West Lakes residents call for fishing ban at Freshwater Lake on Delfin Island after wildlife injured

Fishing could be banned at a local lake as fed-up locals say anglers are ignoring rules and harming wildlife.

Residents Paul Paparella and Robyn Haworth want a fishing ban at Freshwater Lakes because fishermen litter there and animals are injured by fishing hooks. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Wildlife at a lake in Adelaide’s west is being injured by discarded fishing hooks and other litter left by anglers, sparking calls for fishing to be completely banned in the area.

Freshwater Lake at Delfin Island in West Lakes is home to ducks, turtles, pelicans and other wildlife but locals fear anglers are putting them at risk when they cast their lines into the water or leave hooks and other litter behind.

“When a fishing line goes in, all the ducks think they’re being fed, because that’s what happens on the weekend,” said one local named Peter.

West Lakes resident Robyn Haworth said animals were suffering.

“Turtles were getting caught in nets,” she said. “There was a duck found with a hook stuck in its leg … the vet had to surgically remove it.”

Under Charles Sturt Council’s current by-law, fishing at the artificial lake is banned within 6m of a home but residents say many disregard that rule.

Ms Haworth said locals often had to ask people fishing to move away from their properties, adding last week a fishing line went over a resident’s fence and the hook became stuck in their yard.

“If somebody had been in garden … if there had been a pet or a person, they could easily have been hit by a hook flying through the air,” she said.

Council has the powers to completely prohibit fishing at the lake but it said enforcing the ban would require authorised officers to catch people in the act and get their information to issue penalties, which can be “very challenging in practice”.

Residents Paul Paparella and Robyn Haworth want a fishing ban at Freshwater Lakes because fishermen litter there and animals are injured by fishing hooks. Picture: Kelly Barnes

On Monday, councillors voted to start an investigation into banning fishing at the lake but chief executive Paul Sutton said a change in by-laws required community consultation and a government gazettal process, which would take a considerable amount of time.

He said the investigation would look into what could be done to address the issues related to fishing at the site.

Local Paul Paparella said there was a “perfectly good lake … with a beautiful beach” where people could fish around 200m down from the artificial Freshwater Lake.

He said the situation has become worse with more people coming to fish at the lake.

An old sign stating “no fishing”, located near Freshwater Lake. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Residents believe the activity used to be completely banned, pointing to an old sign near the lake stating “no fishing” but Mr Sutton said “there is no complete fishing ban” at the site.

He said the current by-law had been in place for many years.

“Council conducts both proactive and reactive patrols to enforce by-law breaches,” he said.

Originally published as West Lakes residents call for fishing ban at Freshwater Lake on Delfin Island after wildlife injured