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Search forBILLERICAY: Tonnes of fish removed from angling lakes
Wednesday, November 19, 2008, 09:37
Mick Toomer, 54, has managed the angling lake at Lake Meadows in Billericay since 1993, but says he hasn't been given the chance to re-tender for the contract.
Now he is desperately trawling his fish from the lake, and from Gloucester Park and Northlands Park lakes in Basildon, after Basildon District Council warned that any fish left at the end of March would become its property.
Mick, the owner of Angling Enterprises, said: "There is a small window that I have to take out the fish. It has to be done in the winter because of the amount of oxygen.
"I have about £150,000 tied up in stock and I can't wait any longer to take it out.
"It's such a shame because it has taken me all this time to get the lakes as good as they are.
"This is going to mean I have to lay a couple of people off."
The move is set to hit local fishermen hook, line and sinker, with the fishing stock massively depleted at the popular angling lakes.
Derek Howard, treasurer of Billericay and District Angling Club, said it was a shame so many fish were being removed as hundreds of children had benefited from fishing in Lake Meadows in the past.
He said: "In my opinion, Mick has done a very good job in running the lakes so, if he is going and taking out fish, it will obviously mean the stock going down.
"But the fish that are in the lake will grow in size and I don't see a problem with the lake silting up or anything like that.
"There will always be people wanting to fish there, but I don't know what's going to happen."
But the leader of Basildon District Council said that the tendering process had yet to start and claimed that Mr Toomer told officers he was not interested in renewing the contract.
Cllr Malcolm Buckley, a keen fisherman himself, said: "Our procurement people have looked at it and said that, because it is a public asset, it has to go out to tender.
"I think Mr Toomer has done a fantastic job and certainly we would like him to go for it again.
"Taking away all the fish is being a little short-sighted and it is disappointing.
"I would worry about the anglers as there will not be as many fish."
Some fish will remain, as Mr Toomer does not own the carp in Lake Meadows or Northlands Park.
Mr Toomer is currently at the forefront of a High Court battle against the council's granting of planning permission for a £1million revamp of Basildon golf course, which will use thousands of tonnes of rubble.
Cllr Buckley added: "I think he is being a little awkward because of his involvement in that."
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