Fish cull due at Henleaze Lake in Bristol

Henleaze Lake is home to fish including pike, carp, bream and perch

Another fish cull is due to take place at Henleaze Lake in Bristol.

Henleaze Swimming Club, which owns and manages the nine acre site, announced plans to carry out the destocking next week.

Last year, anglers chained themselves to the boundary railings in protest at a planned cull.

A spokesman from the swimming club said the water, home to fish including pike, carp, bream and perch, was "greatly overstocked".

He said the cull had been agreed by the club's angling section, and its executive committee.

Mark Thompson, chairman of the club's environmental sub-committee, said an estimated five tonnes of fish were living in the lake.

"There are an estimated 10 times as many fish as we should have for the health of the fish and the quality of the water," he said.

"We are principally a swimming club so we need to have good quality water for the swimmers."

He said during the cull AES Europe, the club's fisheries consultants, would stun fish with a small electrical current. They would then rise to the surface and be netted.

Fish parasite

Mr Thompson said between 60% to 70% of the current fish population will remain after the cull.

A higher number of pike would be left to reduce the fish population over a number of years, he added.

Mr Thompson said a parasite called Ergasilus briani had also been found in the lake.

"If the fish didn't have this parasite we would be able to move them to other waters," he added.

The lake will be closed to swimmers and anglers during the cull, which is due to take place from 20 to 25 October.

A club spokesman said anglers had been informed of the plans by letter in August, and had been given an opportunity to comment.

Both swimmers and anglers will be able to watch the operation and ask questions at a number of open sessions next week, he added.