Drought Forces Early Harvest at South Moravian Fish Ponds

Fish farmers in South Moravia are confronting an unusually dry summer, with river flows and pond levels well below normal and daytime temperatures exceeding 35 °C. The directors of regional fishery enterprises, Jiří Janoštík of Rybářství Hodonín and Ivan Šútovský of Rybníkářství Pohořelice, said they have already applied water‑conserving measures, such as transferring water between ponds, aeration, reduced feeding and lowering stocking densities. Janoštík warned that “we have not yet had to take the radical step of an early harvest, but we are going on the precautionary principle.”

At the Hluboká nad Vltavou fishery, manager Vladimír Kaiser confirmed that three smaller ponds – Blatec, Hlásence and Dolní Novosedský – were harvested ahead of schedule because water levels fell sharply. Kaiser noted, “We moved the fish to ponds with more water, but the lack of snow and rainfall this year means the water column is thin, limiting aeration and increasing the risk of fish mortality.” The operation typically yields about 800 tons of carp annually, with the majority of the catch usually taken in the autumn.

Both enterprises continue to monitor weather forecasts and water availability, preparing to adjust harvest plans if conditions worsen.