‘THIS SOUNDS LIKE A FASCINATING STUDY’

SEASONED fish farmer Simon Scott says the Hungarian scientists’ report sounds fascinating, and shares some of his experiences of natural stockings.

He says: “On our stock ponds, which get drained down regularly, we very, very rarely see fish we haven’t stocked. The ponds nearest the drainage ditch might sometimes contain the odd stickleback, probably dropped by a kingfisher.

“On our lowest-lying ponds over the last 15 years we’ve found a couple of pike, a handful of chub and one sea trout. These would have swum up the inlet pipe in floods.

“I think on gravel pits fish can get pumped in. Where there are 6ins pipes and big pumps it might sound like certain death, but fish can survive them. I’ve found fry in the filters of garden ponds that have gone on to grow into healthy fish.”