Multi-agency response underway to safeguard Canvey Lake wildlife
Castle Point Borough Council and Canvey Island Town Council are leading a coordinated response to environmental concerns at Canvey Lake. This follows alerts regarding risks to fish and wildfowl.
Yesterday, 1 July, representatives from organisations including Castle Point Borough Council, Canvey Island Town Council and The Environment Agency attended the site to conduct a first-hand assessment and begin an immediate response. The Environment Agency has taken a water sample for testing. Preliminary observations suggest the possible presence of blue-green algae and confirmation is now pending from laboratory analysis. Castle Point Borough Council will also fund additional physical mitigations to combat algal bloom if needed.
Unfortunately, it was also reported that some members of the public acted abusively towards representatives during the site visit. We urge the public to respect and support officials working at the Lake and not to interfere with their important work.
The Town Council is urgently seeking to establish why the current aerator is not working which is not due to silt or blockages and in addition Castle Point Borough Council is funding a new aerator. Canvey Island Town Council has confirmed that there is no issue with the power supply, ruling out electrical faults as a contributing factor.
Cllr Warren Gibson, Deputy Leader of Castle Point Borough Council said: “We want to reassure our residents that we are fully aware of the situation at Canvey Lake and are taking all necessary steps to protect the site and wildlife in the area. Our team is working closely with environmental experts and partner agencies to respond swiftly and responsibly. We will continue to issue further updates as work progresses.”