Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: Inland fishermen: price increase can still offset energy costs

The lakes and rivers are a trademark of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: Inland fishermen: price increase can still offset energy costs

The lakes and rivers are a trademark of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. This includes inland fishermen in particular. The industry also has to compensate for higher energy costs - through higher prices. The cormorant also remains a major nuisance.

Waren (dpa/mv) - Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's inland fishermen have so far been able to compensate for the high energy costs with increased fish prices, but are concerned about the future. That said the president of the inland fishing association Martin Bork on Monday at the annual meeting of the association in Waren an der Müritz. "Most of all, direct marketing still benefits us," said Bork in front of around 60 colleagues. Consumers - including many tourists who come to the Northeast - are still willing to pay higher prices for the naturally grown fish. How long this will go well is unclear. Above all, aquaculture farms that produce catfish and shrimp in the country are at great risk due to high energy costs.

According to the Schwerin Ministry of Fisheries, around 350 people work in around 50 inland fisheries in the north-east, which together generate annual sales of around 22 million euros. The companies manage around 65,000 hectares of water in the federal state. Around 400 tons of fish are "harvested" in the north-east every year, mostly eel, vendace, pike, zander and tench. Fishermen also rent apartments, offer fishing trips and fish snacks. Basically, Fischer got through the Corona period and the energy crisis well, said Bork. But with the high numbers of cormorants and the lack of groundwater, some colleagues are facing major challenges.

The cormorant, which is protected in the EU, is considered a fish predator that eats hundreds of tons of fish every year. "The situation is sometimes dramatic," said Bork: "Nobody wants to eradicate the animal, but moderation has to be kept." According to the country's estimates, there are around 13,000 breeding pairs in the north-east.

Agriculture Minister Till Backhaus (SPD) has been trying for years to have the cormorant under hunting law, but so far this has not been successful. Backhaus said in Waren that he would make another attempt. Inland fishermen have a positive attitude towards the rewetting of areas. "We need more water in the area," said Bork. Due to the drought of the past ten years, around 200 liters of water per square meter were missing.

Backhaus assured the fishermen that "with me there will be no ban on eel fishing inland." According to an order from the EU, recreational fishermen will no longer be allowed to fish for eels in coastal waters, Backhaus said. He couldn't understand that.