Maritime economy | Fishermen, an endangered species

The mood among fishermen in the North and Baltic Seas is noticeably bleak . Fewer and fewer fish are being caught in traditional fishing areas , and fishing bans and nature conservation regulations are making operations more difficult for fishermen. The German Fisheries Conference in Nuremberg will seek solutions starting this Tuesday. 200 leading representatives from politics, administration, and the fishing industry are expected to attend the three-day industry gathering.

At the same time, political pressure is growing. Environmental organizations complain that protected areas are often merely a backdrop. Indeed, a recent analysis by the WWF shows that in the German North Sea, bottom trawling achieves around 76 percent of its catches within marine protected areas. "Especially in the Wadden Sea National Parks, nature has legal priority, but this has not yet been implemented in the underwater world," explains Philipp Kanstinger, the organization's fisheries expert. Fishing in protected areas has so far been mostly legal.

In bottom trawling, large nets are dragged across the seabed to catch bottom-dwelling fish such as plaice. However, this technique produces the most bycatch. This refers to the unwanted capture of juvenile fish and non-target species. The nets also damage sensitive habitats such as seagrass meadows and increase _CO2 emissions by disrupting the seabed. Environmental organizations are therefore calling on politicians to establish fishing-free zones covering a total of 75 percent of national park areas.

The fishing industry is well aware of the environmental challenges. The German Fishing Association, which is hosting the meeting in Nuremberg and represents inland fishermen and approximately one million anglers, is committed to the "future transformation of fishing" and the future role of fish in a "climate-friendly diet for humanity," assures President Dirk Sander, a retired shrimp boat captain from East Frisia.

But conflicts over land use are increasing. Protected areas and fishing are competing for space with shipping, the expansion of offshore wind farms and cable routes, as well as with military exercises and, in the future, with CCS, the storage of _CO2 in the seabed.

In the Baltic Sea, the current stock situation of cod and herring no longer allows for sufficient catches of these "bread and butter" fish. This is not a result of overfishing, but rather due to the ecological situation. The real problem lies on land. The state-run Thünen Institute for Baltic Sea Fisheries in Rostock cites nutrients from agriculture and industry flowing into the Baltic Sea via rivers as an example. Excessive nutrients such as nitrogen lead to excessive algal blooms, which deplete oxygen and burden flora and fauna.

While deep-sea fishing no longer plays a role in Germany, the remaining coastal fishermen in the North and Baltic Seas see their livelihoods threatened by the dramatically increased fuel costs. The fishing association is pinning its hopes on the federal government's expansion plans for offshore wind energy. According to the Offshore Wind Energy Act, money from the auction proceeds for the required areas will be made available for environmentally friendly fishing and for structural restructuring of the industry.

To prepare German fisheries for the future, old fishing vessels must be scrapped, fleets reduced in size, and more energy-efficient fishing boats developed. This is the conclusion of the report of the "Future Commission on Fisheries," presented by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in April. Fishermen who no longer fish could instead work in tourism, use their vessels for marine services, environmental education, or marine conservation, the report states. To create more fishing grounds at sea, fishing, angling, and aquaculture should also be possible in offshore wind farms in the future. This is currently prohibited, much to the annoyance of fishermen.

Another economic conflict is food security. According to current data, self-sufficiency in fish products in the EU has fallen from 46 to 31 percent over the past ten years. In Germany, the rate is as low as ten percent. As consumption of fish products increases, the crisis in German fishing will lead to even more imports – often from distant fishing areas that are by no means sustainably managed. The EU is at least pursuing the goal of sustainable fishing. Their fish stocks are showing signs of recovery, according to a video message from the responsible Commissioner, Costas Kadis, to Fisheries Day. Federal Agriculture Minister Alois Rainer plans to appear in person. Whether the Bavarian CSU politician will offer more concessions to northern German fishermen than his Green predecessor, Cem Özdemir from Baden-Württemberg, remains to be seen.