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Clapham Common’s pond set to transform

The Environment Agency and the London Borough of Lambeth have been working together to restore Mount Pond back to its former glory, in a bid to attract families, schools, anglers and wildlife enthusiasts from across the city.

Mount Pond is one of the very few free fisheries available to anglers in South London and is a valuable, historical and popular local amenity.  Income from rod licences is enabling the Environment Agency to fund a study that will investigate the restoration of the fishery following the death of over 200 carp in 2007 and 2008 due to poor water quality.

The funding will enable OHES Environmental Consultancy to carry out fisheries, habitat and a silt assessment on the pond.  They will be using the results of their surveys and discussions with pond-users to come up with costed options to improve the pond. This will then allow further funding bids to be made by the Environment Agency, London Borough of Lambeth and Clapham Angling Preservation Society for the full restoration of the pond.

OHES Environmental Consultancy have completed the first stage of their work, which included a fish survey.  Several sweeps with a large seine net captured 22 carp, ranging from 3kg to 6.2kg in weight and all in good condition. No other fish were caught. A key project aim is to improve and maintain fish population at a level that allows for both good fishing and healthy, happy fish.

Emma Barton, Fisheries Officer for the Environment Agency said: “This is a fantastic example of the rod licence payer’s money going towards a project that will directly benefit the fishing community at a highly popular venue in an urban area of South London”.