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I have a burning need to know stuff and I love asking awkward questions.

Saturday, March 30, 2019

'Duck-eating' fish removed from Lakeside shopping centre lake

From The BBC

30 March 2019

A "rogue" fish has been removed from a lake after children reported seeing it eating ducks. The 25lb (11.3kg) catfish was caught at the man-made lake at the Lakeside shopping centre in Thurrock, Essex, by the Environment Agency (EA). A spokesman said fishing contests would be held at the lake to reduce the population of invasive species. Officer Ben Norrington said: "Large fish have the potential to eat wildfowl so we're pleased we could remove it." The EA said the animal had been seen eating ducks and other wildfowl. "Invasive species pose a serious threat to our native wildlife," Mr Norrington added. The catfish has been "relocated" to a fully enclosed lake with help from the Catfish Conservation Group.

[I did have to check on the date for this one – expecting it to be 1st April ‘Fools Day’. But apparently it’s real! Two things I love about this story – the fact that the fist was relocated by the Catfish Conservation Group and the fact that the other catfish would be ‘reduced’ by competitive fishing by the public (who presumably would pay for the privilege!). Whoever came up with that idea is smart!]

4 comments:

Sarah @ All The Book Blog Names Are Taken said...

Poor kids who witnessed it, yuck!

CyberKitten said...

Naturally I'd be amazed and on my way to the library to read up on catfish....

Brian Joseph said...

The Catfish Conservation Group has thier own website and their own magazine called Whiskers. http://www.catfishconservationgroup.co.uk

Judy Krueger said...

Yes, those two things!!