Carp welfare

To stock a fishery with Carp is a rather costly affair. You can stock your lake with small fish which can take years to grow to a fair size or you could choose to stock with large Carp. If you choose the latter then be prepared to pay allot of money. Prices examples for little carp can be found on the South West Carp Sales Ltd Website. As you can see small Carp are not too expensive however, large Carp can be very expensive. A 20lb fish for example can cost several hundreds of pounds.

One of the biggest issue's in UK fisheries today is the introduction of disease from new stockings and the catastrophic effects of illegal and foreign fish introduction into existing ecosystems. This has led to large numbers of fish fatalities at a variety of venues the length and breadth of the country. As a consequence of this a balanced fishery with a healthy stock of growing carp is an extremely valuable asset and the highest priority must be given to the welfare of the fish.

Carp are recorded as living to over 60 years and in some cases maybe even longer and this alone is enough reason to pay them respect. Always use an unhooking mat to secure the fish for un-hooking and never place the fish on hard ground or gravel. After carefully removing the hook from the Carp's mouth treat the wound with Klinik which will aid in rapid healing.

If you are lucky and you have hooked and are playing a Carp and it is time for to use your landing net be mindful of where the lead is in relation to the net frame. Time and again I have witnessed the hook being pulled from the Carp's mouth as the net is lifted and the lead is not in the net usably prompting the response from the angler of "oh the hook came out in the net!". Always make sure the fins are against the Carp's body to avoid breaking them.

Carp (as with all fish) are precious creatures with which we should all respect and treat with the utmost care.

Always use a treatment on all cut and blemishes such as korda carp care

Remember, if we wish to keep carp fishing in the future then we must also protect them!