Die Fischereiressourcen im Hinblick auf deutsche Interessen

The North-European fish stocks are assessed annually by ICES working groups. The results are evaluated twice annually in two meetings of the Advisory Committee for Fisheries Management (ACFM) at ICES. Based on the working group assessments, ACFM formulates an advice for the fisheries management and suggests a total allowable catch (TAC) which is based strictly on biological grounds. The summaries of the state of some selected stocks which are given here, are derived from the ACFM advice, formulated during the most recent October 1999 meeting. For many of the fish stocks the precautionary approach has been implemented now, and for most of them the target reference points have been defined. As a result, most of the stocks are outside safe biological limits or are harvested in disaccordance with the precautionary approach. Only 10 stocks of those evaluated during this autumn meeting were found to be within safe biological limits.

Ostseehering (Clupea harengus) - eine Rohwarenressource für die deutsche Fischwirtschaft?

Baltic Sea herring is a traditional raw material for the German fish processing industry and the fresh fish market. This applies also for the spring herring of the spawning population of the waters around the island of Rügen. Reduction of the fat content to about 5 % during the spawning cycle limits the processing possibilities of mature herring from this area. Failures in taste and odour (tainting), a common problem of the past have not been detected in the last 3 years. Infestation by nematodes are comparable to other herring stocks and contamination levels of organic and inorganic contaminants are well below allowable limits. The annual German fishing quota of about 85000 t of Baltic Sea herring is now utilised only to 10 %. For a stronger utilization of this stock as in the 70th and 80th , there are scarcely prerequisites. The project of a central processing plant on the island Rügen for about 50000 t of herring as raw material is not realistic. The answer to the question asked at the beginning of this article, whether Baltic Sea herring represents a raw material for the German fish processing industry, is YES, dispite some restrictions.

Das deutsche Larvenprogramm im Hauptlaichgebiet des Herings der westlichen Ostsee - eine Forschungsaufgabe von internationaler Bedeutung

The German larvae surveys in the main spawning area of the herring of the western Baltic Sea - an international important program. The article gives an overview over the German herring larvae surveys in the Greifswalder Bodden and Strelasund. This program is performed under ecological points of view annually in the main spawning area of the herring of the western Baltic Sea and delivers indices, which are well suited as independent estimates of the herring year-class strength.

Die deutsche Fischerei auf den "ozeanischen" Rotbarsch (Sebastes mentella) von 1995 bis 1998

Recently, the German redfish fishery displayed a pronounced seasonal pattern in geographic effort distribution and depth. The second and third quarters were the main season when 80 % of the effort was exerted. During the second quarter, the fleet activities were concentrated in international waters close to the Icelandic Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), fishing at depths exceeding 600 m. In contrast, the catches in the third quarter were taken mainly inside the Greenland EEZ at depths around 300 m. From 1995 to 1998, the annual effort ranged from 14 000 to 18 000 trawling hours, without a trend. This effort yielded about 18 000 to 21 000 t (international catch > 100 000 t) annually. Since 1996, the catch rate (CPUE) decreased during the main season. The decrease in CPUE should be interpreted as the first reaction of the stock to increased exploitation. The fish size also varied seasonally and peaked during the second quarter at depths exceeding 600 m. Here, males were bigger than females and both sexes were equally frequent. The increase of fish size with increasing depth did not contribute to the hypothesis of two separate pelagic redfish stocks above and below 500 m. In contrast, the close relation between fish size and depth point to the so-called “deeper-bigger phenomenon” which was found in numerous fish stocks. Very few redfish in the catches were immature.

Deutsche und internationale Dorschfischerei in der Ostsee im Jahr 1998

In 1998 the longtime series of the standardized bottom trawl surveys conducted in the western Baltic (ICES Sub-division (SD) 22 and 24 since 1978) during spring and autumn and also in the eastern Baltic (ICES Sub-division since 1993) during spring were continued. The results of the surveys as well as those of a sampling programme carried out on board of commercial cutters (mainly financed by an EU study project) and on the market, the investigation of the survival rate of the discards, and the landing statistics are the basis of the analysis of the German and international cod fishery in 1998. The German cod fishery was concentrated on the ICES SD 22 and 24 (total landings 9722 t). The total landings from the fishing grounds east off Bornholm, the traditional German fishing ground, amounted only to about 1270 t. The German cod quota was utilized at 64 %. The fishery in the ICES SD 22 and 24 was characterized by a discard rate of undersized cod of 13 %. That corresponds to about 7.3 million specimens of 0-group, one- and two-years-old youngfish, respectively. The total international cod landings of the Baltic amounted to 101 500 t. In comparison with 1997 (total landings 129 600 t) the landing decreased by 23 %. The percentage utilization of the cod TAC (1998: 140 000 t) amounted to 74 % in 1998.

Discards in der deutsche Seelachsfischerei

The saithe fishery in the Northern North Sea includes unused by-catches, that usually represent 6.1 % of the total catch. Although this relates clearly to single to species and year classes this fishery is comparatively “clean”. If such catches were better used, i.e. if the marketable fish of legal length were also landed, one could certify that the saithe fishery could be carried out without ecological concern.

