A petition aiming to ban fishing in Hammond's Park in Carlisle has amassed nearly 800 signatures. 

The Carlisle park is home to a wide range of wildlife, with swans and ducks particularly popular with visitors. No fishing signs are clearly in place, but swans and cygnets are regularly injured by fishing equipment, prompting a furious reaction from many residents from Carlisle and further afar. 

At the time of writing, the petition on Change.org, which was set up by Ellen Bowman, has 795 signatures. 

Ellen writes: "Hammonds Pond in Carlisle is a much cherished park.

"The Council encourages wildlife to set up home in the park, it is teeming with wildlife including resident swans, coots, ducks etc.

"The Council did say fishing is prohibited and they will use appropriate legislation and enforcement against those fishing.  

"Despite this the fishing continues with a large number of bird/swan injuries and deaths due to fishing hooks and wires.

"The Council are not protecting the swans and have looked the other way; the police have visited the ponds but feedback from those fishing was police were ok with it. Despite the no fishing signs. Endangering and killing swans last time I checked is a wildlife crime."

Killing a swan was once considered an act of treason, as the British Crown enjoys ownership of all unmarked mute swans in open water, and today a hefty fine or prison sentence could be handed out to the offender. 

In May 2024, Cumbria Police issued a statement after a swan was killed by a dog which was off a leash. 

Just a few weeks ago, a cygnet was rescued by North Cumbria Search and Rescue after becoming ensnared by a discarded fishing line, while the summer of 2023 tragically saw a cygnet die after kids were spotted fishing in the pond.

A Cumberland Council spokesperson said: "Fishing is prohibited at Hammond’s Pond and we work alongside other agencies to discourage it taking place and look at how we can resolve the issue. We want to protect the wildlife and urge visitors to the park to respect the rules in place.

“We are currently reviewing the signage at Hammond’s Pond to ensure that users of the park are fully aware that fishing is not allowed.”