It's contextual. Carrying capacity is not an indicator of relative weights or the ultimate weights achieved. These are completely independent of carrying capacity. These coveted measures can only be improved and maintained by means of harvest.
This is not say a temporary effect improving relative and ultimate weight cannot be achieved by introducing new food chain items (like tilapia or TFS) or by feeding. By temporary, I am only saying that the initial effects are unsustainable without an appropriate harvest. IMHO these measures are easier to manage in 3 acre BOW with lower carrying capacity than in a 1 acre BOW with high carrying capacity (perhaps 3 times the per acre carrying capacity). Fish benefit from space and improved water quality. They will tend to live longer and grow faster ... provided ... the numbers of fish are appropriately managed.
If one is limited with BOW size, there is incentive for increasing carrying capacity. On the other hand, increasing carrying capacity will ruin a BOW if one is harvesting all he wants to harvest. Expanding carrying capacity will not sustainably increase RW or Ultimate weight without increased harvest effort and even then it is questionable whether ultimate weight can be improved at all.
Last edited by jpsdad; 07/17/19 06:26 PM.
