'Such a depressing sight’: Hundreds of dead fish removed from Yishun fishing pond but stench remains
Many fish in the receding pond at 81 Lorong Chencharu could be seen belly-up by public transport users as early as last week. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
Ariel Yu
UPDATED
35 MINS AGO
www.straitstimes.com
‘Such a depressing sight’: Hundreds of dead fish removed from Yishun fishing pond but stench remains
SINGAPORE - A disused fishing spot in Yishun has been cleaned up after residents and public transport users complained about the foul smell from hundreds of dead fish in the pond.
Many of the fish in the receding pond at 81 Lorong Chencharu could be seen belly-up by public transport users as early as last week.
When The Straits Times visited the site on Feb 5, a stench from the fish carcasses wafted to a nearby bus stop some 20m away.
When ST revisited the spot on Feb 6, all the dead fish were gone and the water in the pond had been topped up. However, the foul smell could still be detected at the bus stop.
More than 20 black trash bags, believed to contain dead fish cleared from the pond, could be seen next to the pond.
Chinese newspaper Zaobao reportedly said the dead fish could be in the hundreds. Fins had been seen flipping above the water as the fish gasped for air.
Madam Siti, 40, who takes the train daily for work, told ST she could still see the dead fish on Feb 5 from the train.
“It’s such a depressing sight. I can only imagine the fish fighting for oxygen until they no longer could. It must have been torture,” she added.
One Yishun resident told Zaobao he was walking along Yishun Avenue 2 on the night of Feb 5 when he saw someone clearing the dead fish. The 25-year-old man said he hopes the authorities will relocate the rest of the fish that are still alive.
The once-popular fishing pond was operated by Fishing Paradise in what used to be Orto leisure park. Orto has since June 30, 2023, relocated to the western part of Singapore after the expiration of its tenancy. The 5.15ha leisure park is located within a plot of 70ha of land – bounded by Khatib Camp, Sembawang Road, Yishun Avenue 1 and Yishun Avenue 2 – that is zoned for residential use.
ST has contacted the Housing Development Board, which has oversight of the land parcel, for a comment.
A former staff member of Fishing Paradise who declined to be named told Zaobao that the pond is equipped with the necessary water pumps and filters. He said he was saddened to see the fish die.
The Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) confirmed it received reports of the dead fish from members of the public on Feb 4.
Acres said it has inspected the area and reported the matter to the police, HDB and the Animal & Veterinary Service.
