In the past, non-native fish were commonly introduced to environments for sport and consumption. Today, over-fishing or inability to breed are common reasons that require stocking. Professionals employ two techniques for placement – direct from the truck into ponds and net transfer into rivers.
A few factors affect stocking cost: species, weight, and nurture conditions. For example, fish cultivated in a natural pond cost approximately 30% more than their aquatic counterparts raised in concrete raceway hatcheries. Nurture environment will not affect the size and most fish range between six and twenty-two inches at time of stocking. One thing to note is, concrete raceway fish may have damaged fins, a result of close quarters at the hatchery.
Catching fish in your backyard is a fun and entertaining activity for your family and friends. However, merely stocking does not guarantee trophy fish for generations to come. Pond and river maintenance is crucial to sustain the aquaculture ecosystem you have created.
Fish will acclimate to their new environment at varying rates, depending on the hatchery habitat. Experts recommend supplemental pellet feeding for the first couple weeks.
Feeding should be kept at 2-3 times per week so the fish are encouraged to forage naturally as well.