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The Royal Golf Club’s course maintenance team has introduced 1,000 Tilapia fish and 200 Snakehead fish into its six lakes as part of a three-year plan to improve water quality and the eco-system at the facility.
The club, under the management of Troon Golf, has signed a contract with Dubai-based Hillthom, a lake management company, to manage the quality of the lakes, preventing organic sedimentation by minimising the development of algae, and in doing so, leaving sufficient oxygen to support a diversified eco-system.
Tilapia are a larvivorous fish which will help reduce the populations of midges and mosquitoes around the lakes. Tilapia reproduce extremely quickly so the predatory Snakeheads, which are native to Africa and Asia, have also been introduced simultaneously to keep the Tilapia population under control.
“We are very excited about the introduction of these fish to our lakes,” said Jordan Fairweather, the club’s golf course superintendent. “They will be instrumental in improving the water quality and eradicating nuisance insects.”
They are not the only wildlife setting up home at the Royal Golf Club. In recent weeks numerous ducks have been spotted waddling around the course. Staff members believe one pair was brought in by a resident of Riffa Views as a little house appeared for them next to one of the lakes.
As soon as they settled others swooped to pay them a visit and in recent days a heron and flamingo have joined them on the course.
Wildlife experts predict even more birdies dropping by once word gets out that there are some tasty fish snacks to be had.
The Tilapia, according to gourmet food lovers, make a devine dish with chips if slowly pan-fried or grilled. And, as for trying to retrieve lost golf balls from the lake … just mind your toes if you slip into the water, have you seen the teeth on those Snakeheads?
