Fisheries Management: A Manual for Still-Water Coarse Fisheries

by Ian Wellby, Ash Girdler, Robin Welcomme
February 2010

Fisheries Management is a beautifully-produced full colour guide to the management of still-water coarse fisheries. Carefully compiled by three leading specialists, who each draw on many years’ experience, this book is an essential purchase for all still water coarse fisheries managers. The correct management of still waters and their fisheries is vital to ensure environmental protection and an appropriate level of stocking densities of healthy fish. This new book provides the reader with the necessary information to achieve these goals.

The book’s first part covers the ecology of still waters and includes succinct and user-friendly information on physical and chemical processes, nutrient cycles, energy movements, trophic levels, bacteria, plants, invertebrates, fish, disease-causing organisms, mammals and birds.

Part two provides in depth, but easily assimilated cutting edge information, on how a still-water fishery should be set up, developed and successfully managed. Coverage includes development, preparation and construction; stock assessment and invertebrate survey; control of water quality, aquatic plants, erosion, predators and nuisance species; management of the impact of climate change; fish disease and biosecurity; control of fishing activities, fish nutrition, fishery enhancement and condition improvement, and general administration.

The final part of this excellent manual covers legal and social frameworks including general and environmental legislation, direct fisheries-related legislation, and agencies and organizations.

Fisheries Management provides fishery managers with an invaluable, practical tool which none should be without. Students studying fisheries biology, fisheries management and aquatic sciences will find this a very useful learning resource, as will all those who are considering buying or building and setting up lakes for fisheries. All libraries in universities, research establishments and government agencies where fisheries and biological sciences are studied and taught should have copies of this landmark publication on their shelves.