Call for ponds to be re-stocked as dwindling catches prompt pollution fears

IT’S the classic fisherman’s lament: why aren’t they biting like they used to?
But regular anglers on Hampstead Heath believe catches have dropped off so much in recent years there is little point in heading to the ponds for an afternoon’s sport.
Angler Paul Horrix has fished on the Heath for eight years and is keen to teach his two sons and two daughters the art of catching perch, bream, carp and pike at its ponds.
But his sport has been ruined – by the fish refusing to take a bite.
Now he believes the situation is so serious he is calling on the Heath’s guardians the Corporation of London to step in and start stocking the ponds to ensure angling skills are not lost.
He said: “Angling is a popular sport but not if you don’t have a chance to catch anything.
“I would like my children to enjoy it, but regular trips to the ponds have started to become fruitless.”
Mr Horrix believes an abundance of tiddler-hungry pike in the waters could be to blame. Other suspects are hungry cormorants, who take little fish. But there may also be something more sinister, such as pollution.
The toxic algae blooms that have devastated the Highgate men’s pond in recent summers can affect the food chain – leading to fewer baby fish and consequently smaller catches.
Mr Horrix is not sure – but he knows he is catching fewer fish than he used to, despite using the same tried-and-tested techniques. He said: “There used to be lots of roach and perch, but not any more.”
Mr Horrix, who lives in Glenhurst Avenue, Gospel Oak, worked in information technology before quitting to become a full-time house husband while his wife works as a high-flying tax accountant.
He hoped the extra time he had on his hands would mean he could take Emma, 10, Jack, 8, Edward, 6, and Zoe, 4, fishing at the Heath.
He said: “I learnt when I was young and it’s such a good pastime for children.
“The Heath is perfect. It’s cheap. You need a licence but they do not charge you otherwise. Most other places you have to join a club or pay for a day ticket.
“But we haven’t caught anything for months. I know there are big fish in there – but where are the tiddlers to replace them? All the babies have gone.”
He wants the Corporation of London to intervene and re-stock the ponds. “I want my kids to know what it’s like to catch them,” he said. “Fishing has a reputation of solitary guys getting away from their families, but it’s a perfect day out for your kids.
“When they caught their first fish they could not believe it. It is magical. It’s exciting and a little bit scary.
A Corporation of London spokesman confirmed it does not re-stock the ponds, as it hopes the fish population will replenish itself naturally.
It has ruled out boosting the fish population – which would require a special license.
A spokesman said: “We are in contact with fishermen and this is the first report numbers are down.
“There is no evidence of large scale losses and we have not had an increase in the number of cormorants.”
Mr Horrix is hosting a free angling event on the Heath on Sunday, December 5, when families can try their hand, and perhaps reel in a few, from 10am to 3pm at the causeway between the mixed pond and the Hampstead number two pond. Children under 16 with an adult will be made welcome. For more information, call 020 7485 6967.