Back to main page

INTRODUCTION

1. A Symposium on Fisheries and Society was organized in conjunction with the Twenty-first Session of the European Inland Fisheries Advisory Commission (EIFAC) in Budapest, Hungary from 1 to 3 June 2000. Mr M. Sipponen (Finland) convened the Symposium, which was chaired by Mr K. Pintér (Hungary). The Symposium was attended by 99 participants from 27 countries.

REVIEW OF FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AND POLICY ISSUES

2. Inland fisheries management in most European and North American countries tends increasingly to emphasize recreation and conservation rather than the older function of food production. Many of the problems currently facing managers lie in the transition from commercial to recreational fishing. Recreational fishing is thought to have a growing socio-economic benefit to society, through increased rent and through the development of tourism.

3. The transition from commercial to recreational use has been the cause of conflict between commercial and recreational fishermen and between recreational fishermen and conservationists. Many of the misunderstandings underlying these conflicts lie in difficulties of communication between the disciplines for lack of a common technical language. There is also a lack of appropriate mechanisms for dialogue and conflict resolution in some areas. However, the failure of dialogue between the two sectors of the fishing community more frequently arises through a lack of willingness on the part of the stronger group to discuss resource allocation with the minority group from a political perspective. Increasing demand for recreational fishing has put pressure on the natural, wild and the more remote fisheries. This has led to conflicts between local inhabitants and those who are not permanently resident in the locality.

4. The change in the political climate in Eastern Europe has resulted in a move away from a controlled economy to one that is demand led. This has meant the development of new systems of management, which in shared water bodies can involve more than one country. There is still a lack of acceptance of laws that are aimed at safeguarding the stock.

5. The growth in recreational fishing has generated significant illegal movements of fish intra- and inter-nationally. Such trade has been generated in order to meet anglers� expectations, which are often obtained in countries other than the one in which they are resident. The main species subject to such movements are carp (Cyprinus carpio), wels catfish (Siluris glanis), crucian carp (Carassius auratus gibelio), a small number of sturgeon and crayfish species. The illegal movement of fish has led to the establishment of a number of non-native species in countries from which they were previously absent. It has also had implications for fish health as in the case of the co-introduction of a number of novel parasites (Ergasilids) which have been responsible for fish mortalities.

6. Fisheries science has widened its remit by including studies of the social and economic aspects of fishing. It has thus enlarged its view from that of concern with only the fish and its habitat to take into account the human dimension including fishermen�s preferences, attitudes and choices.

7. Co-management is one possible mechanism to ensure that the sociological aspects are accounted for. This inclusive approach to management brings together all aspects of the community and encourages a sense of ownership of the process and of the resources. The first step in moving towards active co-management is to analyse stakeholder structure, The next steps are to strengthen user organizations, adopt a participatory approach to management and to establish an adequate institutional framework for effective dialogue. Finally, the process of sharing responsibilities for management can be initiated.

8. Inclusion of all stakeholders in co-management systems ensures that decisions better reflect local, social, economic and environmental conditions. The success of co-management depends on meeting short-term economic and social aspirations of stakeholders otherwise enthusiasm for the system is difficult to sustain.

9. In order for the various user groups to engage in meaningful dialogue, communication needs to be established through a common technical language. This tends to be difficult as fishermen tend to rely on their own experience and on anecdotal information whereas scientists rely more on informed opinion based on quantitative information.

10. Cooperative management is a mechanism whereby two or more countries agree an approach to management of a transboundary water body. Representatives of fishery administrations, surveillance organizations, ichthyologists and fishermen meet within a formal framework to reach decisions based on consensus. Rivers and lakes that have been managed cooperatively have proved more sustainable than those where individual efforts by riparian countries are contradictory and confusing.

11. Providing fishing opportunities closer to the urban areas where most people live can reduce pressures on natural fisheries. There is, therefore, an urgent need to improve fishing sites in areas close to towns. Such urban fisheries need to be artificially maintained to produce higher catches than would otherwise be sustainable. Co-management approaches are needed to ensure that natural fisheries are managed sustainably and that they still generate angling tourism. Dialogue between local and tourism communities is needed, as is a commitment on the part of non-resident stakeholders.

