Pond School 2006: A Farm Pond Management Workshop

LaSells Stewart Center, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Ore.
Sponsored by: Oregon Aquaculture  Association and OSU Extension Service

Brochure

Abstracts

Biosecurity for Pond Fish Retail/Wholesale Facilities
Dr. Tim Miller-Morgan, DVM, Extension Veterinarian/Assistant Professor – Aquatic Pets, Ornamental Fish Health Program
Sea Grant Extension, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University

Creating and Maintaining Healthy Ponds - Disease Prevention and Control
Tony Amandi, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Fish Health Services

The Do’s and Don’ts of Pond Construction and Repair
Jim Bowman, OSU Department of Fisheries and Wildlife

Getting Started on the Right Foot - Considerations for Healthy Ponds and Fish
Dennis Glaze, AAS – Aquarium Science, Ornamental Fish Health Program, Sea Grant Extension, Oregon State University

Overview of Pond Ecology and Biological Building Blocks
Toni Pennington, Center for Lakes and Reservoirs, Portland State University

Pond Management Components
J. S. Nelson, Ph.D., The Pond Doctor

Weed and Algae Control in Ponds
Toni Pennington, Center for Lakes and Reservoirs, Portland State University

What Could Possibly Go Wrong??!! or Getting To Know How Your Fish Tick When They’re Sick
Dr. Tim Miller-Morgan, DVM, Extension Veterinarian/Assistant Professor – Aquatic Pets, Ornamental Fish Health Program
Sea Grant Extension, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University

Who You Gonna Call??!! - Educational and Fish Health Resources Available to Ornamental Pond Keepers and Retailers
Dr. Tim Miller-Morgan, DVM, Extension Veterinarian – Aquatic Pets, Ornamental Fish Health Program, Sea Grant Extension, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University

Displays and Vendors

• Brian Trout Ranch
• Bend Tarp & Liner: www.bendtarp.com
• Clearcreek Rainbow Ranch
• Columbia Catfish & Bass
• Desert Springs Trout Farm
• Ewing Irrigation: www.ewing1.com
• Mount Hood Community College, Fisheries Technology: www.mhcc.edu/pages/1218.asp
• Nortac Industries & Hydrologix Systems: www.hydrologix.org
• Oregon Aquaculture Association: www.oregonaquaculture.org 
• OASE: http://oase-livingwater.com Oregon Coast Community College: www.occc.cc.or.us 
• OSU Agriculture: http://agsci.oregonstate.edu/ext/index.html 
• ​OSU Extension Service: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/
• OSU Forestry: http://www.cof.orst.edu/cof/extended/extserv/ 
• OSU Sea Grant: http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/extension/ 
• Pacific Northwest Turtle Project, Oregon Zoo and Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife: www.willametteturtles.com 
• Rogue Water: Rogue Water Restoration Associates 
• Salmon & Trout Enhancement Program, Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife: www.dfw.state.or.us/STEP/ 
• Santiam Valley Ranch: www.fishsvr.com 
• Silver Cup Fish Foods: www.silvercup.com 
• SPROUT (Sustainable Plant Research and Outreach) Center, The Oregon Garden:  www.oregongarden.or/SPROUT/SPROUT_Home 
• Troutlodge: www.troutlodge.com

Presenters

Tony Amandi, Senior Fish Health Specialist, Fish Health Services, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

• Tony collected and raised tropical freshwater fish as a child in Cuba. After moving to the United States, he began raising a variety of tropical fish through high school and college and became interested in fish diseases. After graduating from Portland State University in Biology, Tony went to OSU and received his Masters and Doctorate in Fish Health at Oregon State University, focusing on parasites and diseases of fish.
• As the Senior Fish Health Specialist for Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Tony continues to do diagnostics at a few hatcheries. Most of his work now entails management of the Fish Health Services program for the State.

Clinton Bentz, President OAA, Blue Den Ranch

• Clinton J. Bentz is a CPA, CMA for Boldt, Carlisle & Smith, LLC, primarily providing professional tax, estate planning and business consulting serving the special needs of agricultural and timber clients.  He manages his 25 acre tree farm and 700-acre family tree partnership at Blue Den Ranch where Clint raises trout for pond stocking and for flyfishing.  Recently, Clint was honored by Governor Kulongoski for his participation in salmon recovery.

