A spawning bed is an underwater solid surface on which
fish
Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% ...
spawn to reproduce themselves.
In
fishery management, a spawning bed is an artificial bed constructed by wildlife professionals in order to improve the ability of desired game fish to reproduce. Increasing the spawning ability of a fish population may reduce pressure on a fishery and improve the productivity of supplemental stocking from
fish hatcheries.
In the inland waters of North America, a typical spawning bed will consist of a series of concrete boxes filled with
aggregate
Aggregate or aggregates may refer to:
Computing and mathematics
* collection of objects that are bound together by a root entity, otherwise known as an aggregate root. The aggregate root guarantees the consistency of changes being made within the ...
gravel. The concept is credited to the
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife.
[ Joe McFarland, "Making Bass Beds", ''Outdoor Illinois'' XVI:5 (May 2008), pages 16-17.]
In a typical example of spawning beds in action, the
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is the code department of the Illinois state government that operates the state parks and state recreation areas, enforces the fishing and game laws of Illinois, regulates Illinois coal mines, ...
has installed approximately 50
largemouth bass
The largemouth bass (''Micropterus salmoides'') is a carnivorous freshwater gamefish in the Centrarchidae ( sunfish) family, a species of black bass native to the eastern and central United States, southeastern Canada and northern Mexico, b ...
spawning beds in
Crab Orchard Lake
Crab Orchard Lake is a 6,965-acre (28.2 km²) reservoir in Williamson County, Illinois. It is the centerpiece of the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge. It is fed by Devils Kitchen Lake and Little Grassy Lake, which are also within the ...
in southern Illinois.
[ Joe McFarland, "The Unique Refuge", ''Outdoor Illinois'' XIX:3 (March 2011), pages 14.]
In some cases, especially in salt water, an artificial structure may significantly alter underwater
morphology
Morphology, from the Greek and meaning "study of shape", may refer to:
Disciplines
*Morphology (archaeology), study of the shapes or forms of artifacts
*Morphology (astronomy), study of the shape of astronomical objects such as nebulae, galaxies, ...
and create an
artificial reef
An artificial reef is a human-created underwater structure, typically built to promote marine life in areas with a generally featureless bottom, to control erosion, block ship passage, block the use of trawling nets, or improve surfing
S ...
. Some vessels have been deliberately sunken, especially in salt water, in order to provide a destination for
divers. In some of these cases the artificial reef also serves a supplemental purpose as a spawning bed.
See also
*
Artificial reef
An artificial reef is a human-created underwater structure, typically built to promote marine life in areas with a generally featureless bottom, to control erosion, block ship passage, block the use of trawling nets, or improve surfing
S ...
*
Spawning ground
Spawn is the eggs and sperm released or deposited into water by aquatic animals. As a verb, ''to spawn'' refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, and the act of both sexes is called spawning. Most aquatic animals, except for aqu ...
References
{{fishing industry topics, expanded=aquaculture
Aquaculture
Fish farming