to the global climate emergency, issues around extreme weather and increasingly hot weather are only going to get worse.  

“This underlines the importance of the commitment we’ve made to becoming carbon-neutral by 2030.”