Freshwater Fishery Management Objective- Discuss the lake habitat to include basic fishery management techniques

The Lake Habitat

Farm Ponds  Good way to supply habitat for fish  Main uses:  Livestock watering  Irrigation  Fish production  Wildlife  Recreation  Fire protection  USDA says that the ideal size for a family farm pond is <2 acres

Management of the Farm Pond  Techniques depend on whether a new pond is being built or an old one is being renovated  Built/new: concerned with care and development  Existing/old: concerned with correcting existing problems

Artificial Ponds Embankment Ponds  Water is held or impounded by an embankment or dam across a watercourse  Should be a minimum of 6 feet deep Excavated Ponds  Made by digging a pit below surrounding ground level  Built primarily in nearly level areas

Selecting & Maintaining a Pond  Watershed  The area that drains into a pond  Should be surrounded by a permanent vegetation buffer strip  Dam & Spillway  Should be covered with a fast growing grass  No trees or shrubs should be planted on dams because roots can weaken it  Spillway should be 4 feet or more below top of dam and have vegetation growing on it  Pond Basin  The area to be flooded  Cover crops should be planted before it is flooded  Pond Banks-should be protected from washing rain

Pond Development  Many ponds are developed for wildlife, recreation, and fish production  Trees and shrubs should be planted around the pond to act as a windbreak and provide wildlife cover, food and nesting  Safety equipment should be present for the recreational activities of fishing, boating and swimming  Stock pond with the right kind and numbers of fish

Using the Pond for Production  Ponds can be used as a production site if properly managed  It is very important to monitor and maintain water quality

Fisheries Management  Management is necessary to ensure survival of the pond or reservoir for long periods of time  Management Procedures  Vegetation Control  Fish Sampling  Population Removal and Adjustments  Fertilization Techniques  Fishing Regulations  Water Quality

Vegetation Control  Provides food, shelter, oxygen, and spawning & nesting habitat  Cools surface water and stabilizes bottom sediments  Excessive vegetation can harm fish and inhibit recreation  Ways to control aquatic plant population: 1. Watershed improvement- keep soil & nutrients on the land and out of the water 2. Water level management- involves changing the level of the water to expose plants to adverse conditions 3. Biological control- using some other living organism to control aquatic plants 4. Chemical control- using herbicides on weed-infested waters

Fish Sampling  Need to keep track of what species are in the water and how well they are growing  Methods include…  Nets  Spot poisoning  Boat shocker  Angling

Population Removal and Adjustment  Ponds can become over populated with undesirable species (suckers, shad, crappies) 1. Drain pond and trap all fish in nets, keep the desired fish to restock and destroy undesirable fish (not recommended for reservoirs) 2. Poison entire lake or pond

Fertilization Techniques  Fertilizing ponds to increase fish production is more common in Southern States  Annual fertilization program:  Apply 8-10 treatments of commercial fertilizer  Causes increase production of plankton which is food for fish  Can cause problems like excessive growth of vegetation

Fishing Regulations  Regulations exist controlling the fish taken from public waters  Based on size of fish or number of fish  Idea: Provide the ideal environment for the fish

Water Quality  Good water quality is essential for fish production  Fish grow best if temperature is >65 degrees F  Oxygen must be in water for fish to survive  pH of water is best for fish at  Must keep muddy water under control. Fish are stunted if they grow in water with a bad siltation problem.

What kind of fish are present in NC freshwater? Objective- Differentiate among freshwater fish common to NC