Catch and Release in Germany

[malevans]

Hi Leon,

I have been practising catch and release in Germany for several years, in fact the permits I purchase have minimum taking sizes thus forcing return of undersize fish. My friends who are German born and bred also practises catch and release also. They live in Wurzberg and we tend to fish the saale, and others over in the former east germany.

The state laws are interesting I could not purchase a junior rod visitors licence for my son on my last trip, so we gave our staying address, with the gentleman concerneds permission as that of one of my friends clients who is resident in a different state that would issue a junior visitors licence, which is valid in all states. A Bailif, with aid of translation from my friend, insisted that I could not have two fly rods made up at once at the waterside, even though I was only fishing one at time.

 

Great Grayling and trout over there and beautiful rivers. Prices extremely reasonable.

[StuMac]

I can remeber standing no the bridge in the middle of Tubingen a couple of years ago, and watching the massive shoals of Chub and Dace. Never seen anything like it in the UK, so the Germans must be doing something right.

 

Or maybe they just don't eat chub and dace so nobody fishes for them?

[StuMac]

Just read the link from Norway - I found that to be a very well argued case, certainly motre logical that a lot of the crap you hear from anti angling groups here. It is probably only applicable to countries like scandinavia and canada which have huge natural resources and small populations.

 

Canada has a very complex system where some waters are 'fish sanctuaries' with no angling at all, others are catxch and release only, and others where you can take fish. They constantly monitor catches and switch waters between categories every season.

 

They also have bag limits that are enforced.

[Cranfield]

Leon, an interesting post, its a pity there is so much conflicting information.

 

I can,t agree with the following; "As many Americans would have it 'If you ain't gonna eat it, don't mess with it'!"

 

I think you need to update this impression of fishing USA.

The size and bag limits for sea fish are strictly enforced, there is also a great voluntary releasing of "table fish". The slogan being, "Limit your catch, don,t catch your limit".

 

On the freshwater side, there is a growth in the catch and release of "table fish" and an increased interest in "sports fish", that are not normally eaten, like carp.

 

We could learn a lot from our American friends in the areas of conservation, especially in sea fishing.

 

[ 14. June 2004, 12:08 PM: Message edited by: Cranfield ]

[StuMac]

Just read the Nowegian thing again.

 

I found it interesting as it seems to start from the premis that "Angling is good", and that the way to maintain good angling is to restrict access to the water to a level that catches can be sustained. As I said before, this approach may well work in Scandinavia.

 

However, I think there's a point that might be missed and that is that, even if fishing for food, it is an angler's *choice* wether he kills a fish or not.

 

In general, it is better to remove a limited number of small fish from a water and leave the big ones in place. If an angler catches a big fish, then surely it is good conservation practise, and ethical, for him to release it back into the environment and carry on fishing for a more modestly sized one to eat?

[Guest sslatter]

What about saltwater fishing in estuarine/tidal rivers?

 

Are there separate laws in Germany regarding saltwater and freshwater angling? Does anyone know?

[Bruno Broughton]

quote:

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Originally posted by Paul_D:

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Yes please Bruno. I'd be interested in going through the literature and would appreciate it if you could send it on to me.

 

Paul - please email your address and I will post it to you.

 

Email to: bruno.broughton@virgin.net

 

[ 14. June 2004, 11:05 PM: Message edited by: Bruno Broughton ]

[corydoras]

Leon Roskilly:

Even in the UK, many non-anglers are amazed that anglers 'throw back' the fish they catch, and are uneasy with the concept of causing 'suffering' to fish just for the pleasure of reeling it in and putting it back.

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I have probably posted this before but my grandfather, who was a keen shooter and game fisherman thought that the English practice of catching inedible fish 'just for fun' was beyond the pale.