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Show Fish Ponds It is a cheering note to anglers that reports from most states of the nation indicate that farm fish ponds are growing rapidly in number. num-ber. This is encouraging news because be-cause of the fast-dwindling areas of good fishing as heavily-fished waters become unable to replenish stocks rapidly enough to meet angler ang-ler demands, and state conserva-vation conserva-vation agencies also meet increasing increas-ing difficulties in that respect. Whether the farmer is a confirmed con-firmed angler or not, a fish pond should have an important place in his farming plans. First, such ponds are ofttimes necessary for stock watering purposes, or to conserve con-serve water for other uses. Secondly, Sec-ondly, the farmer can make quite a little revenue for himself by intelligent in-telligent handling of a farm fish pond program, as anglers are required re-quired to pay from 25 cents to $1 a day for fishing privileges, depending de-pending on the degree of sport or pounds of creel the angler may expect ex-pect for his money. In some sections of the nation, na-tion, commercial fish ponds, bnilt either through commercial commer-cial vision of their owners, or because of a personal love for the sport of angling, are yielding yield-ing important financial returns on the investment ventured. Getting back to an earlier point, in spite of the importance of hook and line fishing, the amount of waters suitable for fishing has decreased de-creased as the pressure of civilization civiliza-tion constantly destroys fish habitat. habi-tat. With the gradual introduction of artificial impoundments to provide pro-vide adequate water for cattle and other stock, new habitat was created cre-ated for fish. Now farm fish ponds have become of great importance from the point of view of anglers. Farm fish ponds can be of almost al-most any size for stocking purposes. pur-poses. But the average will be found to be from one to five and one-half one-half acres. Ponds as small as one-quarter one-quarter acre can be made to produce pro-duce fish in worthwhile quantities if properly managed and treated with commercial fertilizers to keep up the level of plant and small animal ani-mal life that the fish must have for food. Ponds should be stocked with species of fish that will maintain main-tain a natural balance between prey and predator species. Bluegills, which utilize the insect in-sect and small animal life of ponds, are the prey species, and largemnnth bass are the predator species. If the proper balance in weight and number of these two species can be maintained, maximum pro- duction of fish may be expected. In fact, this means that the ponds must be heavily fished by anglers to prevent overpopulation and stunted growth. "Fish farmers" can expect returns re-turns of 50 to 100 pounds of fish per acre in a natural pond, and up to 300 pounds in a well-managed, fertilized pond. This is a greater production of food per acre than could be realized from beef on adjacent ad-jacent land, which would come to about 150 pounds per acre. The production of one pound of fish in a fertilized pond might cost six to eight cents, but in terms of food and recreation this is considered con-sidered as an insignificantly small cost. Not every pond can be turned into a fish pond. It takes special planning or construction. Silt from erosion can make a small pond untenable for fish. And, while ponds may be as shallow as three feet in the south, they must be from six to 15 feet deep in the north to prevent winter killing of fish. AAA Whooping Cranes According to reports, four young whooping cranes returned with 29 adults to their wintering ground in Texas, this giving the big white birds a little headway in their fight against extinction. The continental population of these birds now stands at 36, including in-cluding two captive birds at the Arkansas wildlife refuge on the east coast of Texas, and one in Louisiana. In 1942, the whooping cranes were down to 22 birds. The slow rise in numbers is attributed by the National Audubon Society to increased protection on their wintering win-tering grounds and less shooting. This is believed to have resulted from the widespread publicity of the need for the birds' protection along their migration routes. AAA New Duck Stamp A pair of trumpeter swans flying fly-ing over the Red Rock Lakes area of Montana will be depicted on the 1950-51 duck stamp. A sketch of the birds by artist Walter A. Weber of Vienna, Va., was picked by a group of waterfowl experts as the winner of the 17th annual duck stamp competition. It will appear on the stamps, the first of which is to be issued July 1, this year. Stamps are required of all hunters of waterfowl. |
