Farm Pond Fisheries and their Management

1. Farm PondFisheriesand theirManagement An eBook for High School Agriculture students by Shelly Mitchell

2. How to Use This eBook • Start the presentation by pressing F5 • Click the to hear the pronunciation of a word. • Click the to return to the Table of Contents. • Complete the Think About It graphics for activities related to each section. • Some Think About It sections will link you to the internet or slides to record your answers. • Click the to return to the last slide viewed.

3. Table of Contents • History of Fisheries • Pond Management • Water Quality Management • Fish Management • Regulations • Resources

4. History of Fisheries A fishery is an entity engaged in raising or harvesting fish. A fishery may involve the capture of wild fish or raising fish through fish farming or aquaculture. The livelihood of over 500 million people worldwide depends on fisheries and aquaculture Aquaculture production more than doubled in the decade from 1988 to 1998. Over the last twenty years, world fishery products have remained relatively the same.

5. Management of Fisheries USDA says that the ideal size for a family farm pond fishery is less than two acres. Management techniques depend on whether a new pond is being built or an old one is being renovated. New pond builders should be concerned with care and development while existing pond owners should be concerned with correcting existing problems. To learn more go to the USDA FSA

6. Farm Ponds Farm ponds are a good way to supply habitats for fish. The main uses of a farm pond are: • Livestock watering • Irrigation • Fish production • Wildlife • Recreation • Fire protection Think About It? Click here to rank these uses in order of importance to a profitable family farm.

7. Two Types of Artificial Ponds Embankment ponds • Water is held or impounded by an embankment or dam across a watercourse. • Should be minimum of 6 feet deep Excavated Ponds • Made by digging a pit below surrounding ground level • Built primarily in nearly level areas Think About It? Which geographic areas that would be most likely to use each type of pond.

8. The Pond Habitat Littoral Zone The shallow zone that has rooted vegetation, such as pond lilies and cattails. It starts at shoreline and extends to where rooted vegetation ends. Photosynthesis takes place on the lake floor because light penetrates the water. Limnetic Zone Containsno rooted vegetation. Phytoplankton and fish are present and giving off oxygen in the area. Profundal Zone This zone is the bottom zone of the lake. No photosynthesis takes place in this zone. It is the warmest zone in the winter and the coolest zone in the summer Think About it: Draw a diagram that shows the three zones. Click here to compare your diagram when finished.

9. Water Quality Good quality water is essential for essential fish production. Fish grow best if the temperature is above 65°F. Oxygen must be in the water for fish to survive. The pH of water is best for fish at 6.5 to 9.0. Muddy water must be kept under control as well. Overall Water Quality is determined by Vegetation Control, Salinity, and Temperature Density. Think About It? How can poor water quality affect the pond fishery?

10. Vegetation Control Vegetation Control is important to any pond, lake or reservoir. It provides food, shelter, oxygen, and spawning and nesting habitats. Vegetation can help to cool surface water and stabilize bottom sediments. Excessive vegetation can harm fish and inhibit recreational use of the water. There are many ways to control aquatic plant population: • Watershed improvement - keep soil and nutrients on the land and out of the water • Water level management – involves changing the level of the water to expose plants to adverse conditions • Biological control – using some other living organism, either plant or animal, to control aquatic plants • Chemical controls – using herbicides on weed-infested waters

11. Salinity Salinity refers to the concentration of salts in the ocean water. The most common salt compounds consist of sodium, chlorine, magnesium, calcium and potassium. Salinity is defined as the number of grams of dissolved salt in 1,000 grams of sea water.

12. Temperature Density Temperatures change depending on the different latitudes and depths of the water. The density of the water increases as the pressure and depth increase.

13. Test Your Knowledge Water Quality Water Movement Salinity Temperature Density Vegetation Think About It Click here to match each term to its definition?

14. Fish Management Sampling of fish is needed to keep track of what species are in the water and how well they are growing. Methods of sampling include Electrofishing, Netting, Spot Poisoning, and Angling. To explore how these methods are used in real-life practices click here!

15. How do you sample fish? Nets Spot Poisoning Boat Shocker Angling Can you match each use to its definition? Think About It

16. Fishing Regulations Regulations exist to control the fish taken from public waters. This regulation are normally based on the size of the fish taken. They can also be based on the number of fish taken. The science behind creating regulations is to provide the ideal environment for the fish.

17. Population Removal and Adjustment Ponds can become overpopulated with undesirable species, such as suckers, shad, and crappies. One method of population removal is to drain the pond and trap all the fish in nets, keep the desired fish to restock and destroy the undesirable fish. Another method is to poison the entire lake or pond Think About It: Think about the pros and cons for each removal method. Choose one to defend and post.

18. Resources • Farm Pond Ecosystems; USDA • Managing a Fish Farm; USDA • So You Want to Build a Pond • Salinity and Temperatures

19. Think About Itclick to reveal the descriptions and best pond type Embankment Ponds Excavated Ponds Flat or Gently sloping landscapes • Moderate to Steep sloping terrains Excavated Ponds • Built on top of natural springs Embankment Ponds • Built in areas with lots of runoff water

20. Think About It Profundal Zone