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Effect of Tadpoles on Warmwater Fish Pond Production
Author(s) -
Kane Andrew S.,
Reimschuessel Renate,
Lipsky Michael M.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
fisheries
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.725
H-Index - 79
eISSN - 1548-8446
pISSN - 0363-2415
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8446(1992)017<0036:eotowf>2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - tadpole (physics) , fishery , biology , rainbow trout , fish <actinopterygii> , wildlife , ecology , physics , particle physics
A survey was conducted to evaluate the effect of tadpole infestations on warmwater fish pond culture. The survey was sent to 174 pond culturists in Florida and 30 in Arkansas with a 21% overall response rate. Most respondents believed: (1) tadpole infestation was a serious problem, primarily due to competition between tadpoles and fish for food; (2) tadpoles caused harvest problems and impaired post‐harvest sorting and grading; and (3) their tadpole control efforts were ≤30% effective. It was estimated that an average of 117 worker‐hours of labor per surveyed facility were expended annually to contend with tadpole‐related problems. Financial losses due to tadpoles were $1,000–8,000 per year for most farmers surveyed (54%) and $10,000–30,000 per year for others (36%). Annual losses of revenue from ornamental fish production in Florida (based on survey) and baitfish production in Arkansas (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) due to tadpole infestations were estimated at $1.78 million and $6.2 million, respectively.