Fishing The Fly Scotland Forum

Mike Barrio

To stock, or not to stock?
« on: 28/03/2015 at 16:10 »

Marc Fauvet

Re: To stock, or not to stock?
« Reply #1 on: 28/03/2015 at 17:07 »
the answer's obvious...
nice find, Mike !  :z16

Hamish Young

Re: To stock, or not to stock?
« Reply #2 on: 29/03/2015 at 09:31 »
It's an interesting wee video but I think it's a snapshot of a much bigger story which the thread title 'to stock, or not to stock' doesn't fully cover.
I am no guru on the subject but I have a rudimentary knowledge based on looking at the history of the Montana rivers stocking policy as part of a college project that (ultimately) didn't get off the ground. Beer, women and fishing all got in the way.... what can I say :? I was 19 at the time.

More accurately the title of the thread might be 'what not to stock'. There's huge history here and I'm attempting to bring this into some short perspective but, as I recall, the upshot was that fish were being stocked because everyone thought it was the right thing to do.... but these were all takeable size sport fish with the angler in mind. There was no thought given to what and how stocking was being done, it was indiscriminate and on a vast scale. 

The video shows what happened - they canned the whole idea of stocking sport fish of a takeable size based on the evidence of the study.

However.... they have never actually stopped stocking. What the department stocks now is the change and even today they plant out juvenile fish bred (as far as is possible)  from native stock. Instead of stocking for the angler in rivers the hatchery programme produces fish for stocking lakes bred from native stock and significantly are used to save and stabilise the populations of rarer strains of fish that previously were perhaps ignored.

So what, where and how they stock have changed - but they still use stocking as an integral part of an organised programme of fisheries management.

H

Mike Barrio

Re: To stock, or not to stock?
« Reply #3 on: 29/03/2015 at 09:51 »
Good points Hamish :z16

Will Shaw

Re: To stock, or not to stock?
« Reply #4 on: 29/03/2015 at 22:37 »
Interesting points H.

I was talking to an angler from Idaho (just over the border from Mt.) the other day. He was saying that they are still stocking the lakes up there (Hebgen etc.) with triploid brookies. Apparently they get pretty big.

That surprised me.  ???

W.

Rob Brownfield

Re: To stock, or not to stock?
« Reply #5 on: 30/03/2015 at 08:04 »
So what, where and how they stock have changed - but they still use stocking as an integral part of an organised programme of fisheries management.


What do they stock Hamish?

Hamish Young

Re: To stock, or not to stock?
« Reply #6 on: 30/03/2015 at 08:29 »
..... even today they plant out juvenile fish bred (as far as is possible) from native stock. Instead of stocking for the angler in rivers the hatchery programme produces fish for stocking lakes bred from native stock and significantly are used to save and stabilise the populations of rarer strains of fish that previously were perhaps ignored.

It's already in there Rob  :wink
But let me but put it another way they stock native juvenile fish (ie. non 'sport' size) in to lakes and only stock rivers where they need to with fish where the populations are in need of assistance, species/indigenous strains like the Westlope Cutthroat Trout.

H :cool:

Rob Brownfield

Re: To stock, or not to stock?
« Reply #7 on: 30/03/2015 at 08:58 »
It's already in there Rob  :wink
But let me but put it another way they stock native juvenile fish (ie. non 'sport' size) in to lakes and only stock rivers where they need to with fish where the populations are in need of assistance, species/indigenous strains like the Westlope Cutthroat Trout.

H :cool:

I saw the indigenous bit, but not being indigenous to that part of the world myself :), I was wondering if it were Rainbows and Browns or more the slightly less common species.

Am I right in thinking that Browns are not indigenous but still stocked?

Hamish Young

Re: To stock, or not to stock?
« Reply #8 on: 30/03/2015 at 09:15 »
Well if the rivers are only being planted with indigenous strains then I imagine it is unlikely that Brown Trout are being stocked in them.
As far as the lakes go I'd have thought Rainbows and Brookies, but it's 25 years since I last looked into this Rob.


 




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