Daily operation of fishponds

"Drain-down," "Sunbathing of Pond" and "Profiling" are important steps in the daily operation of fish ponds and are key management practices for enhancing the ecological value of fish ponds. Through funding from the Countryside Conservation Funding Scheme, the project organisation provides subsidies to fishpond operators to regularly carry out the above tasks. "Drain-down" refers to pumping the pond water away from the ponds. These shallow water fish ponds attract migratory birds to catch fish of lower economic value and invertebrates. Typically, the time when the most water birds feed on small fish in the pond is when the water level of the fish pond is lowered. "Sunbathing of pond" refers to the process where fishpond operators drain the water from the fish pond during the dry season, allowing the sun to naturally sterilise the pond for a period. If necessary, an appropriate amount of lime is applied to adjust the pH level. They also use this opportunity to remove trash fish and shrimp at the bottom of the pond that have little or even harmful economic value. In the contiguous fish pond areas in the northwest New Territories, this practice also benefits migratory birds that go south for the winter every year. The shallow water or dry bottom fish ponds provide food for the birds. "Profiling" refers to using a bulldozer to push the mud at the bottom of the pond onto the pond banks, maintaining an appropriate slope for the pond banks, which facilitates water birds to perch and forage, thereby enhancing the ecological value of the fish pond.