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Show Stocking Of Farm Ponds With Trout Underway Stocking of private farm ponds with fingerling rainbow trout has become popular in western Duchesne Du-chesne County. Roughly, 31,200 of these fish, measuring from one-half to two and one-half inches, have been furnished to 16 cooperators for about 38 acres of farm ponds in this area this year. The stocking of farm ponds is a part of the Uintah Basin Soil Conservation District's program of conservation to help farm operators make the best use of their soil and water resources. Applications for fish are received receiv-ed by the local SCS office and are forwarded to the U. S. Fisli and Wildlife Service. When sufficient suf-ficient requests are filed, a load of fish is sent from the Spring-ville Spring-ville Hatchery for distribution to farm ponds. Soil Conservation Service biologists biol-ogists calculate that an acre of properly managed farm pond water wat-er will about equal the production of meat (trout) that may be raised from an acre of well-kept pasture. Pound for pound, acre for acre, a managed pond will ' out-produce poor pasture. Besides being a good source of tasty food, farm ponds provide recreation on the farm and make for better living. Mr. Burton Tew of Talmage, reports that his pond furnishes him with about the only recreation left on his farm. He explained that after evening chores are done he can relax at his farm pond with his fishing rod. The upper country, including the Mt, Home-Talmage-Boneta area, ar-ea, is classed as excellent for farm pond trout production. Fingerlings grow to over legal size by the next season after planting. The idea back of stocking farm ponds as a form of conservation assistance furnished through the Soil Conservation District is to endeavor to compensate farmers for crop losses caused by game, such as deer and pheasants, in an effort to further better relations between the farmer and the sportsman. Farmers may grant permission to anyone to fish their ponds, but they may not commercialize on fish furnished free of charge by the Fish and Wildlife Servico hatcheries. |