Die Situation der Makrelen- und Stöckerbestände. Der deutsche Beitrag zur internationalen Bestandsabschätzung

The question has not yet been completely solved whether or not the mackerel and horse mackerel stocks in the waters from the Bay of Biscay to the Atlantic off the Norwegian coast are independent unit stocks or must be regarded rather as one stock with distinct stock components. The stock definition, however, is the basis for fishery management and is fundamental for the exploitation of the stocks. For this reason the extensive mackerel and horse mackerel egg survey carried out in 1998, is of high importance and significance for the fishery management of the two species. The survey has begun in January in Iberian waters and will eventually end in the autumn north of Scotland. To cope with this task research vessels of eight European nations are participating.

Lage und Entwicklung der Fischereiressources in Hinblick auf deutsche Fischereiinteressen

The northern European fish stocks are assessed annually by ICES working groups. The results are evaluated biannually in two meetings of the Advisory Committee for Fisheries Management (ACFM) at ICES. Based on the working group assessments, ACFM formulates an advice for fisheries management and suggests a total allowable catch (TAC) which is based strictly on biological grounds. The summaries of the state of some selected stocks which are given here, are derived from the ACFM advice, formulated during the most recent May 1998 meeting. For many of the fish stocks the precautionary approach is still in the process of implementation, and only for some of them the management and target reference points have been fully defined.

Lage und Entwicklung der Fischereiressourcen im Hinblick auf deutsche Fischereiinteressen: Neuste Bestandsabschätzung des ACFM

The North European fish stocks are assessed annually by ICES working groups. The results are evaluated biannually in two meetings of the Advisory Committee for Fisheries Management (ACFM) at ICES. Based on the working group assessments, ACFM formulates an advice for fisheries management and suggests a total allowable catch (TAC) which is based strictly on biological grounds. The summaries of the state of some selected stocks which are given here, are derived from the ACFM advice, formulated during the most recent Oktober 1998 meeting. For many of the fish stocks the precautionary approach is still in the process of implementation, however for most of them the management and target reference points have been fully defined by now.

Aktuelle Informationen zum Hering in der Ostsee im Hinblick auf deutsche Fischereiinteressen

Germany is planning to construct a new herring factory on the Island of Rügen. This factory will need about 50 000 t of herring per year. For the German fishery this would mean to increase the past 10w 1andings of less than 15 000 t per year to a level which had a1ready been reached by the GDR before the reunification. News of less herring in the Baltic and a decline of German landings in 1998 compared to the years before have led to discussions whether the planned increase in landings could be reached and kept in the future. Information is given in view of German fishery interests about: • the actual assessed herring stock units and the corresponding recent stock development in the Baltic Sea • the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) values for the western and central Baltic Sea in 1998 and in 1999 • the German landings during spring of the years 1993 to 1998 in the Greifswalder Bodden, main German fishery ground in the Baltic Sea

Die deutsche Fischerei vor Nordnorwegen und bei der Bäreninsel im Dezember 1996 und im ersten Halbjahr 1997

Biological investigations were carried out onboard the German factory trawlers “Wiesbaden” and “Kiel” off the Norwegian coast and at Bear Island from December 1996 to June 1997. Data will be contributed to the assessments of the ICES “Arctic Fisheries Working Group”. Information on distribution and fishery of cod, haddock, saithe, redfish and Greenland halibut are given. Biological aspects of length- and age distributions, and stomach- and gonad investigations are represented. Some aspects of the function of sorting grids used in the Bear Island fishery are discussed.

Deutsche und internationale Bestandsuntersuchungen an Heringen mit hydroakustischen Methoden

The international hydroacoustic herring survey in the North Sea is carried out since the early eighties with Dutch, Scottish, Danish und Norwegian contribution. Since 1994 Germany also participates in this survey on a regular basis and has taken over a sector in the easter part between the Dogger Bank and the Danish coast. This area is known for the abundance of chiefly juvenile herring and sprat. During the 1995 cruise some 420000 t of herring were found here, most of them being juveniles of age group I. Analyses of plankton hauls showed that planktonic echos were not caused by juvenile herring, instead the echos were apparently produced by small pelagic gastropodes of the genus Spiratella.

Deutsche Rotbarschfischerei im NW-Atlantik (Reykjanes Rücken - Irminger See - Ostgrönlandschelf) in den Jahren 1993 und 1994 und ihre möglichen Zukunftsaussichten

Die Rotbarschfänge der deutschen Hochseefischerei in der Irminger See (ICES Gebiet XII und XIV) weisen in den beiden letzten Jahren, verglichen mit anderen kommerziellen Arten ( z.B. Kabeljau) hohe Steigerungsraten auf. Sie sind einerseits durch die Wiedervereinigung (Eingliederung der damaligen Rostocker Hochseefischerei in die BRD-Flotte), anderseits durch Fangsteigerungen der DFFU (Deutsche Fisch-Fang-Union) auf den historischen Fanggründen des Ostgrönlandschelf bedingt. Über diese Fischereien, sowie über ihre Zukunftsaussichten, soll im Folgenden berichtet werden.

125 Jahre Deutsche Fischereiforschung

In the year of its foundation, in 1870, the German Fisheries Association proposed that a commission should be formed for the strengthening of the German coastal and high sea fisheries by research. The resulting Prussian "Commission zur Erforschung der Deutschen Meere" Commission for Scientific Research on German Seas) in Kiel started its work on July 13th, 1870. With 125 years of organization and scientific continuity, the original institutions were transformed by internal and external influences into the Bundesforschungsanstalt für Fischerei and the Deutsche Wissenschaftliche Kommission für Meeresforschung (Federal Research Center for Fisheries; German Scientific Commission for Marine Research) of today. Their actual fisheries research is of special importance due to the background of increased fisheries activities against decreasing fish stocks.