James Bowman, Aquaculture Specialist, OSU Department of Fisheries & Wildlife

• Jim Bowman has degrees in aquaculture from Auburn University and Oregon State University, and has been involved in aquacultural work in Southeast Asia, the southeastern US, the Caribbean, and Africa since 1970. He has training and experience in pond site evaluation, pond construction, soil/water interactions in ponds, and pond management, both for research/production ponds and for watershed/recreational ponds. Jim came to OSU as a graduate student in 1984 and has been a member of the faculty of the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife since 1994.

Susan Brian, Brian Trout Farm

• As co-owner of Brian Trout Farm located in Sandy, OR, Susan has been associated with the aquaculture and nursery business for more than 35 years.
• Susan is a PSU, and Lewis & Clark graduate. Her career for the last 30 years has centered on teaching Deaf children. Now semi retired, Susan teaches American Sign Language to high school and community college students.
• Susan and her husband, Gary, sell live trout for pond stocking. Brian Trout Farm was established in 1958.

Sam Chan, Watershed Health/Aquatic Invasive Species, OSU Sea Grant Extension

• Sam Chan is an Assistant Professor working on watershed health and aquatic invasive species with Sea Grant Extension in Oregon State University. Sam’s work focuses on understanding the pathways for invasive species to arrive and education and research on their prevention. Sam is currently the Chair of the Outreach and Education for the Oregon Invasive Species Council and served as the Chair of the Council in 2006. Prior to joining the Sea Grant Extension Program, Sam served as research plant physiologist with the USDA Forest Service studying the management and restoration of riparian forests, streamsides and wetlands.

John A. Falk, Dam Safety Coordinator, State of Oregon

• For the past 13 years, Mr. Falk has served as the Dam Safety Coordinator for the State of Oregon’s safety of dams program.  In this position John is responsible for performing design review and approval for new construction, and supervises the inspection of over 1200 of Oregon’s existing dams and reservoirs.  He also maintains the National Dam Inventory and provides support to the Water Resources Department for all water right issues related to dams and dam safety.
• Prior to joining the staff at the Water Resources Department in Salem, John worked for Clark County Public Works in Vancouver, Washington and consulting firms in Oregon, Utah and Kansas.
• John is a licensed professional engineer in Oregon, Washington and Utah and serves as Oregon’s representative to the Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO).  He obtained his Masters Degree in Civil Engineering from Colorado State University, and his undergraduate from the Colorado School of Mines.

Dennis Glaze, Aquatic Animal Health/Husbandry Specialist, Oregon Sea Grant

• Dennis Glaze is Oregon Sea Grant’s new aquatic animal health/husbandry specialist which serves the ornamental fish (pet fish) industry in Oregon and the greater Pacific Northwest. This position was recently created to meet many of the needs of the rapidly growing Ornamental Fish Health Program.
• Dennis will be assisting Dr. Tim Miller-Morgan, Oregon Sea Grant’s Extension veterinarian for aquatic pets, in providing service and education to the ornamental fish industry. Glaze holds an Associates of Applied Science Degree in Aquarium Science from Oregon Coast Community College. He also has completed Cornell University’s Recirculating Aquaculture Systems Short Course and the Canadian Aquaculture Institute’s Experimental Fish online training program. While a student at Oregon Coast Community College he worked part-time at the Hatfield Marine Science Visitor Center where he was instrumental in building the World of Wet Pets Exhibit, The Adventures of Totally Turtle exhibit, the Hospital/Quarantine Facility and the new research holding systems for the Ornamental Fish Health Program.

Jim Gores, Invasive Species and Wildlife Integrity Coordinator, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

• Jim Gores is currently focused on working with the pond and pet industries to prevent the importation of prohibited species and encourage responsible pet ownership. Before moving to Oregon, Jim was the director of a county noxious weed program in Wyoming. Jim earned a B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology and a M.S. in Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management from the University of Wyoming.

