Reccomendations To Improve Trout Stocks Once Habitat Is Restored.
Provided the habitat is adequate trout numbers will rise substatially, however good management is neccessary to preserve the trout stock. One viable option which has already been implemented in many trout streams in England is a catch and release policy. This is where the trout are returned to the water once caught. As long as care is taken there is no reason for the trout not to survive. This would prevent any loss of breeding stock. This should be reccomended for the first 3 seasons of any fishery after habitat management work has been carried out. This allows any trout colonising the area to reach maturity and so contribute towards future trout stocks. If it is felt that there are suffecient fish a limit may be imposed on the number of fish an angler is allowed to remove, for example 2 fish a day.
Catch returns are also important to assess whether any habitat restoration has been effective. Angling associations should record the amount of fish taken in one season. This can then contribute to national records. Through such records any decreases in stock can be recorded many steps can be taken to resolve this problem. It is important for the angler to understand the importance that they play in trout stocks, and it is in their interest to fish responsibly and prevent over fishing from occuring.