Fish move to new home to prevent more deaths (From Knutsford Guardian)

Fish move to new home to prevent more deaths

7:20pm Wednesday 19th September 2012 in News Exclusive By James Wilson

A DEAL has been agreed which will prevent a repeat of thousands of fish dying unnecessarily in Knutsford’s Moor Pool.

More than 3,000 fish died in the pool in July 2009 after torrential rain flooded parts of the town.

In the weeks before the incident temperatures hit 30C, but were followed by torrential rain that flooded parts of the town, affecting roads, businesses and a school.

The deaths were due to a lack of oxygen in the water because the protected reed beds had taken up so much of the water. The reed beds are home to the bittern – and as a result they can’t be removed.

The fish can’t be fished by anyone – and can’t pass through to Tatton Mere – and as a result the pool is home to a population that it can’t sustain.

But after some impressive work by Knutsford Town Clr Tony Dean he has secured a deal – after a two-year battle talking to various agencies – which will see some of the Moor Pool’s fish transferred to a local fishing pool.

“The major incident in 2009 wasn’t the first, and it caused a great deal of aggravation for the people who lived nearby,” he said.

“The fish will be moved to a fishing pool, and hopefully that will happen very soon. It will keep the population of the fish down and stop them from all dying like last time.”

At the latest town council meeting Clr Dean told councillors he couldn’t persuade Natural England – which looks after the reed beds – to cut them back.

Clr Barbara Coan said: “We can all remember the channel that used to be there, and we need to keep on at them so we can get it back to what it was like.”