Lower Peirce Reservoir fishing grounds reopened after 140 motoro stingrays removed

Choo Yun Ting Straits Times 7 Jan 19;

SINGAPORE - Fishing grounds at Lower Peirce Reservoir have been reopened after around 140 motoro stingrays were removed.

In a Facebook post on Monday (Jan 7), national water agency PUB said that the non-native stingrays were removed from the reservoir waters with the assistance of the National University of Singapore and the National Parks Board.

The fishing grounds, which reopened on Monday, were closed after motoro rays were sighted at Lower Peirce Reservoir on Dec 20 last year.

However, the fishing grounds at Upper Seletar Reservoir will remain closed until further notice, PUB said.

In December, the agency said that 75 motoro stingrays had been removed from the reservoirs and waterways since 2015.

Members of the public are urged to continue to exercise caution and not to enter the waters while fishing, even though the number of stingrays at Lower Peirce Reservoir has reduced significantly, PUB said.

The stingrays are able to camouflage well against the reservoir beds, making them difficult to spot.

Designated fishing grounds at Lower Peirce Reservoir and Upper Seletar Reservoir will be closed until further notice, national water agency PUB said. The move comes after motoro stingrays were spotted recently. The animals may have been released into

"These stingrays can also breed in large numbers, hence it is an ongoing process to remove them," the water agency said.

Regular checks will be conducted at Lower Peirce Reservoir as PUB continues to monitor the situation.

Members of the public should call PUB at 1800-Call-PUB (1800-2255-782) for assistance if they see or catch a stingray.

It is an offence to release any animal or fish into the reservoirs and waterways, as it may impact the quality of the water sources and pose a risk to users of the water bodies, PUB said.