Die nordostarktische Fischerei im Jahre 2003

Seasampling of the important northeast Arctic fish stocks cod, saithe, haddock, redfish and Greenland halibut was continued in 2003. The sampling is part of the European data sampling directive on commercial fisheries established in recent years. This directive is relevant for European waters as well as for other areas where quotas have been assigned for European community member states. Furthermore, the results of these samplings are used as German basic data for stock assessments of the “Arctic Fisheries Working Group” of the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES). This report presents results of biological investigations which were carried out in ICES divisions IIa and IIb on board FMS “KIEL” in January/February and July/August 2003. The last section summarizes results and recommendations on the scientific assessment of the northeast Arctic fish stocks.

Spezifizierungsanalyse des Quecksilbers - ein möglicher Beitrag zur Erforschung der Auswirkungen klimatischer Veränderungen auf die belebte Meeresumwelt

The predominantly occurring chemical forms (species) of mercury (Hg) that occur in the environment are elemental mercury (Hg0), divalent inorganic mercury (Hg2+) and dimethylmercury (CH3HgCH3) and monomethylmercury(CH+3Hg), the latter of which is strongly accumulated by marine organisms. Conversions between the different mercury species provide the basis of the complex distribution pattern of mercury on local, regional, and global scales. An analytical system using hyphenated instrumental techniques has been developed and validated in order to determine inorganic and organic mercury species in marine biota (fish and plankton). It is suggested than mercury species analysis can provide a useful tool to investigate the effects of climate changes on the bio-transformation activity of certain marine microorganisms.

Ist die Steigerung des dauerhaften Fischereiertrages durch Maschengrößenoptimierung möglich?

The management of a fish aimed at maximising the fishing yield of the managed fish stock. There are models for the yield optimisation since long time. They are used so far mainly to optimise the fishing mortality. Starting point of this paper is a number of fish of an age group of a fish stock. This age group is accompanied over its lifetime. A result of the investigations is that the term growth over-fishing is linked not as frequently assumed exclusive with a too large fishing mortality, but likewise with a mismatch of the mesh opening. The investigations show that the fishing yield increases with the fishing effort on condition that fishing is carried out with an optimised mesh opening. For the calculated example Baltic cod data are used. At present the cod is caught far before reaching the yield optimum. Now the fish is substantially too small when it is caught and did not reach its optimal mass at this time. Therefore the sustainable fishing yield could be increased considerably by the optimasation of the mesh opening. During the conversion from the state of the art to fishing with optimised mesh sizes, however, a loss of profit has to be expected. A further advantage of the mesh enlargement is an increase of the spawning stock size accompanying with it, since the fish is caught at a later age. By the use of substantially larger mesh openings the cod has the opportunity to spawn several times and generate descendants and this will also lead to an increased yield in future. In addition better prices could be obtained at the market by catching larger cod.

Die europäischen Krabbenanlandungen der letzten Jahre: Deutschland Nr. 1

Fishery on brown shrimp has developed towards one of the most important fisheries in the North Sea area in economic terms. Statistical data on European wide landings have been gathered by a working group of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. They show relatively stable shares of approximately 50% for Germany, 38% for the Netherlands and 8% for Denmark. Further production originates from Great Britain, France and Belgium. The new log-book regulation of the EU will give similar data improved by better information on fishing areas and fishing effort.

Die Anteile von Sieb- und Futtergarnelen in deutschen Garnelenfängen im Jahre 2000

The German shrimp fisheries land different types of pro-duce. Besides cooked shrimp for human consumption small (undersized), raw shrimp (industrial shrimp) are landed regionally in the second half of each year for animal feedstuff purposes. They are dried in special plants and form sellable secession from sieving processes aboard shrimping vessels. Grading the cooked shrimp ashore gives the non-marketable fraction of too small shrimp, which is not meant for shelling. That fraction is produced all year alongside landings of shrimp and is used for feed-stuff as well. Both extra fractions are listed in the official statistics since 2000 for the first time. That year industrial shrimp made up 6 % of the total landings while the non-marketable, small cooked shrimp summed up to 7 %, respectively. Though being essential for specialised animal feeds they are commercially of very little value, making up to hardly 2 ‰ of the total turnover of the German shrimp fisheries.

