This course is designed to familiarize participants with the basic principles, concepts, and methods currently in use for the production of warm and cool water fish species.  Species include largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, walleye, northern pike, striped bass and their hybrids, sturgeon, paddlefish, muskellunge, and forage species.  Topics include water quality analysis, fish health management, zooplankton sampling and identification, nuisance species control, pond fertilization and management, fish nutrition, extensive and intensive culture methods, and harvest.  Laboratories sessions will be held for water quality analysis, fish health assessments, and zooplankton sampling and identification.

Who Should Attend:  Any fisheries worker

Length:  5 days/36 hours

Objectives:  By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Discuss water chemistry analyses and corrective measures for optimum water quality;
• Correct problems in the pond environment which have resulted in low oxygen, high metabolic waste, or increased vegetation growth;
• Recognize common fish disease signs;
• Perform a non lethal health assessment and a fish necropsy;
• Describe life histories of various zooplankton common in fish ponds;
• Collect, identify, and enumerate various zooplankton;
• Manage pond water quality, vegetation, and plankton populations;
• Calculate feeding levels and growth rates for the various species discussed based on weights and numbers of fry, fingerlings, and adults;
• Describe several fish disease prevention and control measure;
• Describe intensive and extensive fish culture methods for covered species;\Harvest, hold, and transport fish to stocking areas or distribution points in good condition;
• Calculate pond and tank disease treatments correctly.

Availability:	Semi-Annually
Contact:	Alan Temple
Branch:	Conservation Science & Policy Branch
Phone:	304/876-7440