Dr Steven Sweetman, and his wife, Pru, down by their trout lakes, after low hanging power lines were buried as they were too close to the water. Picture by Robin Crossley.
POSITIVE livewire conservation work by a power company has been highlighted by the owner of trout fishing lakes.
Dr Steven Sweetman applauded the huge investment by Scottish and Southern Electricity in taking down overhead power lines, instead putting cabling underground.
Taking down overhead lines not only improved the environment of the twin lakes at Marvel Farm, near Blackwater, but took away the threat of electrocution for anglers using carbon fibre rods and of birds being killed, he said.
“Having had a number of fatal accidents involving birds, including one half of a breeding pair of swans, and being concerned for the safety of visiting fishermen, I naturally bit their arm off when Scottish and Southern offered to do the work for free,” said Dr Sweetman, who owns the private members-only lakes with his wife, Pru.
“When a swan flew into the overhead line, the power cut blacked-out half the Island. We’ve run the lakes since 2001 and have always been very aware of the danger to fishermen from the low lines, said Dr Sweetman, 54.
“The new cables were laid last autumn and work to connect them and dismantle the existing overhead lines took place last week.
“This has transformed the already picturesque fishery and is a fine example of conservation and safety work undertaken by the power company, which generally receives little recognition,” said palaeontologist Dr Sweetman.
He highlighted the environmentally friendly way the power company went about the work laying cables near the lakes, which total five-and-a-half acres, doing all it could not to disturb visiting wildfowl.
Reporter: richardw@iwcpmail.co.uk