Winterfischerei auf Garnelen. Die Anteile der europäischen Garnelenflotten an den Anlandungen von Crangon crangon im Zeitraum Januar bis März der Jahre 1990 bis 1999

„Winter fishery“ on brown shrimp does not imply a special type of fishery. It merely means the continuation of the standard fishing procedure of parts of the fleet during wintertime, when the majority of the mostly smaller vessels stay in harbour due to generally unfavourable weather conditions for their activity. During 1990 to 1999 mean European wide landings in January and February summedup to 854 tonnes making up to only 4 % of the mean annual landings (21 805 t). While German vessels landed0.7 % (68.7 t) of their mean annual landings during that period, the other countries caught about 7 % of their individual, mean annual landings at the same time. The Netherlands and Denmark contributed highest tonnages of 580and 110 tonnes, respectively, to the total European landings, making up 81 % of them. As about 70 % of brown shrimp may carry eggs in January, the winter fishery took a mean total of about 2.15 x 1012brown shrimp eggs out of the stocks in that period annually. As there is no reliable assessment available concerning the brown shrimp stocks, it is despite of these high losses of eggs not possible to trace a negative effect of the winter fishery in scientific terms. However, precautional catch reductions in winter would be in favour of higher survival rates of eggs, which are the carrying source for the recruitment of brown shrimp stocks and catches in forthcoming summer and autumn seasons according to Dutch investigations.

Die Lage der Fischbestände in Nordostatlantik, Nord- und Ostsee. Einschätzungen des Internationalen Rates für Meeresforschung im Frühjahr 2001

The spring session of ACFM gave advice for a number of stocks in the North Atlantic, North Sea and Baltic. The present assessment of the situation is given here for stocks of importance for the German fishery. These are: Blue Whiting: the stock size is rapidly decreasing due to high catches; ICES recommends a closure of the fishery. Herring (Atlanto-Scandian, Norwegian spring spawner): Stock is within save biological limits, weak recruitment of the recent years will lead to a further reduction of biomass. Herring (North Sea): revision of the assessment led to a different perception of the stock: SSB was in 2000 below Blim. Excellent recruitment will lead to an increase of SSB over Blim within this year, but ICES recommends to reduce fishing mortality on adults significantly. Herring (Baltic spring spawner in 22–24, IIIa): Still no increasing tendency is detectable. Herring (VIaNorth): stable. Redfish: generally further decreasing tendency observed, a reduction of the fishery is recommended. Signs of recovery visible only for two units. Greenland Halibut: State of the stock not quite clear, but slightly positive tendencies. The present fishing intensity should be reduced. Cod (Kattegat): Weak recruitment, outside safe biological limits. ICES recommends a closure of the fishery. Cod (22–24, Western Baltic): Stock situation unclear due to extensive migrations. F should be reduced by at least 10%.

Die Bedeutung biologischer Daten aus der deutschen Seelachsfischerei für Bestandsabschätzung und Management

Since 1999, the ICES Working Group on the Assessment of Demersal Stocks in the North Sea and Skagerrak assesses the saithe stock in the North Sea, Skagerrak and west of Scotland as a single stock unit. The sampling, evaluation and role of biological data from the German saithe fishery in the assessment are described. The German data showed similar trends as observed in French and Norwegian series. Based on these estimates, the spawning stock recovered to more than 200 000 t due to reductions in quotas and exploitation rates. Thus, the production of the stock increased also in combination with good recruitment and positive trends in spawning stock size and landings were projected for 2002. The biological data derived from the German saithe fishery dominated the assessment of stock size, structure and exploitation. This fact encourages a continuation of the described analyses based on sampling onboard fishing vessels and fish markets by the Institute for Sea Fisheries. The successful collaboration with the saithe fishing industry is judged as an important contribution to the sustainable management of fish stocks.

