(Area) Southwest Iowa Fishing Teams conservation project begins to sink fish habitats in southwest area ponds and lakes. In the offseason the team committed to build 250 fish habitat structures to improve the aquatic fish life and provide a better fishing experience for all anglers.
SWIFT created the conservation project to help restore and replenish precious deteriorating habitat declining primarily due to age and natural decay. Stumps and treetops that once provided great cover and food sources to every variety of aquatic species are nearly gone in many area Iowa lakes and ponds. The project could not be timelier or more needed because of Covid-19 igniting Iowans’ pent-up passion to get out and enjoy the outdoors. This puts extra pressure on the aquatic life in the lakes. SWIFT built 250 different types of artificial fish habitat structures to provide cover, protection, shade, nesting, spawning habitat, and places for food organisms to live and grow providing a huge environmental benefit to area lakes.
Artificial fish habitat structure balances out biodiversity by providing substrate, nesting, spawning habitat, feeding locations, shelter for young fish and other small aquatic animals. The structures developed by SWIFT are made of materials that will not decompose or leave any harmful or chemical traces in your water and are developed out of recycled material that did not end up in the landfill. . The conservation project provides several solutions for issues in our lakes by addressing the need for biodiversity, aquatic fish growth, improved spawning success, water quality, water clarity, substrate, cover, and feeding locations. After 12 months one artificial fish habitat structure will provide a huge benefit to the lake’s biodiversity by providing substrate, nesting, spawning habitat, feeding locations, shelter for young fish and other small aquatic animals, as it continues to grow algae and after 18 months it becomes a complete living habitat.
SWIFT Anglers have partnered with the Iowa DNR fisheries and county conservation offices have already begun to place the fish habitats in the lakes and ponds in Cass, Harrison, Montgomery and Taylor Counties. Future work days are planned for Shelby, Crawford, Pottawattamie and Fremont ponds and lakes. Lake Anita, Lake of Three Fires, Viking Lake, Willow Lake and Schaben Park have received fish structures and will see improved aquatic fish life and provide a better fishing experience as they will attract fish to their location. SWIFT also partnered with a southwest Iowa landowner who was building a new private pond. They were able to develop a habitat plan before the pond was full of water. The pond was supplied with several different types of fish habitats and placed on the bottom of the pond to benefit several different fish species and different fish conditions. Currently there are 54 student anglers on the team and are proud to give back to their communities and to improve the aquatic fish life in area lakes and ponds.
SWIFT would like to partner with other County Conservation boards or private pond owners to create new conservation projects to continue creating biodiversity and aquatic fish life in area lakes and ponds in Iowa.
