The author discusses pond management, its tradition in Poland, fish breeding methods and the role of ponds in overall water management. Ponds have multiple functions; they are used for fish rearing, contribute to water retention, and control water regimes in adjacent areas. They can be used in enhanced sewage treatment and for impounding water reserves to be used during deficit periods. They constitute a part of the landscape and they enhance the species diversity among flora and fauna. All these economic, natural and cultural functions of ponds make a case for keeping or even extending them. Better integration of their functions with overall water management could to a large extent reduce water deficit in many areas in Poland.