Die Fruchtbarkeit von Dorschen in der Ostsee - was verrät sie uns?

About 1500 ovaries of Baltic cod were prepared for estimating the potential absolute and relative individual fecundity. The female cod were sampled in the Belt Sea, ICES Subdivision (SD) 22, in the Arkona Sea, SD 24, and in the Bornholm Sea, SD 25. The investigations started in1992 and until 1999 cruises were carried out to catch female cod in the different sub-divisions every year. The results shows that the potential fecundity is not a stable biological parameter, and that significant changes are possible within a relative short period. It was demonstrated that the developments of the potential individual fecundity of the western (Gadus morhua morhua) and eastern Baltic cod stocks (Gadus morhua callarias) were different. In contrast to the stable individual fecundity of the western cod the absolute and relative fecundity of the eastern repeat spawners increased from 1993 to 1999, significantly. The reason of this development seems to be the dramatic decrease of the eastern cod stock and the more successful reproduction of individuals that produce oocytes with a lower dry weight in combination with a higher relative fecundity.

Nährstoff-Einträge aus der deutschen Aquakultur in die Ostsee

Es gibt vier bzw. fünf große Gewässereinzugsgebiete mit Bedeutung für die Fischzucht. Dies sind die Donau mit ihrem Abfluß in das Schwarze Meer, Rhein, Weser und Elbe, die in die Nordsee entwässern sowie die Oder, die in die Ostsee mündet. Daneben gibt es noch einige weitere kleinere Flüsse von Nordwesten bis Nordosten Deutschlands, die in Nordsee (z. B. Eider, Stör) oder Ostsee (z. B. Stebnitz) fließen und das Ablaufwasser von Fischzuchten transportieren können.

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.

Welche Faktoren beeinflussen die Stärke der Dorsch-Jahresklassen?

In the previous years extensive investigations were carried out concerning the reproduction biology of cod in the Baltic Sea. The analyses showed that the year class strength of the eastern Baltic cod stock is decisively determined by the bad oxygen conditions during the spawning season in the summer and by sprat as predator of the cod eggs. In the western Baltic Sea these factors have no importance. The year classes are mainly determined by the strong variations of the portions of female cods, which participated in the spawning activities in the region. The individuals within the length range from 35 cm to 45 cm have a special importance at this time, caused by the actual age structure of the cod stock.

Die Tiefseegarnele Pandalus borealis im Nordostatlantik. Biologie, Bestandssituation und fischereiliche Nutzung

One of the most common decapode in the North Atlantic is the “Northern” or “Pink shrimp” Pandalus borealis (Kröyeri). Due to decreasing fish stocks and catches the shrimp fishery was intensified during most recent years. In the North-East Atlantic, a profitable fishery on this species has been carried out by Norway and USSR/ Russia off Norway, in the Barents Sea and off Spitsbergen for about 30 years. For the first time, Germany started a shrimp fishery with FMV “Hannover” in this area in spring/summer 1999. This article gives information on the biology of Pandalus borealis. A brief description of the problems in stock analyses, stock assessment, and the TACs (Total Allowable Catches) for the entire North Atlantic are given.

Die Bruttoraumzahl als neue Einheit der Schiffsvermessung

The definition of the newly introduced dimensionless parameter for tonnage measurement (German: Bruttoraumzahl (BRZ) (English: Gross tonnage (GT)) instead of Gross register ton (GRT) (German: Bruttoregistertonne (BRT) doesn’t seem to be so clear, neither for specialists. The present article gives some explanations about the history of measurement of ships and the relation between BRT and BRZ, especially for fishing vessels.