Talks on lagoon’s future

•   An Inland Fisheries Service officer releases some trout into Blackmans Lagoon.

By Tony Scott,
July 21, 2021

Representatives of the Scottsdale Fishing Club have secured a meeting with the head of the Inland Fisheries Service to discuss the future of renowned trout fishing water Blackmans Lagoon.

Club president Ashley Summers said the Director of Inland Fisheries, John Diggle, had agreed to meet on site in the first week of the new trout season.

Without the extreme conditions of some other trout waters like in the Highland lakes, Blackmans Lagoon is popular early in the season and often rewards anglers with fat and powerful fish.

However, later in the year as temperatures warm it regularly suffers from algal blooms, including of the potentially dangerous blue green algae.

Mr Summers said the high nutrient load of the water, which drains from surrounding farmland is presumed to be the cause.

“We’ve got a few idea that might help fix the problems and want some input from IFS.

“We think that if there were some ponds with plant material upstream from the drain that flows into the lagoon it might help filter out some of the nutrients before they get to it.”

Mr Summers said there would also be some improvements suggested for other North-East waters on the agenda.

“We’d like to get some support for a walkway and pontoon at Big Waterhouse Lake to make it accessible for people without a boat and not able to walk too far.

“It’s a nice spot and has some good fish, but it’s not very accessible from the shore.”

“We’ll probably ask him for some support to have the wall at Little Waterhouse Lake fixed as well.

“The wall washed away at one end a few years ago and it’s just been locked away since,” he said.