Fisheries Management

A focus on sustainability

Principally, our mission as a fishery consultancy is to improve the habitat of fish. We are solely concerned with sustainable practices throughout our business and make our recommendations accordingly. We have decades of experience in sustainable aquatic consultancy and practical fisheries management and are wholly committed to helping fish thrive.

Give our team a call today to see how we can help. We’re on 01953 886 824.

Fisheries Management Services

Management Planning

AGA delivers sustainable fisheries management for its clients  by combining practical experience of the real life fisheries managers who form part of the team with that of fishery scientists such as our Principal Consultant Ash Girdler, author of numerous Fishery management publications and Fellow of the Institute of Fisheries Management.

A management plan should address the current and often short–term issueswhich are often the symptoms of the waterbody becoming out of balance with its immediate system and the wider environment.  Correcting these issues, which can often be attributed to being a causative effect are often medium to longer-term in nature.

The writing of a plan will rely upon experience but also will generally require some additional evidence, our team are well qualified to seek out, research and survey for all of this related information.

Surveying and Stock Assessment 

Our fisheries team are highly adept at capturing, handling, sampling and carefully moving fish stock. We carry out electro-fishing, seine netting and sensitive trapping methods to both assess fish populations and manage stock levels. 

Biosecurity

Biosecurity is managing the fishery risk to acceptable levels through good working practice. This includes the prevention of transmissible diseases by minimising access to biological or mechanical traffic, reducing risk from aquatic pests and predators, and restocking activities. We view fishery biosecurity as one of the most important aspects of a good fisheries management plan and our integrated approach makes sure that all eventualities are considered and nothing is left to chance.

Otter fencing

Given the limited actions that can be taken to protect a recreational still water fishery against otters, we know the importance of designing and erecting fences that are fully effective and reliable. Mink, now established throughout the UK, has not been perceived as a serious threat until recently, perhaps because they remain largely elusive and, as they are largely nocturnal, it is unlikely they are seen taking fish. We will advise, design and install systems to mitigate the increasing problem of mammalian predation on recreational fisheries or sanctuaries that need protection both above and below the waterline.

Fish Rescue

When your fishery becomes ‘out of balance’ which can be for many and varied reasons that sometimes impact very badly on the fish community and require urgent intervention.

This intervention may require rejuvenating the dissolved oxygen (DO) profile to levels that will adequately support the fish or in the very worse case scenarios to remove the fish to a safe haven. AGA can treat low DO with Lake Aid Oxy (link) or attend site to remove or reduce the stock to a sustainable level and offer advice to bring the waterbody back into balance.

Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you need some further advice on fisheries management.