Aeration is the new must-have in carp pond farming in northern Austria

The northern Waldviertel region is Austria’s most important carp-farming area. It has a continental plateau climate with low precipitation (400 mm/year), characterized by late frosts, cool summer nights, and cold winters. This climate ensures that carp grow slowly and take up to 4 years to reach the desired market weight of at least 2 kg. The cool temperatures also made artificial aeration of the ponds to increase oxygen levels unnecessary or rarely necessary—except in winter during prolonged ice cover—so pond managers paid less attention to this in the past.However, this situation has changed dramatically in recent years due to rising water temperatures in the ponds, and pond managers must now get used to regularly measuring the oxygen content of the water throughout the year and taking timely measures when levels drop to avoid endangering the fish stock. This is not only an ethical but also a legal obligation. However, until now there is no mandatory training in Austria for those who wish to manage a pond and thus a fish stock.