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Ackers Pit.


Peter T

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Thanks P & P

 

Seems theres a lot more to 'squishy mud' than I thought :D

 

Wouldn't have thought the silt on Ackers would be partcularly contaminated (other than tree debris, fish no 2's, fish bait, rat wee and overspill water from the bridgewater.... but then again I guess its a knock on effect.

 

Would the same strict regulations be used for any landscaping materials etc etc that are brought INTO the site to complete the job too as surely there must be some involved. Just a thought :roll:

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Dismayed,

You are probably right about any likely contamination, but these things would need checking out before any movement was allowed.

But it is complicated.

Farmers have to be careful what they put on their fields these days, because the rain washes whatever and it gets into the water table.

As for the puddle, perhaps they have discovered that the costs are higher than the grant they obtained.

I don't know, just guessing.

I find the whole operation strange, as I would have thought that to clear the pit of silt, they would have removed the stuff. Instead they end up with a smaller water area.

:confused:

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Mr/Mrs Mallard waddle daily to a lady who feeds them and puts out water for them,on visiting her it is a joy to see them come waddling to her garden,even soak the bread in the water container,then have a good drink,hope they don't forget her efforts when the pit is all finished.

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There was nothing complicated with the idea, Its reasonably simple really. It seems to me that the complications have set in because someone or some organisation has taken on a project without thinking it through. We now have , No Ackers Pit,

No Fish, No Fishing, No public amenaty and some very confused ducks!! :x

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Must admit I've not been past Ackers for over a week. Has the work started again or is it still on hold? Anyone know? If it's still on hold then I guess it will stay that way :wink:

 

Clever :wink: but all in all everything so far has turned out to be a bit of a **** up (and not just with Ackers it seems :roll: )

 

Oooh and to know we have such 'experts' making decisions for us eh ? :roll:

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Originally posted by Peter:

Apart from the puddle filling up, nothing has changed. :D

Guess they'll just have to leave it as it is now then if it's all filled up again :roll: What a waste of even more taxpayers money eh?

 

On the brighter side....the kids say there are eels in there again as they've seen a load about 1ft long. Must have all been lurking in the silt waiting for water :o Guess there's nothing to eat them so at least they will thrive. Yeuch :blitzed:

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Hi Folks. I have very big ears, hence my name (wingnut) This is what I have heard.

 

 

There were only around 30 carp in the pit, which could not be released into the canal for fear that they were still carrying the disease from 2

years ago. The disease or virus only affected the carp and not any other species.

 

Ackers is fed by the canal which is "probably" how the pit became contaminated in the first place. This could be the reason why any silt can not be removed. (Grossly underestimated).

Have you seen the rats feeding on the lawn in the bungalow opposite the overflow? i can't belive people still put bread out for the ducks on this lawn. The rats come out of the grid on the roadside.

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Originally posted by Wingnut:

Hi Folks. I have very big ears, hence my name (wingnut) This is what I have heard.

 

 

There were only around 30 carp in the pit, which could not be released into the canal for fear that they were still carrying the disease from 2

years ago. The disease or virus only affected the carp and not any other species.

 

Ackers is fed by the canal which is "probably" how the pit became contaminated in the first place. This could be the reason why any silt can not be removed. (Grossly underestimated).

Have you seen the rats feeding on the lawn in the bungalow opposite the overflow? i can't belive people still put bread out for the ducks on this lawn. The rats come out of the grid on the roadside.

The report done by David Skeltenbury said 'Thousands of carp, however, have had to be humanely destroyed because of the risk of infection :D

 

As for the rats.... they said they had got rid of them all :D

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Originally posted by Gary:

Probably meant thousands of fish - he actually attended and took photos and spoke to people at the scene.

One fish is like another fish to DS! :D:wink:

 

Anyway does that still mean 'Thousands of fish were still humanely destroyed... but they weren't all carp ' :confused: .. actual article on page one of this topic.

 

Anyway no point in arguing over it cos they are all in fishy heaven now.. but how do you humanely kill a fish anyway ?

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All the fish appart from a few carp were re-intruduced back into the canal.

I was being quite liberal when I said there were only about 30 carp in the Pit, this was after the fish kill through disease or virus.

 

Incidentally, to find out if any of the remaining carp were still carying a virus which could be lying dormant waiting for the right conditions to kick it off again, an amount of them need to be taken away, and be destroyed for tests to take place.

 

Even then, there is still no gaurantee that the remaining Carp are healthy stock (DEFRA). would it be worth the risk introducing them to another water? I personally do not think so.

 

How do you kill a carp?

Dunno, ask the Eastern Europeans possibly. :wink:

 

[ 04.06.2007, 16:21: Message edited by: Wingnut ]

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I hope this helps to explain the situation.

 

LETTER FROM DEFRA.

 

Unexplained Carp Deaths - Cheshire Area

 

Thank you for your letter 16 July to Elliot Morley regarding the carp deaths in the Cheshire area. I have been asked to reply.

