Frog environmental’s Leela O’Dea will be presenting at the Institute of Fisheries Management (IFM) Specialist Conference on 22 April 2015. Leela will be tackling the topic of ‘taking action for freshwater ecosystems and sustainable fisheries management’ and discussing how the novel application of BioHaven floating island technology has been proven to improve fishery productivity, through enhancing the habitat, cycling surplus nutrients into higher fish populations as well as enhancing the water quality by tackling eutrophication. The study combined the benefits of fisheries habitat by increasing surface area and available nutrients to grow periphyton, which was used to support fathead and stickleback minnows. A BioHaven floating streambed was utilised to provide aeration and horizontal circulation through the brush park enabling dissolved oxygen concentrations of 4mg/l to be maintained, preventing fish kill and improving nitrogen removal. 54,000 minnows equating to 520 pounds and 4.7 pounds of phosphorus (based on an estimated 0.9% phosphorus content in minnow biomass) were harvested in a six month period. These minnows were transferred to a larger fishery lake to feed predatory fish including yellow perch, crappie, bluegill and red-ear sunfish as well as used as live bait. The larger fish were then recreationally harvested; cycling phosphate out the water as the fish were smoked as dog food and their offal processed into fertiliser. To hear more about this study and many others in the interesting and varied schedule then book your place at the conference.