All the central zone’s waterways are classed category 1 for fishing, which means that the fish are essentially salmonids. The area is well-known at the national and European levels for river-trout fishing. Local (non-hybrid) strains of this indigenous heritage species are said to exist. Studies are underway to confirm this.
Moreover, the entirety of the hydrographic network conforms to the département’s protection plan for aquatic environments and fish-stock management. In other words, the overall quality of water and waterways is satisfactory as much for fish as for the rest of the aquatic fauna.
The National Park’s measures
The National Park favours managing waterways and their resources as part of local heritage. In particular, wherever necessary and after consultation, it seeks to adapt fishing pressures in such a way as to ensure that fish stocks can renew themselves, without recourse to restocking.
Lakes and ponds
Fishing in the lake of Pises, a National Park property located in the Gard département, has since 2007 been subject to specific terms and conditions, in agreement with the departmental fishing federation and the Fishing and Aquatic Protection Association AAPPMA of La Dourbie.
The lake had to be drained for work to take place. In order to replenish river-trout stocks – using wild river trout saved from a number of rivers subject to drying out – a three-year fishing ban was necessary. From now on, only the natural spawning grounds in the small rivers upstream from the lake will supply it with trout.
The minimum catch size is set at 23 cm, the maximum number of trout caught per day and per fisherman at five.
Fishing with live bait is not permitted.
Barrandon pond, a tourist fishing pond in the Park’s central zone, receives about 30,000 visitors a year. All the fish (rainbow trout) that have been caught are returned to the pond. Here, the issues are more about tourism, landscape and ecological planning than fish-farm management.