PFAS, pesticides, silt… Too polluted, will the Carcraon pond disappear?

Silted up and above all too polluted, the future of the Carcraon pond in the south of Ille-et-Vilaine is threatened. The department's fishing federation is considering a radical solution to limit environmental damage: erasing the body of water. A track that arouses the anger of local fishermen and residents.

At first glance, it's a little corner of nature in the heart of the Vitré region in Ille-et-Vilaine. On the edge of Mayenne, Domalain, the Carcraon pond and its 91 hectares, is a place popular with local fishermen and residents.

But this pond could well disappear by 2025. The reason is its catastrophic ecological state. Cyanobacteria proliferate there and there would be 4m of silt accumulated over 5m depth, according to thea federation fishing area of ​​Ille-et-Vilaine.

Above all, the Carcraon pond is one of the 37 Breton sites polluted by PFAS, “eternal pollutants“which are used in the manufacture of textiles, kitchen utensils or cosmetics.

Also read : Pollution. Large quantities of eternal pollutants detected in a pond south of Rennes

A family of particles made up of more than 4000 chemical substances, around twenty of which can cause cancer, cardiovascular diseases or even reduced fertility and which persist for many years in the environment.

Pollution revealed by everyday life The World in February 2023. The investigation, carried out for almost a year, with 17 partner media, revealed the existence of 17,000 contaminated sites throughout Europe… including the Carcraon pond.

Alerted to the deterioration in water quality by state services, the Ille-et-Vilaine Fishing Federation, main owner of the body of water (75%) with the Gaule association Guerchaise (at 25%), is now considering erasing the water body to restore biodiversity.

While the pond is crossed by the Seiche river, Jérémy Grandière, its president, believes that the health risk is too great.

“The body of water degrades the entire environment aroundhe explains. We can't continue like this. Tap water comes from our rivers, our ponds.”

So will the pond disappear? The pThe preferred option by the fishing federation would be to restore the site to its natural state, namely a river and a few bodies of water. There decision should be taken in 2025 and arouses concern among local residents and fishermen, in particular regulars of the 168 “boards“, private cabins which border the pond.

Michel Reussard is the owner of one of them. Every day, he comes there to enjoy nature and fish for catfish, perch, carp, bream and roach. Despite this pollution, he even continues to eat zander and pike when he fishes for them.

My primary desire is the restoration of the body of water, but also that activities continue, such as hunting and fishing.

Jérémy Grandière

President of the Ille-et-Vilaine fishing federation

“In the 60s, we used to swim thereremembers the fisherman. Now it's silted up, but it's like everywhere, the Vilaine, the Rance are also silted up. Eternal pollutants, we surely have them, but it's the same, they are everywhere. So why empty this pond? No more pond, no more fishing.”

“I never said there would be no more water theretries to reassure Jérémy Grandière. My primary desire is the restoration of the body of water, but also that activities continue, such as hunting, fishing and that people can walk there. So there will always be a wet zone.“

Yvon Lintanf used to hunt around this pond. He is not against the erasure of the pond, but regrets that we are “got there because of poor management“According to him, the waters are kept at a high level, which prevents the circulation of water, vegetation from growing, and promotes siltation.

Mayor of the town of Domalain where the pond is located, Christian Olivier, admits to having been surprised by this announcement. Above all, he is waiting to know the different possible scenarios, but considers that “the total erasure of the pond would be a heritage loss for the municipality“.

Several petitions have already gathered nearly 3,000 signatures.

A first public meeting is planned for December 3 in Chateaugiron to try to find a unanimous solution.