Public bodies have come under fire after British residents and a local business were forced to rescue an estimated 1,000 fish from a rapidly drying pond after no action was allegedly taken by the local government.
In an email seen by Jam Press, a councillor said she had been “keeping quiet” about the “difficult situation”, while officials sought to establish who was responsible for the privately-owned site.
Footage from Westclyst Pond, near Hawkins Road and Palmer Close in Pinhoe, Exeter, showed fish gasping and crowded in just inches of murky water.
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Residents repeatedly appealed for help as water levels continued to fall amid Britain’s brutal heatwave, as reported by Need To Know.
Eventually, members of the community and workers from Greendale Farm Shop took matters into their own hands – using vehicles, water tanks and specialist equipment to rescue the fish.
Resident Adrian Clarke, 55, claims the Environment Agency initially told him the case had been passed to a local officer, but did not confirm whether it would intervene.
He also claimed he was advised that taking water from a river himself to help the fish would be illegal.
In an urgent public appeal, Adrian warned the animals could have just “one to two days” left.
He said: “A pond in Pinhoe is drying up.
“It has hundreds of fish and protected newts.
“It needs tankers with river water pumped in.”
Adrian warned people not to attempt a rescue themselves because the deep mud made entering the pond dangerous.
He said Greendale Farm Shop responded after he emailed the business and they sent a team with trailer-mounted water tanks and the necessary equipment.
As the rescue unfolded, an internal email from Cllr Paula Fernley to a colleague, shared with Jam Press, revealed she had inspected the depleted pond from a distance.
She wrote: “I was keeping quiet as it’s a difficult situation.
“It’s certainly an unintended wildlife haven as a heron was munching his way through the easy-to-catch fish.”
Cllr Fernley subsequently gave a full explanation for the remark, saying the email had been intended for council colleagues after concerns emerged on social media.
She said: “My reference to ‘keeping quiet’ simply reflected that I did not want to say anything before establishing the facts and seeking advice from the organisations involved.
“Given that the land is privately owned and not managed by the council, I felt it was important for me to understand the situation fully before commenting on social media.
“I had made enquiries with contacts in the fisheries and environmental sectors to see whether there are any practical ways I could help.”
The councillor claimed the apparent presence of non-native fish complicated the situation because they could not simply be released into local waterways due to the risks posed to native wildlife.
East Devon District Council identified housing developer Redrow as the organisation responsible for managing the site.
A council spokesperson told Jam Press: “We share our residents’ concern about the welfare of the fish and are engaging with the Environment Agency and the developer, Redrow, which is responsible for managing the site, to safely relocate them.”
David Reed, MP for Exeter East and Exmouth, also contacted the Environment Agency after constituents raised concerns.
He asked it to investigate the cause of the falling water level and establish what immediate action could be taken to protect the wildlife.
Residents questioned why official intervention had not come sooner.
One resident, named Dan, said: “I don’t understand why somebody couldn’t have got them out. That’s horrible to see that suffering. Or even the local council sort something out by topping the pond back up.”
The Environment Agency said it was concentrating its resources on distressed fish in rivers and streams and was unable to conduct rescues from ornamental ponds.
A spokesperson said: “Droughts are taking a toll on watercourses and the wildlife that inhabit them.
“While we are unable to carry out fish rescues from ornamental ponds, we are always willing to give advice to owners on the best way to safely and legally mind their stock.”
The agency warned that moving fish without appropriate safeguards could spread disease or introduce predators into other waters.
By the time the public bodies had explained their positions, residents and Greendale’s team had already carried out the rescue operation themselves.
Barratt Redrow acknowledged Jam Press’s request for comment and confirmed it was investigating the matter, with a full response to follow.
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