Charges likely for fishing at Chapman’s Pond

Charges are to be introduced for people wishing to fish at Chapman’s pond on Moor Lane.
Chapmans pond children fishing 1971

Chapman’s Pond 1971

The charges will be levied when the lease of the site, to the Friends of Chapman’s pond, is concluded later in the year.

The charges are expected to be £3 per day or £15 per year for adults, £1 a day or £5 a year for 13 – 16 years olds and free for under 12s. This level of charging is comparable with the nearby Railway Pond. Fishing has previously been free at the site.

Last year the pond had to be closed to anglers following an outbreak of disease in the fishing stock. At the suggestion of the Environment Agency, and with the support of the anglers, the Council closed the pond during this year’s spawning period resulting in a huge reduction in the number of fish deaths compared to last year

An anglers group is expected to appoint volunteer bailiffs to police fishing at the pond.

The move is also expected to address anti-social behaviour problems at the pond although it is not yet clear whether the boundary will be secured.

Chapman’s Pond is a 2.6 ha site off Moor Lane in Dringhouses. The pond itself covers roughly a third of the site with other habitats including woodland and meadow. It is currently managed by the Council with the assistance of the Friends of Chapman’s Pond.

The Friends are a long running group and have over the years carried out practical maintenance tasks and conservation enhancements. They have also assisted with fund raising, in particular for the circular path in 2011/12 and, for the last three years, in partnership with Love to Eat Café, a summer fair has taken place on site.

The area will be leased to the Friends for a nominal fee initially for three years.

The plan is being discussed at a Council meeting taking place on 23rd September.

Chapman’s Pond temporarily closed to anglers

Chapmans PondChapman’s Pond is closed to anglers for up to four weeks following Environment Agency advice.

The closure coincides with the start of the carp spawning season.  Closing the pond reduces the stress to the fish during the spawning period and allows them to use more areas of the pond undisturbed. The action may also help prevent the high number of fish deaths that occurred at the pond last year.

It is common to close fishing ponds during spawning and most of the other nearby ponds, including the railway pond close during this period. Voluntary water bailiffs at Chapman’s Pond will help advise anglers of the closure and continue to monitor the site.
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New Volunteer Bailiff Scheme at Chapman’s Pond

Chapmans Pond A new scheme to protect and enhance a pond popular with anglers and residents has been launched in York.

The Volunteer Bailiff Scheme, which is launching at Chapman’s pond with the support of the Friends of Chapman’s Pond and City of York Council, has been set up by local anglers who are keen to encourage good fishing practice and maintain the area as a beautiful place for visitors. They will help to monitor the water quality, make visitors aware of the site rules and report any anti-social behaviour. They will also advise people on fishing tips and techniques.

The scheme has been set up partly in response to a number of fish deaths during the summer which the Environment Agency investigated. The volunteers will help protect the fish by advising how to land one without injuring it and educating people on their use of bait. They will also monitor the health of the fish caught for early signs of any problems with the pond environment.

Chapmans Pond closed earlier in the year

Executive Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism, Councillor Nigel Ayre said: “Chapman’s Pond is a beautiful area and a popular fishing spot. The volunteers will be a friendly and well-informed presence at the site, helping to ensure that a visit continues to be a pleasurable experience for all. We would ask that anglers and visitors show respect to the volunteers and follow their advice – they are there for everyone’s benefit and to ensure the pond is looked after for future enjoyment.”

Anyone who wants to fish at the pond should have a valid rod licence which can be purchased from post offices.
The Environment Agency and police will also be supporting the Volunteer Bailiff Scheme, which launches on Monday 12 October. For further information, or if you would like to get involved, please email Jenny Cairns at City of York Council jennifer.cairns@york.gov.uk or call 07833 436832. Previous experience is not required but knowledge of fishing would be useful and training is provided.

Chapman’s pond closure – latest information

Chapmans Pond 2

The Enviroment Agency has issued the following statement

Fish deaths force pond closure in York

Chapmans Pond in York has been closed to anglers following reports of several fish deaths.

The mortalities, which have occurred over the last two or three weeks are thought to be predominantly carp.

The alarm was raised by The Friends of Chapmans Pond, who were concerned that the number of deaths had exceeded what might be normally expected for natural causes.

Environment Agency officers advised the precautionary closure of the pond while samples of the water are tested and live fish are taken to the Environment Agency’s fish health laboratory at Brampton and analysed. These tests will aim to establish whether there are water quality issues affecting the fish, or the likelihood of disease or parasites being the cause of mortalities.

Laura Hogg, fisheries and biodiversity officer at the Environment Agency said: “While we carry out our investigations it is important not to stress the remaining fish further, and that is why we have recommended the pond is closed to anglers at this time.

“Until the cause of the deaths is known we are advising anglers to remain vigilant, honour the closure notice and follow the three simple biosecurity steps of check, clean and dry as always to reduce the risk of spreading any potential diseases.”

Check check equipment and clothing including soles of footwear

Clean on leaving the watercourse all mud and dirt must be washed off boots and equipment. If possible with clean hot water and sterilise with disinfectant

Dry dry all kit for 48 hours prior to reuse, preferably in sunlight

If you see fish in distress, please call the Environment Agency’s incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.

Chapmans Pond in Dringhouses closed to anglers following unexplained fish deaths

On the advice of the Environment Agency Chapman’s Pond has been CLOSED to all angling until further notice

Chapmans Pond closed

 Over the last 3 weeks there have been an increasing number of fish deaths particularly of large Mirror Carp, the cause of which is unknown.  The Environment Agency is now engaged in identifying the cause of these deaths and has advised that the angling should stop until further notice.  We are not aware of any implications for other wildlife or visitors.

Please ensure all angling equipment is air dried and preferably sterilised before transferring between waters, particularly if you have been fishing at Chapman’s Pond.

We will update through the ChapmansPond facebook site as soon as we have further information and open the site to an angling soon as it is advisable to do so.

 

Friends of Chapman’s Pond           07599 927632 or email friendsofchapmanspond@yahoo.co.uk

City of York Council                     01904 551551 or email smarter.york@york.gov.uk

Chapmans Pond

Spring clean this week in Foxwood Park

Throughout the first week of the spring volunteers have helped to tidy Clifton and Rawcliffe.

During week two (24-30 March) of the spring clean will be focused on the Dringhouses and Woodthorpe ward plus the Foxwood park.

Litter in hedgerow Acomb Wood Meadow

Litter in hedgerow Acomb Wood Meadow

The first task of the week will take place on Tuesday from 10am-12noon when a team from The Chase Residents’ Association will be painting play equipment in Nelsons Lane Play area.

On Wednesday from 10am–12:30pm a team from Bootham School will be planting wildflower bulbs and trimming the hedges within the Chapman’s Pond site.

They will then move to Foxwood Park to plant bulbs and tidy up the hedge between 2:15pm -4:30pm.

Thursday will see Friends of Acomb Wood planting trees and litter picking within Acomb Wood. Volunteers who would like to help are asked to meet at 2pm at the Acomb Wood Drive/Quaker Wood Pub entrance.

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