Releasing Fish Into the Wild

[sandtiger]

There is a small lake that the state stocks near my house with a ton of trout and after the opening day weekend is over you won't catch a damn thing. No bass, pickerel, or even bluegill. Why are the scientists stocking a mudhole when they know that no trout will survive the summer months?

It's called a "put and take" fishery. They do that a lot around here as well, stock trout in places they won't survive. Why? Because people like to catch trout and people like to eat trout, they put the trout there knowing full well that they will be caught and eaten fairly quickly.

As for the difference between you and a hatchery releaseing fish, it's simple. They are trained scientists in expensive facilitys with biologists, pathologists and others on hand to evaluate the health of the fish. You are a simple fish keeper, it's your hobby...not a career you were trained for.

Now is it right for them to do this? No, not in my opinion. Because of these state run hatcherys there are now European brown trout in the United States. Western rainbow trout in the east. Eastern largemouth bass in the west. These non-natives have done a lot of damage. Because of the introduction of brook trout out west, bull trout populations are in decline (due to competition with non-native brooks and hybridization with them). The state cares about money though, often more then the environment and people want to catch certain fish in certain places so the state puts them there.

 

[robmcd]

What about releasing a native species?

 

[sandtiger]

What about releasing a native species?

Read the sticky, there are lots of good reasons on why even natives should not be released. In addition to all those good reasons it's also illegal anyway.

 

[Polypterus]

Why is this concept of never release so difficult for people to understand??? It really is quite simple and not all that complex....And why does this pop up more in Natives than anywhere else???

Is it because some people continue to want to find a way out of caring for their animals should they get bored or want something new? This is all I can come up with on why so many keep questioning why releasing fish is not acceptable behavior. I truly can not understand what else there is to it except for the unwillingness by some to accept personal responsibility for the animals they keep. somehow it needs to be justified in some way to just release them in order to selfishly absolve ones self from their own ignorance or mistakes in a pet choice. Is it the fact you disrespect your own backyard to the point you would rather just crap on it than protect it????

Really.... what the hell is the deal with this?????

 

[Derpeder]

This is a quote from ZOO Diver.....while discussing the whale sharks in the Georgia Aquarium. I thought it fit very well for the native fish keeper.

If the professionals at major aquariums take it this seriously....its probably something we should take serious as well.

Most display type animals can never be released. There are FAR stricker protocols for animals that are being reintroduced. So much so that it would make it impossible. It's set up that way to avoid having them imprint on humans and to assure that we aren't introducing zoonatic diseases into the wild. Captive animals carry things that would be devistating to the wild population -even though it doesn't show on them while in a tank.

 

[Derpeder]

Why is this concept of never release so difficult for people to understand??? It really is quite simple and not all that complex....And why does this pop up more in Natives than anywhere else???

Is it because some people continue to want to find a way out of caring for their animals should they get bored or want something new? This is all I can come up with on why so many keep questioning why releasing fish is not acceptable behavior. I truly can not understand what else there is to it except for the unwillingness by some to accept personal responsibility for the animals they keep. somehow it needs to be justified in some way to just release them in order to selfishly absolve ones self from their own ignorance or mistakes in a pet choice. Is it the fact you disrespect your own backyard to the point you would rather just crap on it than protect it????

Really.... what the hell is the deal with this?????

Poly....when I first came to this site (which I found while looking for help with my bass....so natives brought me here) I was completely unaware of the probablems of release native fish back into the wild. I would have never released a store bought fish but I thought the bass would have been fine to release because they came from the lake. Since then I have been educated by you guys and I know why its unacceptable. and plus since then I have upgraded my bass to a 95 gallon and now to a 150 gallon so I can keep them and care for them appropriately.

A lot of people just don't know so if they bring it up and get educated on it then great. I just hope bluegill listens. Its just not worth the risk of hurting native populations of fish by releasing aquarium kept fish.

Now if they just refuse to listen then I put them in your catagory.

 

[Bluegill]

Thank you for all of your replys my dream was one day to release my pet bass when he reached 20 inches but I guess that I will keep him until he dies in peace and then get him stuffed and then I will start all over with a smallmouth bass. By the time that I am retired I should have two Connecticut state record bass hanging on my wall. How long can I keep a 11 inch largemouth in a 55 gallon tank until and upgrade? I also have 3 bluegills in the tank the biggest is like 6 and the other 2 or 5 and 4 inches.

 

[id10t]

Head down to the DIY section and start thinking about measurements in terms of "sheets of plywood". ....

 

[drewish]

Thank you for all of your replys my dream was one day to release my pet bass when he reached 20 inches but I guess that I will keep him until he dies in peace and then get him stuffed and then I will start all over with a smallmouth bass. By the time that I am retired I should have two Connecticut state record bass hanging on my wall. How long can I keep a 11 inch largemouth in a 55 gallon tank until and upgrade? I also have 3 bluegills in the tank the biggest is like 6 and the other 2 or 5 and 4 inches.

You should be moving the LMB now. But once you do that, expect the largest bluegill to kill at least one of the remaining bluegill. You will want to upgrade to at least something 2' deep, such as a 180G. That will be good for a year or two depending on water and food quality. You will then probably want a 280G that is 3' deep or a pond.