trout?

[Knereim]

My father in law and I are building a huge pond in our front yard and was setting it up for koi till the thought of putting trout came into mind is it legal in Washington and can it be done?

 

[wierdkid]

I don't know about the legal issues of keeping native fish in Washington (although generally if you can legally catch it you can keep it however you wish). whether they can survive and thrive will depend a lot on the species and the pond.

To get a good answer you will need to know what species you would like to stock; how shaded the pond will be; how big and how deep will the pond be; local climate (annual high and low temps); will the water be oxygenated, if so how and give as many details as possible (flow rate, elevations, water velocity, etc.); and will you have protection from predators like racoons and hawks.

 

[absolutangel04]

If you are referring to Washington state, then no, it is not legal to keep an native fish species without a permit.

 

[toddnbecka]

You could probably buy fingerlings from a hatchery, but will the pond support them? Trout need much higher O2 levels in the water than koi, and will die if the temperature gets too warm.

 

[Knereim]

Thank you all for the info I'm mostly worried about my o2 level and my flow rate. The size of the pond could support them and the temp outside hardly ever gets above 70 in summer

 

[absolutangel04]

Sorry to repeat myself, but keeping trout is not legal in WA so the specifics of your pond is a moot point.

 

[Josh1158]

So you can't have a fishing pond in wa ? That dosent sound rite.

 

[absolutangel04]

Not without a permit.

 

[LyndaB]

So you can't have a fishing pond in wa ? That dosent sound rite.

There's a reason for these laws.

Private Fish Stocking & Transport Permits | Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife

Why Do I Need a Fish Stocking Permit To Stock Fish in My Own Pond?
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is trying to protect our native and important non-native fish species. The spread of stocked fish species can have a detrimental impact through predation or competition. Additionally, stocked fish species coming from commercial or wild sources may carry disease agents to waters that currently do not have them. By requiring a Fish Stocking Permit, WDFW biologists are able to look at these possibilities and make determinations on the risk to fish in the waters intended for stocking and any nearby state waters.

 

[Josh1158]

Ohh I know. Im just saying that sucks. I know here in michigan you can get rainbows. You can get hybrid bluegill too.

 

[Knereim]

Seems so able after checking some laws. Its just that everyone has a Korina pond I like to try stuff a Lil out of the box

 

[LyndaB]

As long as it's not outside the "legal" box......

 

[Knereim]

Its outside and if I have done most of my math right it will be right around 2000 gallons

 

[Darth Sorcerer]

Trout in front pond

My father in law and I are building a huge pond in our front yard and was setting it up for koi till the thought of putting trout came into mind is it legal in Washington and can it be done?

===============================================
I don't know all or what you Yank's can get away with? But I do know that it is illegal to keep wild fish in a garden pond here in Canada, Even if it came from a nursery!

 

[Knereim]

Well that sucks. I know invasive species start and stuff like that but in my defense if I would rather be amazed by the species every day than kill it off and torture it I should be able to put it in a pond controlled pond where it can thrive

 

[Deep Seven]

That permit process doesn't look too bad. Limits which fish you can stock, costs 24$ to apply, but doesn't look that difficult to obtain.

Is your pond going to be close to any natural waterways that would increase the likelyhood that fish will escape? That seems to be their biggest concern.

 

[absolutangel04]

The issue here is that WA has a lot of salmonid populations in danger. They are more concerned about releasing a disease into wild populations than anything else. Our river systems are full of dams and that has caused populations to become more isolated, inbred, and less able to fend off foreign diseases. I understand that a pond seems very harmless, but it is against the law here. If you really want to try it, you can contact the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and they will send out a fish biologist to look at your pond and decide if it is an appropriate habitat for trout. You have to fill out an application, pay a fee, and wait to see what the biologist says. It is possible that you will have to apply for additional permits as well depending on if any other changes need to be made. I encourage you to pursue that direction if you want to do this project because a fish biologist looking at your pond will be able to determine better than us if your pond is a suitable habitat for native wildlife.

 

[Deep Seven]

They will even provide a list of farmers selling live fish for stocking your pond. I wasn't advocating breaking any laws, I was just saying the permit process doesn't look that difficult for someone serious about growing fish.

 

[Knereim]

You have been more than helpful on this task thank you very much. It seems like going legal would be safest for the fish but not saying Going to break the law as my father in law is a police sergeant but how would you get in trouble? I am about 10 miles to the nearest water way or lake

 

[absolutangel04]

They will even provide a list of farmers selling live fish for stocking your pond. I wasn't advocating breaking any laws, I was just saying the permit process doesn't look that difficult for someone serious about growing fish.

No worries, I didn't think you were condoning any law breaking. I was just offering a bit more clarification on the subject for Knereim since I have worked with salmonid populations in the state. Your advice to pursue a permit is good.