Stillwater Barbel (pt 2)

[sam vimes]

Unless we want to be massively pedantic this is proof to me that barbel will not achieve a viable population in a natural pool.

The same can be said for several species, carp being one. They do not occur naturally in the vast majority of waters and rarely breed successfully in the vast majority of UK waters. I also suspect that the idea that fish magically establish populations in previously barren waters is massively overstated.

As I've said before, what difference does it make where the fish come from and how they get into a water, provided they don't suffer and aren't pinched? In addition, it could be argued that barbel will not, and do not, naturally achieve viable populations in plenty of the rivers that they are currently having to supplement stocks.

 

[bennygesserit]

Sam an honest question have barbel bred in still water ? I thought the spawn needed copious flowing water , for what reason I can only guess.
Alongside airborne distribution I should , of ourse , added flood.
On the commercial I fish every couple of years we are plagued with tiny carp , perfect replicas about an inch long , not a big sample I grant but it comes as a suprise that you and ( a lot ) of others are saying its difficult for them to breed. i am not disputing what you say , I have only ever really fished about 10 carp ponds in the lst few years.

My point being that those who dislike barbel in still waters have a view that is more alligned with what occurs in the natural world.

My own personal view , fish have no intelligence so what is the problem with stillwater barbel ?

 

[sam vimes]

Sam an honest question have barbel bred in still water ? I thought the spawn needed copious flowing water , for what reason I can only guess.
Alongside airborne distribution I should , of ourse , added flood.
On the commercial I fish every couple of years we are plagued with tiny carp , perfect replicas about an inch long , not a big sample I grant but it comes as a suprise that you and ( a lot ) of others are saying its difficult for them to breed. i am not disputing what you say , I have only ever really fished about 10 carp ponds in the lst few years.

My point being that those who dislike barbel in still waters have a view that is more alligned with what occurs in the natural world.

My own personal view , fish have no intelligence so what is the problem with stillwater barbel ?

Honest answer, I don't know for sure whether barbel have ever bred in a stillwater. Anecdotal evidence suggests that they have, but only in a tiny minority of waters. As for carp breeding, it certainly happens, and in a far greater number of stillwaters than barbel ever will. However, it's not nearly as common as your sample of 1 in 10 might suggest, especially the further north you get and the deeper the water concerned is.

Those that object to barbel in stillwaters are deluded if they think that the world we live in is remotely natural. Discounting the prospect of fish theft, if natural is their main objection, they should be up in arms over any barbel being stocked anywhere, stocking farm bred fish is hardly a natural thing. That means river stocks being allowed to dwindle, and some rivers never having been stocked in the first place. I'm afraid that if you're a "right on" barbel basher with such views, but you happen to be fishing the Ribble, Severn, etc, etc, I can only suggest that there's huge dollop of hypocrisy involved in your objections.

I honestly don't particularly care for barbel in stillwaters, I'll never deliberately fish for them. I just don't really care if captive bred fish are bought and stocked in a stillwater.

 

[jacksharp]

Funny thing about fish-breeding knowledge: People said that rainbow trout cannot breed, in the wild, in this country. Tal Y Llyn lake in Wales, a beautiful, natural brown trout water went through a phase of stocking rainbows (don't they all) in the 70's when the reservoir boom in fly fishing was starting, pioneered by the likes of Tom Ivens.

They realised the error of their ways and stopped the stocking after a few years. Periodically the odd rainbow would turn up, one actually at 16lbs! Boat fishing with a mate there, in the late 80's, I hooked a 4" rainbow proving, to me anyway, that they breed in the wild in Britain.

Barbel may well breed in stillwaters but, in the heavily stocked commercials where they are invariably put, who's to say the spawn and/or fry are not just hoovered up by the other occupants of said fisheries?

 

[richiekelly]

Funny thing about fish-breeding knowledge: People said that rainbow trout cannot breed, in the wild, in this country. Tal Y Llyn lake in Wales, a beautiful, natural brown trout water went through a phase of stocking rainbows (don't they all) in the 70's when the reservoir boom in fly fishing was starting, pioneered by the likes of Tom Ivens.

They realised the error of their ways and stopped the stocking after a few years. Periodically the odd rainbow would turn up, one actually at 16lbs! Boat fishing with a mate there, in the late 80's, I hooked a 4" rainbow proving, to me anyway, that they breed in the wild in Britain.

Barbel may well breed in stillwaters but, in the heavily stocked commercials where they are invariably put, who's to say the spawn and/or fry are not just hoovered up by the other occupants of said fisheries?

A very valid point.