 

To date, approximately 350 carp have been confirmed dead in a limited geographical area including the River Weaver, the Trent and Mersey Canal, and the Bridgewater Canal.

 

The Environment Agency (EA) has carried out thorough examinations of the dead fish. As yet, no disease or infectious agent has been identified. The evidence from the spread of the deaths, the fact that only carp have died, and indications that water quality is not a cause suggests that a disease agent, most probably a virus, was responsible.

 

Despite the difficulty in identifying the disease agent, the EA have taken a precautionary approach and have banned course fish movements in the area whilst providing help and support to affected fisheries. Although angling can spread disease through tackle, nets, and so on, the risks are lower than the risk from fish movements.

 

Responsibility for the removal of dead fish lies with the fishery owner or occupier, and the Agency has encouraged owners and clubs to remove fish from affected waters. The EA have limited resources and have focused their efforts on investigating and providing information and advice on the causes and spread of the incident.

 

As you say the EA does not have the power to close fisheries. Defra can impose controls on waters, but only for notifiable diseases such as Spring Viraemia of carp (SVC) and Gyrodactylosis. If a notifiable disease is identified the Department has the necessary powers to restrict the movement of fish to and from the infected waters. At present the suspected virus is unknown, and we support the EA's precautionary approach banning fish movements in the area, and we believe that their existing advice on the maintenance of good biosecurity is the best way for Clubs and Anglers to protect waters.

 

The spread has been rapid and information is still being collected on the exact geographical extent and the numbers of deaths. The Environment Agency continues to collect samples for further forensic investigation. If a virus is identified, they expect it to run its course in the affected waters. Their role is to protect other waters and to warn against spreading any disease on tackle or by illegal fish movements.

 

Turning to restocking, this is highly regulated when involving rivers and canals, and the EA use the best available technology to screen for disease. However, the health status of stocked fish can never be totally guaranteed.

 

We are happy that the EA responded quickly to the outbreak by advising clubs and sending samples for detailed analysis. They have continued to respond to all reported incidents and to advise people through the press.

 

The agency appreciates the concerns of the angling community and will continue to work with owners and clubs to identify the cause. Over the coming weeks they will continue to provide support to owners of fisheries and will provide information on the extent and nature of the carp deaths.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Paul Chapinal

Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries.

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Originally posted by Wingnut:

All the fish appart from a few carp were re-intruduced back into the canal.

I was being quite liberal when I said there were only about 30 carp in the Pit, this was after the fish kill through disease or virus.

 

Hiya Wingnut...

 

So first it was thousands of carp.... then 30 ....and now only a few... can't people count these days :( Although I'm not into fishing myself quite a few members of may sad family are :D:wink::P

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The amount of silt to be removed was badly underestimated.

"IF" the work gets finished, the Pit will be a mere shadow of its former self. It is only my opinion, but like somebody else said earlier on, expect to see houses built on it. In angling terms, somebody has dropped a gonad. Or have they?

 

[ 04.06.2007, 22:37: Message edited by: Wingnut ]

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Incidentally. The disease/virus is reputed to have eminated from the River Weaver from an illegal stocking of F1 Hybrid Carp, no section 30 had ever been issued from the E.A. for these match sized Carp (2-3lb)to be introduced. From the Weaver it got into the Trent and Misery canal, and then on into the Bridgewater canal, and then through the feeder stream into the Pit.

 

Ackers and the canal did remain open through this time. Although the risk of spreading any virus is minimal through fishing nets etc, I did not fish either of them myself.

 

[ 04.06.2007, 23:12: Message edited by: Wingnut ]

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Originally posted by Wingnut:

The amount of silt to be removed was badly underestimated.

"IF" the work gets finished, the Pit will be a mere shadow of its former self. It is only my opinion, but like somebody else said earlier on, expect to see houses built on it. In angling terms, somebody has dropped a gonad. Or have they?

:D

 

Come on all you fishermen.... help save Ackers Puddle :D

 

Anyone with any clout out there want to back this idea?

 

[ 05.06.2007, 22:45: Message edited by: Dismayed ]

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That's right, turn it into a picnic area, where we can all go and have a pleasent summers evening with the smackheads and druggies that will take it over.

one thing though, the smackheads will not be able to hide in those trees on the opposite bank to the run off.

 

Why is that you might ask? Simple really Tarquin, because those trees will be comeing down for that nice grassed area that you mentioned.

 

ME HORSE, ME HORSE, WHERE'S ME FLIPPIN HORSE!!!

 

[ 06.06.2007, 07:23: Message edited by: Wingnut ]

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Maybe questions need to be asked of the Liberal Democrat controlled Stockton Heath Parish Council, as I understand it, it was they who made the decision to go ahead with this project and if that is the case, it is they who should be brought to account.

 

My ten year old son went past Ackers Pit last night and was most concerned by the plight of the ducks, who as he says, have been left stranded.

 

[ 06.06.2007, 08:05: Message edited by: Paul Kennedy ]

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