Angus Council has been issued with a ‘hands-off’ plea from anglers fishing a beauty spot pond.
For more than 30 years, Arbroath locals have taken their children to Keptie Pond to teach them how to fish for small perch and other species, but that may now be set to stop following reports that people have been warned away from the area.
Anglers have claimed that council officials have been cracking down on fishing at the site, despite the fact that almost all who use the waterway operate a catch and release policy, due to the small size of the fish that breed there.
Arbroath councillor Bob Spink, who represents the council on the Esk Fisheries Board, said the authority should be looking for ways to encourage fishing and pledged to take the matter up with the neighbourhood services department to gain clarity on the rules.
”This came up a long time ago when we were looking at bringing in improvements at the pond and fishing was one of the issues raised,” he said.
”I have been fishing the pond since my children were young, which is about 30 or 40 years ago, and there have long been perch in there but more recently carp were introduced by somebody.
”As far as I’m aware there has been no official ruling set down by the council on whether you can fish or not fish.
”I think fishing on smaller ponds like Keptie is a great way to introduce young children to the sport and I don’t think there is any need for officialdom to get involved in something that has been going on for years without causing any problems.”
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Fishing at Keptie has prompted local debate, with some residents taking to Arbroath online forum The Shoppie to put their opinions forward.
Tam Shaw wrote: ”For the first time I was informed by a council employee that I wasn’t allowed to fish Keptie Pond. The fish species in Keptie Pond are coarse fish and are not normally taken for the pot and thus fishing is sustainable.
”I met a couple of young boys with no real fishing experience … I showed them what to do, how to catch fish responsibly and take your line etc home with you.
”As I got to other side of water the young boy called over he had caught a fish and was over the moon. Yes, it was about three inches long, but could have been jaws for all he cared and I could still hear him a few minutes later calling his mother, chuffed to bits.
”Shame he won’t be allowed to do it again. Oh well he can sit in his room playing PlayStation, stand on street corners and be part of the bored generation.”
Derek Robertson posted: ”Am I a killjoy in thinking fishing shouldn’t be permitted in the pond? I’ve seen loads of anglers there on sunny days. Some bairns, but also those much older kitted out with gear up to their eyeballs.
“It’s only a pond after all and there’s little chance of regularly removing fish from it being sustainable.”
Angus Council confirmed fishing has not been permitted at Keptie Pond or at any of the ponds throughout Angus for many years. The authority has a set of management rules which govern parks, gardens and recreation grounds, which clearly state the position.
Members of the public are not permitted to swim, sail or use any type of boat or craft, fish with any type of tackle or deposit any type of material or liquid which will create pollution and disturbance, into any loch, pond or water course within a park.
The Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries (Protection) (Scotland) Act 1951 sets out the guidelines for fishing methods.