Draining stryt las pond for fish removal and cleaning

The lake at Stryt Las Park in Johnstown is being drained ready for its annual clean up.

The rubbish is unsightly and often dangerous to the many birds that live on the lake at Stryt Las. Traffic signs, bikes, thousands of cans and bottles and shopping trolleys have all been removed from the mud in previous years.

Any fish present in the lake will be netted by Natural Resources Wales and relocated to another pond or a lake that needs stocking. The rangers do this every year for the benefit of the rare Great crested newts that inhabit this site. Unfortunately, fish like to eat Great crested newts and as the newt is a protected species and Stryt Las is a designated Special Area of Conservation the ponds need to be kept free of fish.

The ducks and swans that live on the lake at Stryt Las are free to fly to other ponds, as they often do, returning at a later date. The ranger has requested that visitors to the park do not feed the ducks. Feeding the ducks and swans encourages the birds to be less fearful of people, which makes them more vulnerable, especially to dogs, a particular problem while the lake is drained. Feeding the ducks also encourages rats!

Once the fish have been caught and the rubbish cleared, the lake will be allowed to refill naturally, over the coming weeks.