Fishermen on Europe's Lake Constance have been dealing with declining whitefish harvests for years. The issue is that there is little food and there are too many predators for the edible fish. Is fishing prohibited?
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| Lake Constance (Bodensee) |
A year-round closed season for whitefish is being explored at Lake Constance due to poor fish supplies. As previously mentioned, the International Plenipotentiary Conference for Lake Constance Fisheries (IBKF) is examining the measure as one of many.
Since the beginning of the year, the IBKF has often exchanged views on the fishing situation in Lake Constance. Other fish marketing and fishing prospects would also be considered. The annual IBKF summit in Switzerland on June 21 might result in a resolution on how to continue in the future.
Fish populations are typically falling
The blue whitefish is regarded as the Lake Constance fish par excellence. The edible fish is very popular among vacationers, which is why fish farming systems on Lake Constance have previously been explored. Fishermen have been complaining about poor wages for many years.
According to an estimate, 107 tons will enter the net in 2021, down from more than 600 tons ten years ago. According to them, Lake Constance's poor nutritional content results in a tiny amount of food for the animals, causing them to develop more slowly.
The stickleback, on the other hand, is an immigrant fish that has been gobbling up more and more plankton since its population exploded a few years ago. The rest is done by the cormorant, a resident fish-eating bird, and the quagga, which also absorbs nutrients. Whitefish are not the only ones affected by the circumstances; the fish population as a whole is diminishing.
Association opposed to a ban on fishing as the sole answer
According to Elke Dilger of the Association of Baden Professional Fishermen, there is already a closed season for whitefish in Lake Constance. It is in effect from October 15th until January 10th. According to the association's president, a year-round ban on fishing cannot be the only option.
The fish population is impacted by a variety of causes, including stickleback and cormorant stocks, which have a deleterious impact on the progeny of whitefish. These concerns must be addressed.
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| Lake Constance (Bodensee) in the German side |
Source: DPA/Augsburger-allgemeine