ANR-577 MANAGEMENT OF RECREATIONAL FISH PONDS IN ALABAMA
ANR-577, Reprinted June 1996.
By Michael Masser Extension
Fisheries Specialist, Associate Professor, Fisheries and Allied
Aquaculture, Auburn University.
| Management Of Recreational Fish
Ponds In Alabama |
Alabama has about 50,000 small, private
ponds covering more than 134,000 acres. Ponds are usually built
for several purposes: irrigation, livestock watering, and recreation.
Recreation is probably the most important reason for building
a pond in Alabama. Unfortunately, most ponds are poorly managed
for recreation, even though as much as 25 percent of all fishing
takes place in private ponds.
Properly managed ponds provide excellent recreational opportunities.
A good fishing pond must be managed like a vegetable garden: It
must be seeded (or stocked) properly, limed and fertilized correctly,
weeded now and then, and harvested in the correct numbers and
on an appropriate timetable.
The purpose of this publication is to provide the owner or
manager with keys to success--guidelines for correct pond management.
The first step in recreational pond management is to decide
what kind of recreation is desired. Ponds can be managed for fishing,
swimming, wildlife attraction, and esthetics. It is difficult
to manage for all of these recreational activities equally well,
but the most important can be emphasized. This publication will
target fishing and attracting wildlife.
Summary
Small farm ponds are not mother nature's creations; they are
the work of human beings. They must be managed to be productive
and provide good fishing. Again, think of a pond as you would
a garden or orchard. It must be properly laid out, fertilized,
planted (stocked), weeded, pruned (in this case selectively harvested),
and protected from climate-related catastrophe (for example, turn-overs)
to be bountiful. All of this takes time and effort, but the rewards
are outdoor recreation and good food.
For more information, call your
county Extension office. Look in your telephone directory under
your county's name to find the number.
A special thanks is extended to artist/naturalist
Rick Hill, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources,
for use of his illustrations.
For more information, contact your county Extension office. Visit http://www.aces.edu/counties or look in your telephone directory under your county's name to find contact information.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and
home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related
acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama
Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn
University) offers educational programs, materials, and equal
opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color,
national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.
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