An intensive programme of work has been completed to improve the community angling facilities and undertake habitat management at the reservoir at Tanerdy, Carmarthen.

An official opening of the new look ponds took place on the 16th June when children from the Canolfan Elfed Unit at Queen Elisabeth’s High School had an introduction at fishing, as part of the ‘5 x 60’ scheme. ‘5 x 60’ is a Welsh Assembly funded initiative in secondary schools to get children to do ‘5 x 60’ minutes of physical activity a week. Angling coaches from Cwmoernant Pond Project and Carmarthenshire Rivers Trust were on hand to provide expert tuition.

The new facilities at the ponds include a dedicated disabled car parking space, improved access for anglers of all abilities to the fishing platforms and new benches. Work has also been on-going to thin trees, manage water weeds and create a new open area on the top pond for angling tuition. To help improve angling catches thousands of mixed coarse fish have been stocked into the ponds over the last couple of months.

Although angling is the primary objective for the project improving the habitats for biodiversity is also an objective. Thinning out trees will allow more light into the pond and leaving log piles will provide valuable habitat for small mammals, amphibians, reptiles and invertebrates.

Further work to enhance the area for wildlife could include bird and bat boxes put up on trees. Also the ponds are lacking in marginal and emergent vegetation – a valuable habitat - so, with consideration for the use by anglers - it would be good to create shallow shelves and plant with suitable species. Interpretation of the range of wildlife that uses the site would be useful given the number of people that use the site for fishing.

The work has been funded through a partnership between Carmarthenshire County Council, Environment Agency Wales, the Carmarthenshire Rivers Trust, and Cwmoernant Ponds Project.

The £42,000 project is part funded by Environment Agency Wales, from income generated through rod licence sales. Environment Agency Wales are keen to link various environmental improvements with an increased use of the facility for angling.

Locally focused angling participation initiatives are planned throughout the summer to promoting angling, and help expand the social and economic benefits that angling can bring to the local community.

The reservoirs are a fantastic venue close to the centre of town and it is hoped the project will deliver major improvements to the ecology and sustainability of this fishery and the habitats within and around the ponds.