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Author Topic: FISH FARMING - anyone know anything about this?  (Read 3437 times)

goosepimple

  • Joined May 2010
  • nr Lauder, Scottish Borders
FISH FARMING - anyone know anything about this?
« on: September 11, 2012, 11:45:21 am »
We have a 70m long mill pond which we use for our waterfowl and for the water wheel.  Was wondering if we could create a fish pond within it for producing river trout / other fish - we could net it off to stop the ducks and herons getting there first.  The pond has fresh water running through it - we have trout in our river which runs parallel to the pond but catching them isn't always easy. 


Anyone know anything about fish farming?
registered soay, castlemilk moorit  and north ronaldsay sheep, pygmy goats, steinbacher geese, muscovy ducks, various hens, lots of visiting mallards, a naughty border collie, a puss and a couple of guinea pigs

bloomer

  • Joined Aug 2010
  • leslie, fife
  • i have chickens, sheep and opinions!!!
Re: FISH FARMING - anyone know anything about this?
« Reply #1 on: September 11, 2012, 12:03:14 pm »
a little bit


you'd need an expert to give you an idea of stocking densities etc, but your best bet assuming there is no way it can get flooded and all the fish can't escape back to the rivers would be to buy in fingerling stock and feed it up until its big enought eat then net or catch a few at a time on rod and line as you prefer.


the environment agency has all the info on rules and regulations for england and wales, not sure who covers scotland.


other things to think about are oxygenation of the water in hot weather etc.

goosepimple

  • Joined May 2010
  • nr Lauder, Scottish Borders
Re: FISH FARMING - anyone know anything about this?
« Reply #2 on: September 11, 2012, 08:37:55 pm »
Hi bloomer, thanks for that.  Its just a thought at the moment, but then so was goats, ducks, geese, sheep etc not too long ago.  We don't eat that much in the way of meat really - more fish people and fish is SO expensive now, thought it may be a plan hatching.  Long way to go on the research before we take it any further though.
 
Many thanks.
registered soay, castlemilk moorit  and north ronaldsay sheep, pygmy goats, steinbacher geese, muscovy ducks, various hens, lots of visiting mallards, a naughty border collie, a puss and a couple of guinea pigs

SteveHants

  • Joined Aug 2011
Re: FISH FARMING - anyone know anything about this?
« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2012, 02:13:23 pm »
I used to run a trout farm before I took up sheep farming.


You would need to work out how many gallons of water per unit time your pond circulated to work out your stocking density.


Your problems would come when you try to grade fish - you would have nowhere to move them to. I would decide what you are growing them for before I started out - ie, if you just wated to grow a few on to catch for yourselves, then I'd maybe stock some 50-100g fish and buy a bit of feed and see how you go. If you wanted to start farming commercially, that might be more of an ask.


In order to stock fish into your water you will need a section 30 consent to do so from the environment agency (a bit like you need a holding number and AML forms for other livestock). Are there any trout farms nearby who sell stocking fish? They should be able to help you further - try the british trout associations website:
http://www.britishtrout.co.uk/old-site/




You could certainly grow carp a whole lot more easily than trout, providing the water wasn't too cold.


deepinthewoods

  • Guest
Re: FISH FARMING - anyone know anything about this?
« Reply #4 on: September 12, 2012, 02:33:53 pm »
and carp are worth a hell of a lot more, a ten pound carp is worth in the region of £150

goosepimple

  • Joined May 2010
  • nr Lauder, Scottish Borders
Re: FISH FARMING - anyone know anything about this?
« Reply #5 on: September 12, 2012, 06:58:16 pm »
Yes, I saw an article on carp farming a long time ago - think it was Hugh FW River Cottage programme, must have been a few years ago now.  It would be just for ourselves - well you can say that then all the mums at the school would grow curious etc.  We do have a lot of wildfowl from spring to autumn though and no doubt they poo in the pond so this may be an issue although I know some fish thrive on that.  I would have to install a container (mesh walls?) don't know what I'm talking about really as I haven't had the time to investigate it yet.  I couldn't just put them in the pond as the heron sit fishing each day. 


I probably need to go and visit a fish farm as you said Steve - there is one about an hour from me so I'll do that, would be interesting to see what they charge for fish actually.


Keep you posted, many thanks. Does sheep pay more than fish Steve?  Are they less hassle than fish? :thinking:
registered soay, castlemilk moorit  and north ronaldsay sheep, pygmy goats, steinbacher geese, muscovy ducks, various hens, lots of visiting mallards, a naughty border collie, a puss and a couple of guinea pigs

Plantoid

  • Joined May 2011
  • Yorkshireman on a hill in wet South Wales
Re: FISH FARMING - anyone know anything about this?
« Reply #6 on: September 14, 2012, 10:51:40 am »
GP ,
 I don't know if you have free access to DEFRA or loacl authority advice re grants and ponds .
 
 One of my pals has just had some such free advice as to how to go about making and stocking a new pond with local trout .
 
If you are interested  .....one place I found for him awas a place thsat makes nets and will stitch nets up to obtain bigger ones so you can make enclosures /pens is Norfine nets making a 6 mm hexagonal net mesh made from soft knitted long life nylon , stitched to your requirements .
 They also do top cover netting.
International playboy & liar .
Man of the world not a country

goosepimple

  • Joined May 2010
  • nr Lauder, Scottish Borders
Re: FISH FARMING - anyone know anything about this?
« Reply #7 on: September 14, 2012, 08:39:20 pm »
Ooh, now that's floating my boat Plantiod, am going to tell OH about that now....... :hungry:
registered soay, castlemilk moorit  and north ronaldsay sheep, pygmy goats, steinbacher geese, muscovy ducks, various hens, lots of visiting mallards, a naughty border collie, a puss and a couple of guinea pigs

goosepimple

  • Joined May 2010
  • nr Lauder, Scottish Borders
Re: FISH FARMING - anyone know anything about this?
« Reply #8 on: September 14, 2012, 08:46:37 pm »
Hmmm, the water eventually ends up as the River Tweed, so may have SEPA issues etc.  Will look further into it.  Just seems a shame when fish is so expensive and we have this big pond, don't want an eyesore though  :tired:
registered soay, castlemilk moorit  and north ronaldsay sheep, pygmy goats, steinbacher geese, muscovy ducks, various hens, lots of visiting mallards, a naughty border collie, a puss and a couple of guinea pigs

 

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