aquaculture

The North Carolina State Fisheries and Pond Management Extension have produced a Pond Management Guide.

In addition the text information and images, there is a pond management video available for free download, or you can order a copy ($US25).

Before constructing a pond, determine your objectives and priorities for the pond. The best management strategy depends upon your objectives. Do you want the pond to produce trophy bass or large quantities of average-sized bass? Do you want big bream (bluegills) or channel catfish? Will the pond be used primarily for irrigation, livestock watering, waterfowl, or recreation? How heavily will the pond be fished? How much money can you devote to achieving your chosen objectives? You must answer these important questions during the initial planning stages so you can develop a proper management plan for the pond.

This publication presents the basic principles of managing recreational ponds and the requirements for producing and maintaining high-quality fishing in a pond. Some common mistakes in pond management and ways of solving pond problems are discussed. This information should allow you to develop and carry out a pond management plan that provides maximum benefits.

There’s an interesting range of information available on the net relating to controlling algae with barley straw. The UK Centre for Aquatic Plant Management have developed a number of methods of dealing with aquatic and riparian plants, including a novel method of controlling algae. They have published a report describing the application of barley straw to water. The method has had widespread international testing and has proved to be very successful in most situations with no known undesirable side-effects. It offers a cheap, environmentally acceptable way of controlling algae in water bodies ranging in size from garden ponds to large reservoirs, streams, rivers and lakes.

The Maryland Aquafarmer has researched the use of barley straw to control pond algae and their findings are inconclusive. In laboratory studies, some types of algae could be controlled effectively by barley straw extracts, but the main target, green mat-forming algae, did not seem to be inhibited. However, barley straw did control several species of microscopic algae that often cause unusual odors or flavor in pond-cultured products. Follow-up studies found that some dinoflagellates – the single-celled phytoplankton that have been associated with fish death – are inhibited by barley straw.

Further to using barley straw to inhibit odor causing algae, a two-year project jointly funded by Australian Pork Limited and the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries found that supported barley straw covers were effective in reducing odour emissions by up to 90% from anaerobic piggery effluent ponds.

Because of poor planning, improper construction, or lack of proper management, many Mississippi lakes and ponds are relatively unproductive. A pond that consistently produces good catches of fish is a result of proper planning, construction, and management. The purpose of this publication is to encourage Mississippi landowners to plan, construct, and manage their ponds and lakes properly for recreational fishing.

The information contained in this document is applicable to other locations – both within the US and beyond.

A good pond depends on location, design, construction, stocking, and management. After the pond is completed, success or failure depends on the landowner’s using necessary practices to establish and maintain good fish populations. Proper stocking of the right species and number, a balanced harvest of mature fish, proper fertilization, water quality management, and aquatic weed control are basics the pond owner should understand. Many unmanaged ponds could produce many more pounds of fish than they now produce if good management practices were followed. The annual harvest of fish can provide hours of recreation, pounds of nutritious food, and supplemental income.