SUGGESTIONS TO THE FISHERIES

AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS

12 Jan 2006

1.  Dams should be patrolled by the fisheries dept and the police or game wardens on a regular basis including night time and weekends.  This is the only way to stop illegal fishing, littering, or avoid disasters such as pollution, etc...

2.  Aradippou dam should be stocked with bass.  A predator is necessary to keep the balance and of course to provide for game fishing.  This will result in bigger carp and roach specimens as well as great game fishing.  Also since tilapia lived in the dam before and its presence was so successful, we do not see why the dam is not stocked with this fish again as well.

3.  Tamasos, Kalavasos, Dhypotamos and possibly Lefkara dam should be stocked with Tilapia.  This is the least the fisheries department must do if we want to enjoy some good fishing in the future.  Bluegill of course would be a much better solution since it can survive in temperatures well below 10 degrees C, but the fisheries department does not seem willing to import this or any other new species.  Some big bass were caught in Asprogremmos dam the last two years and this is to a large degree due to the presence of tilapia in the dam.  Kourris and Yermasogia dams would also benefit from tilapia or bluegill.

4.  Xyliatos & Vyzakia dams should open for fishing.  Nicosia anglers have very limited options.  There is no real reason to keep these dams closed.  The Nicosia and other anglers have every right to use them.

5.  Lefka dam should be stocked with bass.  For years it was a great dam for bass, trout, roach, eel, carp, perch etc..  What is stopping the fisheries department to repair the damage?

6.  Bluegill introduction would really improve angling a lot and serve as a forage fish for bass and other predators. Read more...

7.  A few fishing access points should be carefully created at the banks of some dams like Lefkara, Kalopanagiotis, Palaichori and Lefka.

8.  The fisheries dept should regularly check the water of dams for pollution and the availability of phytoplankton which is necessary for the growth of new born fish.

9.  When the water level of a dam drops lets say below 20-25% then the dam should close for fishing and patrolled often, to protect the fish.  With such low water levels, reproduction of fish is limited.  The anglers would just make things worse.  The fish must be left alone to reproduce and overcome the stress that the limited water is causing them.

10. Dams stocked with bass should close for fishing during the reproduction of this species (eg January-March).  It would be great if anglers practiced catch and release.  But since almost nobody does that, fishing during those months results in the death of thousands of new born or unborn bass.

11. Achna dam should be stocked again with bass.  Of course the dam is polluted, but it could still provide some good fishing for those practicing catch and release (mostly tourists who would release the fish back to the water anyway).

12. Polemidhia dam is polluted and nothing is being done to solve the problem.   If all that waste was not thrown in the river entering the dam, maybe things would go back to normal, without much effort.

13.  The introduction of the Florida Largemouth Bass would really make a difference to the size of the game fish in our dams.  Fish would grow faster and bigger.

14.  A maximum of two rods should be allowed for fishing except bass fishing where only one rod should be used.

15.  Fishing during night time should NOT be allowed in the future.  There is no easy way to check if somebody is fishing illegally or not, during night time.  Night fishing would only benefit the illegal anglers, and could result in people hurting themselves or even drowning because most of the banks of our dams are not flat.

16.  Bigger penalties should be imposed to the anglers breaking the law (fishing illegally or without a license, lighting fires, littering, swimming etc...).

17.  Boats should never be allowed in our dams for fishing or recreation.  The dams are too small and very easy to get polluted or fished out completely.

18.  A bigger minimum size for bass fishing should be imposed, lets say 20-25 cm.  People should keep in mind that fish in the dam have nowhere to go. A small fish released today, means a big fish next year.

19.  Stock new dams (Kannaviou and Malounda) with fish as early as possible.  If Tamasos was stocked properly during the first year, things would have been much better now.  Remember, dams can offer much more than just hold water.  We all remember the disagreement between the fisheries and water departments for stocking or not stocking Tamasos dam with fish.  Lets hope we will not see it again with these two new dams.  Of course we would not be surprised at all, because history always repeats itself.

20.  A minimum water level should be agreed between the fisheries and water departments.  When that is reached, no more water should be allowed to be drawn from the dam.  This could be around 15-20% capacity, always counting the possible concentration of mud at the bottom of the dam.