Fish Poop and what to do with it

I have been visiting our local perch hatchery to purchase fish and things for my new half acre pond. While talking to the manager there he said they have a huge hill of fish poop that they clean out from the bottom of the ponds. He said I can have all I want for free. It has sat there long enough that it doesn't smell bad. I was wondering what to do with it.

If I get a truckload or two should I add it to the mountain of topsoil I have out in the field leftover from the pond digging project or should I wait till fall and dump it direction on the vegetable garden patch and turn it in with leaves and stuff? Or should I pass on getting it at all? I really don't know.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I don't know if this is helpful, but I used to water my plants with the old fishtank water when I changed it and they LOVED it. Especially the house plants. There was always lots of little fishy poops floating around in it. If it doesn't smell, I would guess it'd be great. That is how I usually gauge how safe the chicken droppings are before putting them on the beds.

So you think I could put it directly on the beds? That's helpful. I wonder how much I should put on? Should I till it in before I plant or topdress with it?

Loon I replied to your thread in the veg garden forum (and suggested you look here, too :)...guess you beat me to it.)

pam

Any source of waste from vegetable eaters is better than meat eaters. What is the compositon of the the perch food? My way of learning is to use it after composting and see what happens in a small area. If good go for all of it.

I'm going by my experience with fairly fresh (as in non-composted) chicken droppings. I side dress my plants, meaning I put it all over the bed without letting it actually touch the plant. I haven't had any problems and avoid an issue if it is a little "hot". The nutrients get leached into the soil in small amounts with the water and the droppings finished composting, to be turned in when I put the garden to bed in the winter. I lose nitrogen by not composting it immediatly, but I'm not too worried about that really. Everything seems to get a kick out of it anyway.

I wouldn't worry about it really, If it smelled, I would. But since it doesn't and you don't let it touch the plants directly, I can't see why there would be any problem.