ALPA, the Luxembourg Association for the Protection of Animals, was contacted last week as the pond at Colpach Castle was at risk of drying up, while still playing host to fish, including several 10kg carp.
The association investigated and found between 40 and 50 fish still living in the pond, leaving them to tackle the question of transport. It was uncertain how to transport the fish and where to take them.
Following the publication of this report on Thursday, however, ALPA announced it had found a solution in conjunction with the municipality of Ell. The fish were to be removed from the Colpach pond on Thursday afternoon and brought to a new home in Préizerdaul.
The old pond was situated at the Red Cross rehabilitation centre. Despite the staff there being very cooperative, no one knew what to do initially. "It was taking too long and for many fish, it would be too late!" declared the organisation.
ALPA consulted the municipal council and the Red Cross, but at first they did not get anywhere. They got the feeling that people wanted to help and were motivated to find a solution, but did not know exactly how they could assist.
In the meantime, ALPA reached out to the Water Management Agency in the hope they could find professional help.
The Red Cross told RTL they were taking the situation seriously and that they had observed the water level in the pond falling steadily as a result of the drought. But they could not explain why no one had reacted sooner, and in the end the situation had simply escalated quickly.
The charity said they were in constant contact with the council and with ALPA to find a long-term solution, to avoid the issue repeating itself next summer.
Claude Schmit, mayor of Ell, visited the site on Wednesday. He described the situation as dramatic, but explained it was tricky to organise a solution at short notice. Initially they looked at redirecting water to the pond from a nearby stream, but it proved not to be enough. The original issue stemmed from the fact that the brook which normally supplies the pond had dried up.
On Thursday afternoon, Schmit confirmed an operation was underway to remove the fish from the pond and transport them to a new home in Préizerdaul.
The transport was compounded by the fact that the fish were all different species, but ultimately the operation to move them proved successful.
It was also impossible for workers to climb into the pond to remove the fish as the pond contained a lot of mud, resulting in the risk of getting stuck.
