In many tourist spots featuring fishes in a lake or pond, people visiting tend to feed the fish with food scraps to encourage them to come even closer. However, doing this poses harm to the fish and their environment.
This happened to a local beauty spot in Greater Manchester, where almost all the fish in the lake died due to a strange bacterial infection. Tourists feeding fish are seen as culprits in this event, and authorities have already warned about their actions that led to the deaths of many fish.
Decomposing Food is Killing the Fishes
Earlier this year, the Ramsbottom Angling Association reported the dying fish at the Clarence Lido in Greater Machester to the Environment Agency, which is blamed on tourists feeding fish.
The association had been receiving reports from members of increasing fish deaths due to a strange bacterial infection that stems from decomposing food thrown into the water by tourists. Combined with the blue-green algae, it created the perfect breeding ground for bacteria rendering the lake uninhabitable for the fish.
The Environment Agency said that the presence of bacteria and fungi in the waters made the fishes unable to heal from the infection. Their poor health and conditions led to the death of the fish.
In 2021, a substantial number of fish suffered from the same condition and were put in Lido, but the condition there was also not ideal. The fish were unable to adapt and acclimatize quickly, causing their death. Analysis showed that the fish had problems in their gills caused by the algae, preventing them from absorbing oxygen, putting them in a high-stress situation, and making them sick.
On the other hand, Lido native fish and those who successfully adapted to the environment survived. The association is working with locals to increase awareness about feeding fish in the area.
Why Feeding Wild Fish is Not Recommended
Fish feeding should be avoided because it harms the fish, humans, and the whole ecosystem. Here are five reasons from the Green Fins why feeding wild fish is not recommended:
- Causes imbalance in the ecosystem- Everything is connected in an ecosystem, which means that a tiny change could lead to a colossal knock-out effect. When people feed wild fish, it alters their natural behavior and disrupts the balance of their ecosystem, which may lead to the destruction of the reef and the life it supports.
- Leads to accumulation of algae- For many fishes, algae is a staple meal. But if they stop eating them because their diet was disrupted from feeding on food humans give, algae could grow out of control, suffocate life forms, and kill them.
- Leaves nests open to predators- Feeding fish will stir up a feeding frenzy as they rush to one food source, leaving their nests unguarded and vulnerable to predators.
- Can lead to starvation- When fish are fed the wrong food, such as rice or bread, they could get infected with disease-causing bacteria that may lead to indigestion and could starve them to death.
- Can cause Crown-of-Thorns to Grow Uncontrollably- This sea star destroys corals, which means their huge numbers could cause problems if they go out of control.
Watch the video below to see how not feeding wild fishes will help them:
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