Hi, I am managing a 66-acre pond in northeastern NC. In the summer of 2016, hurricane Matthew caused the levee to fail which left around 10 acres of water 1-2ft deep. The levee was repaired in the spring of 2017, and the pond refilled within a few weeks. The potential issue I wanted to ask about is the current abundance of gizzard shad. When the pond refilled they thrived for two years with very little predation. I've read that in the absence of predators they are capable of quickly overpopulating a pond. Are there any measures I should take to ensure their population stays at a manageable level?
I should also mention that the pond has not been restocked since filling but possesses what I would consider to be a healthy, growing bass population. One of the qualities this pond had prior to draining (that I intend to restore) was a rich diversity of fish. Along with gizzard shad and bass, the pond has historically had healthy populations of longnose gar, bowfin, chain pickerel, yellow perch, black crappie, and bluegill. Is there anything I can do to curb a potential shad overpopulation while maintaining diversity?
Thanks in advance.