Eamonn Hughes, Owner, Hughes Water Gardens

• A native of Ireland, Eamonn Hughes has been designing and constructing water features in Europe and the United States for over 30 years. Since moving to Oregon in 1987, he has built hundreds of naturally beautiful water gardens in the Pacific Northwest.
• In addition, Eamonn has developed Hughes Water Gardens, a 10 acre retail & wholesale nursery just south of Portland, in Wilsonville, OR where he grows pond plants and sells a full line of pond construction and maintenance supplies. Eamonn received “The Retailer of the Year 2001” award by the Oregon Association of Nurserymen for his development of this garden center.
• Eamonn Hughes is co-author of the book “Waterfalls, Fountains, Pools & Streams” and has produced a video titled “Creating your own Water Garden” which guides you through the construction of a waterfall and pond.
• Many useful articles and problem solving techniques are available at Eamonn’s web site www.hugheswatergardens.com

Neal Lucht, Owner, Pacific Water Gardens and Northwest Transplants

• Neal and his wife Pamela co-own Pacific Water Gardens and Northwest Transplants, one of the premier aquatic plant nurseries in the Nation. Their goal has always been to provide excellence in products and services and to measure the company’s successes by the success of their customers. Pacific Water Gardens has been a distributor for professional and retail pond equipment since 1998.
• Neal has devoted his life to the field of horticulture and has a BS in Horticultural Science, as well as twenty years in pond building experience. Incorporating his passion for aquatic plants and water gardening, he has instructed water gardening seminars ranging from basic water feature design to advanced construction for professional pond builders and conducted plant presentations throughout the United States.

Dr. Tim Miller-Morgan, DVM

• Dr. Miller-Morgan is an extension veterinarian with the Ornamental Fish Health Program, Oregon Sea Grant Extension at the Hatfield Marine Science Center. He is an Assistant Professor with the Department of Biomedical Sciences/Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine at Oregon State University (OSU). He is also a co-developer and an instructor with the Aquarium Science Program at Oregon Coast Community College, a two-year professional program training aquarists for work in pubic aquariums and the ornamental fish industry.
• Before accepting his current position with Oregon Sea Grant he was the Senior Aquarist and Veterinarian at the OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center Aquarium. He currently serves as the Staff Veterinarian for this facility. Dr. Miller-Morgan has also served as Vice-Chair of the Aquatic Veterinary Medicine Committee, American Veterinary Medical Association. He has also been actively involved in the Associated Koi Clubs of America’s Koi Health Advisor Program as an instructor and advisor for the past 4 years.

Hugh Mitchell, Manager, North American Aqua Business, Novartis Pharmaceuticals

• Hugh Mitchell received his Bachelor’s of Science in Marine Biology from the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada; a Masters of Science in Aquatic Ecology from the University of Toronto; and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from University of Guelph. After a summer as a small animal vet, he was hired as the Corporate Veterinarian for Ocean Products, a salmon farm based in Maine. Ocean Products was later purchased by Connors Brothers (later, Heritage Salmon), a Gaylan Weston company out of Canada, and he became the Veterinarian/Production Analyst for all its operations on the East Coast, including contract growers and feed customers. While there, he pioneered mass injection vaccination in salmon in North America. He moved to the Seattle area to take on the responsibilities as Clinical Trials/Veterinary Services Manager and later Technical Support Manager for Biomed, a pioneering fish vaccine company. After Alpharma purchased Biomed and closed down the US facility, moving operations to Norway, he started his own consultant company, Aquatic NW Veterinary Services. Dr. Mitchell consulted for aquaculture operations around the world, and started manufacturing custom-made autogenous vaccines through a contract facility in Redmond, Washington, for his clients' fish farms. In 2000, he accepted the position of Manager, Professional Services USA with Novartis Animal Health, Aqua Business section. Currently he manages the North American Aqua Business for Novartis.
• Dr. Mitchell lives in the Seattle area with his wife, Dr. Karen West (a fellow alumnus and small animal practitioner in Redmond, Washington), their two sons, Dax (age13) and Drew (age10) plus a menagerie of two cats, two frogs, a dog and some fish. He is an avid supporter of aquaculture and aquatic medicine and has helped initiate the New England Farmed Fish Health Workshop, the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Aquatic and Seafood Advisory Committee (now Aquatic Veterinary Medical Committee) and the International Association of Aquatic Animal Medicine’s Fish Practitioner Committee. Currently, he is the Vice-chair for the Pacific Aquaculture Caucus (www.pacaqua.org), an organization to promote economically viable and environmentally responsible aquaculture through sound science. He is also a lecturer on salmon farming medicine and fish vaccinology for AQUAMED, a summer course for veterinary students and veterinarians interested in aquatic medicine. He has lectured all over North America on the positive aspects of aquaculture and strongly believes that it is the best choice for the conservation of our aquatic resources and the soundness of seafood wholesomeness.

