During summer 2025, long dry spells caused several ponds to dry up. This led to low oxygen levels and sadly, fish deaths. These ponds depend on rain to stay healthy, and with climate change, these problems are becoming more common.
Most of these ponds weren’t originally made for fishing. Over time, local people added fish, and some areas became informal fishing spots. In a few cases, angling clubs were involved, but with limited success.
To tackle these issues, we’ve been working with the Environment Agency to create a long-term plan for managing ponds across the city. Together, we’ve identified five ponds that regularly face problems, are not suitable for fishing, and often raise concerns from the public.
Have your say on our fishing lakes and lake naturalisation consultation
There are a number of fishing pools in the city, many of which are run by local angling clubs.