VIDEO courtesy Chris Digata
A NORTH American water beetle is being drafted in to munch through pond weed in the Sankey Canal after thousands of fish are feared to have perished after being starved of oxygen.
Volunteers from the Dallam Angling Club have been busy clearing weed, installing barriers and saving as many fish as possible.
But it is feared many thousands of fish, some as old as 30 years have died, suffocating due to lack of oxygen caused by the pond weed which is native to North America.
The weed currently stretches right the way from Bewsey locks to the Fiddlers Ferry Yacht Haven.
The Environment agency have provided two oxygen producing machines and a propane generator which has allowed a small area to be oxygenated enough to save some fish.
Now to help tackle the problem an aquatic weevil native to North America, which eats the weed, is being drafted in.
Earlier this month the borough council warned residents to take extra care in Sankey Valley Park – because the mat of green weed has made parts of the canal look like solid ground.
Visitors should take care not to allow children or pets to attempt to walk on the canal as they will fall through the floating weed into the water.
The plant is Azolla and not native to Britain. It has spread from garden and ornamental ponds to the wider countryside and can grow rapidly during warm weather, doubling in size and cover over four to five days.
Azolla is not poisonous, however thick carpets which develop over large areas block sun light to water oxygenating plants in the canal.
It is hoped the tiny weevil native to North America will be successful in controlling Azolla and will breed and reproduce rapidly to eat the plant.
This natural method of control has no detrimental effect to native wildlife and the weevil will die once the food source has been consumed.
Warrington Borough Council is working with the Environment Agency and the angling group to monitor oxygen levels in the canal and control the spread of the plant wherever possible.
PICTURES PAUL JACKSON
1 Comment
About time too and it’s disgraceful that the Envoronment Agency and Council have allowed it to get so bad before any action has finally been taken !!! So sad that so many fish have needlessly died 🙁
Well done to the volunteers from Dallam Angling Club, they were there earlier in the week working very trying to clear areas and oxygenate the water and save fish.