Fish stocking

Fish stocking is the practice of raising fish in a hatchery and releasing them into a river, lake, or ocean to supplement existing populations or to create a population where none exists. Stocking may be done for the benefit of commercial, recreational, or tribal fishing, but may also be done to restore or increase a population of threatened or endangered fish in a body of water closed to fishing. Fish stocking is the practice of raising fish in a hatchery and releasing them into a river, lake, or ocean to supplement existing populations or to create a population where none exists. Stocking may be done for the benefit of commercial, recreational, or tribal fishing, but may also be done to restore or increase a population of threatened or endangered fish in a body of water closed to fishing. Fish stocking may be conducted by governmental agencies in public waters, or by private groups in private waters. When in public waters, fish stocking creates a common-pool resource which is rivalrous in nature but non-excludable. Thus, on public grounds, all can enjoy the benefits of fishing so long as fish continue to be stocked. Fish stocking is a practice that dates back hundreds of years. According to biologist Edwin Pister, widespread trout stocking dates back to the 1800s. For the first hundred years of stocking, the location and number of fish introduced was not well recorded; the singular goal of stocking was to enhance sport fishing regardless of ecological ramifications such as erosion of biodiversity. As biologist Edwin Pister states, 'When trout planting was first implemented, the nation was gripped with a highly utilitarian resource management ethic that placed short-term human interests above virtually any other consideration'. Recently, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service along with state fishery branches have done a better job of recording exactly what species of fish are stocked at any given location. This began in the 1960s when research suggested the negative impacts of fish stocking on the ecological complexity of other life forms. The Wilderness Act of 1964 also opened the public's eyes to the impact stocking has on other organisms. Thus, fish stocking is now the subject of much debate as there are various costs and benefits associated with the practice. In the United States, stocking non-native fish for sport and food was just beginning in 1871 when the US Fish Commission was established. The head of the new agency, Spencer Fullerton Baird, was tasked to research 'the decrease of the food fishes of the seacoasts and the lakes of the United States and to suggest remedial measures.' Baird made his headquarters at Woods Hole on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. There, his team of scientists and researchers conducted studies on striped bass, blue fish, and many other commercial and sport fish. They compiled their research into a 255-page report on United States fish resources. Congress granted the team $15,000 to develop food fish stocks, and nonnative fish such as rainbow trout, salmon, striped bass, and carp were subsequently introduced successfully into United States lakes and rivers. In the early years, fish were stocked by sports clubs and private citizens. Today, state fish and wildlife agencies along with hatcheries are responsible for distributing fish. And until recently, their goal was to plant as many fish as possible into as many bodies of water as possible. Now, with knowledge of the detrimental effects fish stocking has on invertebrate and amphibian populations, it is conducted much more selectively. Today, much more thought is put into introducing non-native species as they can severely damage the populations of fragile natives; practices lean more towards sustainability. Stocking is used to restore native species to waters where they have been overfished or can no longer breed. 'Give and take' stocking practices are those where fish are stocked only to be fished and then restocked. In response, most states have adopted regulations that prohibit fish stocking in areas that may damage aquatic life or ecosystem diversity, and encourage stocking in bodies of water where no harm will result from doing so. Trout Unlimited has a policy, for example, that states 'where a body of scientific evidence shows that stocking in historically non-salmonid waters adversely affects native biodiversity, such stocking should cease.' While many organizations remain focused solely on providing quality fishing opportunities, policies and attitudes are shifting toward resource integrity and protection. In Pennsylvania alone, the PA Fish & Boat Commission is scheduled to stock 4,398,227 trout (brook, brown, and rainbows) into its streams and lakes in 2019. Also in 2019, Lake Ontario, one of the five great lakes, is projected to receive 2,767,660 stocked salmon and trout. According to data by state agencies, in 2004 roughly 1.7 billion fish were stocked across the United States. With 104 different species of fish stocked, a total of 43.65 million pounds of fish were released, primarily in the Western states. In the US, common species that are currently stocked for sport include trout, bass, salmon, muskellunge, walleye, and several species of panfish. Before being released into rivers, lakes, ponds, and occasionally oceans across the country, fish are raised in a fish hatchery. Just like humans have a demand for groceries, anglers have a demand for fish. When the supply is running low in a given body of water, fish are transported from hatcheries in a large water tank or airplane to their respective locations. The costs associated with stocking are typically covered by angler associations, commercial fishermen, state fish and game agencies, and at times government subsidies; today, most stocking is conducted by state fish and game departments. Stocking fish provides a variety of benefits to society. Fishing is a popular pastime, with 101.6 million Americans over 16 years old participating in wildlife-related activities such as fishing and hunting. Additionally, a report by the U.S. Department of the Interior recorded an 8% increase in angling participation between 2011 and 2016. In 2017, just over 49 million Americans participated in some form of fishing, of which 11.9 million were youth. Most anglers even fish between four and eleven times per year, with some reporting over 100 trips. Adding fish to public lakes and streams makes fishing more fun, especially for young anglers. Fishing also provides Americans the opportunity to enjoy nature in solitude and escape from their busy lives. It is a form of exercise and a great way to bond with friends and family; fishing has also been linked to increased patience among children. According to a survey by the Outdoor Foundation, 60.3% of fisherman report fishing as a means of getting exercise, 59.1% report fishing to bond with family, and 51.2% report fishing to be close to nature and observe the scenery. Some of the fish caught are also large, providing a source of nutrition to successful fishermen. Roughly 40% of fisherman eat the fish they catch, according to a survey by the Outdoor Foundation. Stocking can also restore threatened, endangered, or native fish species. The Union for Conservation of Nature's red list of endangered species has 1,414 species of fish that are at risk of extinction. Stocking them into lakes, rivers, and streams can support existing populations that are threatened and reduce the number of endangered or extirpated species. Many of the fish commonly used for stocking also have low reproductive rates and tend to be overfished if not stocked annually. Moreover, as stocked fish tend to contain larger trophy fish, many anglers are more willing to pay for a fishing license, meaning state fishing departments have more revenue to spend on natural resource management and conservation efforts. In 2018, there were roughly 30 million paid license holders in the US, grossing $720 million that year. Many species of fish including grass carp and the suckermouth catfish help clean bodies of water by eating algae and other green organisms. Algae can take over stagnant ponds, attracting insects and making lakes, rivers, and ponds unpleasant to look at. To treat them, many individuals will choose to stock certain species of fish. This creates a positive externality for those who enjoy a variety of water activities. Studies have also examined the economic viability of fish stocking. Hansson, Arrheniusm, and Nellbring of Stockholm University find that simple economic analysis suggests Volga pikeperch stocking can be profitable; based on the capital invested in the stock, the economic yield results in an annual interest rate of 43% (from the viewpoint of anglers). These authors also find that increased populations of stocked fish decreases manpower and equipment costs associated with each catch. They also find that specifically for pikeperch, stocking can restore food web interactions to a more 'natural' level where herring populations are reduced and zooplankton flourish, thus benefiting the ecosystem as a whole.