Jim S. Nelson, B.S., M.S., Ph.D.; OSU Pathogenic Microbiology and Biochemistry

• Jim Nelson has studied fish disease prevention and fish vaccine development in Japan, Toronto, Charlotte Town, Prince Edward Island, Seattle, and extensively in Oregon. He now has a small ecology business called The Pond Doctor that utilizes ecology to sustain fish health, by far the best method available to prevent disease. The Pond Doctor business is a service business offering diagnosis, aerators, plants, animals and design to pond owners.  The Pond Doctor performs wetland restorations throughout the West. With over thirty years in the fishery, Jim has the experience to help pond owners.

Toni Pennington, Research Assistant, Center for Lakes and Reservoirs, Portland State University

• Toni Pennington has worked with the Center for Lakes and Reservoirs at Portland State University for the past six years. In that time she has conducted research on invasive aquatic plants, surveyed the aquatic vegetation of numerous coastal lakes in Oregon, provided education/outreach materials for existing and potential invasive aquatic species, and coordinated the Zebra Mussel Volunteering Monitoring Program.
• Prior to her work at PSU, Toni was a contractor for the US Army Corps of Engineers where she conducted research on the effects of various herbicides in managing invasive aquatic plants. She received a B.S. in Environmental Biology from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado and an M.S. in Aquatic Biology from Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas.
• Currently, she is making final edits to her PhD dissertation regarding the factors that favor and limit the growth of an aquatic invasive weed common throughout the western USA.

Steven P. Smith, Fish &Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

• As a Private Lands Program coordinator, Steve leads USFWS efforts to restore, protect and sustain fish and wildlife habitat on non-federal lands in the Willamette River Basin. Over 96% of the Willamette Valley is in private ownership. There are 17 species currently protected under the Endangered Species Act and over 50 species of concern due to declining habitat quantity and quality. Steve works with private land owners to implement the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program strategies in the Willamette Valley. His goal is to establish and maintain a network of native habitats capable of recovering and sustaining Threatened, Endangered and Sensitive fish and wildlife populations.
• Before joining USFWS in 2002, Steve previously worked for Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife throughout northwestern Oregon restoring fish and wildlife habitat and providing technical land management assistance to landowners and land managers on private, State and Federal lands. He also served as Wildlife Biologist for USDA Forest Service in forested ecosystems of the Cascade and Coastal Ranges of western Oregon. Steve is a graduate from Oregon State University.

Renee Stoops, Sustainable Plant Research and Outreach Center (SPROut), Chemeketa Community College at The Oregon Garden, Silverton, Oregon

• Renee Stoops joined The Oregon Garden in 2000 as the Wetlands Coordinator and is currently working for Chemeketa Community College to coordinate SPROut at The Oregon Garden. She received her B.A. in Biology/ Geology from Brown University in 1994, and her M.S. in Plant Science from the University of Rhode Island in 1999. Her major research interest during this time was the sustainability and ecology of managed landscapes, in direct cooperation with the nursery industry.
• For SPROut, Renee coordinates all aspects of the Center, including grant proposals, project management (both on-site and off-site), printed outreach and articles, communication with research partners, planning of workshops and seminars, curriculum development for Chemeketa’s 2-year Horticulture Degree Program, teaching classes (on putting plants to work in managed landscapes to perform ecosystem services), development of interpretive signage, and management of The Oregon Garden Wetlands (including monitoring the water quality, flow patterns and ecology of the system). Renee has spoken about the Garden’s unique wetlands system at many conferences, from urban planning to botanical gardens to water quality.