Open Evening: Inside Fisheries and Fishery Management
Guest Speaker: Viv Shears of VS Fisheries (on the right in the accompanying picture)
Date: 27th April 2022
Venue: The Inn on the Lake Hotel
About Viv Shears and VS Fisheries
Approximately 30 people attended the presentation on Inside Fisheries and Fishery Management, given by the guest speaker Viv Shears, a Fish Farmer and Independent Fishery Consultant, and co-owener of VS Fisheries.
Previously Viv was the Fisheries Manager for CMEX and a lecturer on Fishery Managment and Sparsholt College.
VS Fisheries started in 2005 by Viv and Simon Scott, and is now the biggest producer of carp in the UK, specialising soley in carp, with fish ranging from 2 inches in length to over 30lb in weight. VS Fisheries has 80 acres of waters covering approximately 70 lakes up to 5 acres in size.
VS Fisheries is licenced with Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), is an executive agency of the United Kingdom government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Inside Fisheries
The first half of the presentation – Inside Fisheries – involved a slide show describing the process of how carp are produced and farmed on a large scale, from egg fertilisation through to delivery to angling clubs, commercial fisheries, etc. From the occasional single fish (eg. a specimen named after a recently deceased relative) to 1,000s to stock a lake.
Viv described every stage of the process and how the production of carp is carefully managed and monitored at every stage, including an investment of some Lidl mineral water bottles, at 6p each(!) supporting a £multi-million business operation.
Fishery Management
After a short break and a raffle, Viv continued with the second half of the presentation – Fishery Management.
Viv’s premise is that if the environment in which the fish live (the lake) is well managed, then the fish will be healthier and will grow quicker and anglers will be happier as they will (try to) catch bigger and better quality fish.
For angling clubs and commercial fisheries, stock is the most valuable asset, second to owning any land or lakes, and therefore the stock should be looked after. Why skimp to on keeping fish alive and healthy? Healthy fish are of more value.
Viv talked at length about the importance of water quality (oxygen levels, nitrates and nitrites, phosphates and water temperature) and feeding (particularly over the winter months) at the same time on the same spot at regular intervals.
Questions and Answers
After the presentations Viv invited questions from the audience.
The presentations were well received and very informative, and were greatly received by all.
After 3 hours 15 minutes the evening ended with a hearty round of applause.