After a rash of recent vandalism at Libby’s fish pond, the Port Authority and Fish, Wildlife and Parks [FWP] are looking to better monitor the area, and are also planning to limit fishing to only youth under 14. The pond, stocked and managed by FWP, is currently open to adults, but only for catch and release. Youth can keep one fish per day.

FWP game warden Tamie Laverdure says “we’ve had some breaking of a plexiglass sign that Rotary put up, some burning of the sign, and someone caught eight big fish and left them on the bank, which is considered wanton waste.”

The Port Authority, whose land the fish pond is on, also has industrial tenants who use the same entry and exit points. “This is one of the issues,” says Brett McCully, director of operations, “the area is difficult to police and people see it as kind of an industrial area, so one of the things we’re working on is having a separate access point for the recreational side of the land so we have a better idea of who is going in and out.”

FWP offers rewards for information that leads to a conviction, and Laverdure and McCully would like to encourage anyone who uses the recreational area to be alert for signs of vandalism and to call the police with any information.

“We don’t want to let a few bad eggs ruin this recreational opportunity for everyone” says McCully.