'Environmental disaster': Concerns raised over 'oxygen starved' fish pond and damage caused to wildlife

Southampton residents are calling on Southampton City Council to maintain Shirley Pond and the surrounding area.

Locals say that the pond has had "no fresh water since March", which is starving the water of oxygen and causing havoc on the area's wildlife.

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Silt build-up, trees and bushed blocking the inlet channel at Shirley Pond

They have expressed fears of fish and other local animals dying due to the water condition.

They say fish will and are dying, and one resident noted that the ducks that once inhabited have now left.

SCC has said that they are "improving a number of fishing ponds across the city", but said the process could take a few years. They added that de-silting the pond would cost £30,000.

Shirley Pond is fed by Holly Brook through an inlet and outlet, which with oxygenation of the water and keep the water level at the right depth.

A trolley dumped in Shirley Pond

Residents claim that the area around inlet has "not been maintained by the council for years", adding that trees and bushes are growing from the pond bed. Silt has built-up in the area and is blocking both the inlet and outlet points.

A local resident told the Daily Echo: "The area around inlet has not been maintained by the council for years, tress and bushes are growing from the pond bed.

"This lead to siltation problem. No fresh water has been flowing to the pond since March.

Ball bearing removed from Shirley Pond by magnet fisher

"[The council] need to clear the tress and dig out a channel through the silt to allow flow of water otherwise there will be an environmental disaster later in the summer."

A magnet fisher in the area, who asked not to be identified, noted that the ducks had all left the pond and said it was rare to see them in the area. He often removed ball-bearings from the water.

As perviously reported, residents are claiming that youths armed with catapults have been killing ducks at Shirley Pond.

A dog walker vented her anger after spotting two boys “taking aim” at ducks paddling.

When visiting the pond, a Daily Echo reporter noted that rubbish was strewn around the area and a trolley had been dumped in the pond.

Inlet area of Shirley Pond.

The jetties had rotted and were falling apart and one part of the pathway around the pond had collapsed.

A spokesperson from SCC said: "We are currently working with the Environment Agency on the Southampton Ponds Project, which involves improving a number of fishing ponds across the city.

"This is not a rapid process and it may take a couple of years for the project to focus specifically on Shirley Pond.

"Ponds are very dynamic habitats and silt up rapidly. Shirley pond has silted up for a variety of reasons, including leaf litter from surrounding trees and silt brought in by the adjacent Hollybrook.

Shirley Pond with rotting jetty area

"It also has an unsustainably high fish population, resulting from the use of fish feed and introduction of fish. De-silting Shirley Pond is likely to cost in excess of £30k.

"More immediate measures which we can undertake include digging a channel through the silt by the inlet.

"This is only a short-term measure, as the Hollybrook carries a lot of silt when it rains and so the channel is likely to block up again quite quickly.

"We will also investigate creating a sluice to counter the height difference between the Hollybrook and Shirley Pond, and enable the water to flow more freely into the pond.

"More extensive habitat management work will be considered when the bird nesting season is over.”