Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Montana Fishery
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Natural winter kills effectively eliminate unwanted fish species from commercial rearing ponds, saving producers time and money. However, winter kill conditions occur sporadically and are difficult to predict. Eliminating unwanted species (e.g., bullhead, carp) by enhancing natural winter kill conditions can increase harvest and productivity of desired cultured species. Identification of methods that consistently and inexpensively enhance natural winter kill conditions is needed to enhance this natural process and ensure winter kill conditions are reliably achieved in natural rearing ponds. As well, the development of eradication tools for fish species under culture conditions may have direct applicability to the eradication of non-native species on a landscape level for conservation of native species.