fish vs newts

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   On a recent newt survey I recorded 25 GCN's by torchlight in a medium sized garden pond in Northamptonshire.  The homeowners are not my clients, and the garden is immediately outside of my area of study, but is close enougth to form part of a metapopulation.
After surveying the pond, which the homeowners came out to see the newts both in the evening and morning after bottle trapping, we were asked by the homeowners what would be the best species of fish to control the pondweed which can become dominant in the pond.  Obviously I recommended not introducing fish, as this would propbaly be the end of the newts, but short of rengineering the pond to include shallow scrapes as a refuge for the newts, is there any way of introducing a biological control to contain the pond weed.

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njbonsall Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 10 Dec 2003 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 4	Post Options Post Reply Quote njbonsall Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: fish vs newts Posted: 04 May 2004 at 3:13pm
	On a recent newt survey I recorded 25 GCN's by torchlight in a medium sized garden pond in Northamptonshire. The homeowners are not my clients, and the garden is immediately outside of my area of study, but is close enougth to form part of a metapopulation. After surveying the pond, which the homeowners came out to see the newts both in the evening and morning after bottle trapping, we were asked by the homeowners what would be the best species of fish to control the pondweed which can become dominant in the pond. Obviously I recommended not introducing fish, as this would propbaly be the end of the newts, but short of rengineering the pond to include shallow scrapes as a refuge for the newts, is there any way of introducing a biological control to contain the pond weed.

calumma Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 27 Jun 2003 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 375	Post Options Post Reply Quote calumma Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 04 May 2004 at 5:19pm
	Technically, introducing predatory fish into a pond that supports breeding gcn could be considered an offence. The best biological control for pond weed is a pair of strong arms (with or without rake) carefully applied at an appropriate time of year ;-p
	Lee Brady Kent Herpetofauna Recorder \| Independent Ecological Consultant Email

njbonsall Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 10 Dec 2003 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 4	Post Options Post Reply Quote njbonsall Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 05 May 2004 at 9:42am
	I know it's an offence, but beyond persusion what else can be done. Is EN likely to prosecute an old couple for introducing fish to their garden pond ?