Stocking
POTENTIAL PROBLEMS - Stocking is probably the most controversial issue in fishery management. It is often seen as the easiest way of increasing catches on the basis that the more you put into the system, the more you can take out.
But this may not be the case. For example, if we stock where existing habitat, particularly food and cover, is fully taken up by existing fish stocks, we are likely to do more harm than good.
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Stocked fish may interbreed with wild fish and alter the genetic strain.
The resultant hybrids may be less viable
· Stocked fish may displace wild stock particularly where available
food and cover is fully utilised by wild fish
· If wild fish are stripped for the hatchery, this will reduce
natural spawning. Also things can go wrong in the hatchery
· Stocking more fish won't solve any underlying problems - for
example pollution, water abstraction, barriers or degraded habitat
· There is a danger of introducing disease and parasites. Gyrodactylus
has wiped out the salmon stocks in many Norwegian rivers. It is not present
in the UK and Ireland
· Stocking may increase angling pressures to levels wild stocks
cannot maintain
· Stocking brings no biodiversity benefits for other fish, flora
or fauna of the river corridor
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