ASSESSMENT AND VALUATION OF INLAND FISHERIES

12. Knowledge of the three sectors of European inland fisheries differs widely. Aquaculture is generally well understood with regard to its component enterprises, production techniques, species reared, market structure and economics. Less is known about the more complicated structure of food fisheries in rivers and lakes where the overlap between subsistence and commerce is particularly ill defined. Recreational fisheries with their substantial numbers of active anglers, who are divided into sub-cultures and are often not formally organized, are even more difficult to study. Generally little is known about the motivations and expectations of anglers and the benefits that society may derive from their activities. This lack of knowledge is limiting in view of the increasing importance of recreational fisheries relative to commercial fisheries over most of Europe during recent years.

13. Two main approaches to management of recreational fisheries are common in Europe: (a) the protection of the aquatic environment by using its natural productivity but limiting the number of anglers supported, or (b) increasing angling opportunity through stocking and intensive management of the ecosystem. Each of these management systems has social and environmental benefits and costs that should correspond to the goals of the society in which they are applied.

14. Fishery associations and fish-watch services can play a valuable role in the re-establishment and maintenance of fish stocks and nature protection, particularly where war and other social and economic disruptions have damaged the resource.

15. Fisheries management is increasingly concerned with the management of people�s activity rather than the management of the fish stock. This has led to an increase in the number of studies aimed at determining the various human dimensions involved. Several different techniques have been elaborated to obtain relevant information. Most of these centre round various approaches to surveys to elucidate angler behaviour and preferences, and to assess economic value and dynamics. Fishery biologists and social scientists must cooperate to link biological criteria and catch and effort data to social and economic data from anglers. Despite these efforts an apparent lack of basic information on recreational fisheries and fishermen persists in a number of European countries.

16. A unified survey was carried out on recreational fisheries management and socio-economics in the five Nordic countries - Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Iceland. The different institutional backgrounds and affiliations of the partners involved and their possibilities to fund their continued participation in the project. Problems were also experienced in random sampling of population addresses from official registers, to differences in the definition of recreational fisheries and fishermen and to the fact that not all questions in questionnaires applied to the situation in a specific participating country. Combined surveys have been carried out successfully on several lakes in Texas, USA.

17. Fisheries in the rivers and lakes of Finland had been organized by statutory fishery associations in the past. These have not been effective especially with regard to commercial fisheries. At the same time the importance of recreational fisheries and aquaculture has increased although the commercial sector has remained static or even declined.

18. The efficiency of Finnish inland fisheries has been enhanced by a reorganization of the system, creating fisheries regions and introducing co-management schemes. Common goals were defined taking into account the interests of all parties involved, including owners of fishing rights, fishermen, administrators and researchers. These goals have helped in the implementation of the fishery policy. In general priority is given to recreation in private waters, whereas commercial fisheries have been given priority in state-owned waters.

PERSPECTIVES IN INLAND FISHERIES

19. The next decade will be critical in ensuring the sustainable development of European inland fisheries and aquaculture. Increased pressures on the resource from recreational demand and environmental damage mean that all applicable methods should be used for planning and applied resource management. Models should be elaborated which give a macro-economic perspective. The socio-economic value of the fishery and of related activities should be established more precisely and the various needs of resource users, and new scientific and technical developments taken into account.

20. In general, aquaculture is directed at satisfying food requirements in general through improved supply, quality, price and marketing. Aquaculture should also support needs related to the availability of fish for restocking water bodies for production, recreation and for the preservation of biodiversity. In view of the ongoing debate in Europe a position should eventually be developed by members of EIFAC with regard to Genetically Modified Organisms.

21. Subsistence fisheries still constitute a significant socio-economic activity in some areas. These should be kept under review to assess changes occurring in the activity and required policy adjustments.

22. Artisanal fisheries should be assessed separately from commercial fisheries, if only because the artisanal sector generally relies more on traditional methods and techniques that may be less destructive and more appropriate for meeting conservation objectives. These methods may also need to be preserved as an historical and cultural heritage that may further prove useful for defining improved exploitation and management methods.

23. Commercial fishing is an important sector in financial terms. Market forces directly drive this sector. It generates direct returns and employment benefit that can be substantial at the level of local economies. Increasing development of this sector may generate conflicts with other users and lead to serious resource overexploitation.

24. Recreational fisheries have grown in importance throughout Europe in recent years and have been the object of increased research. Research and fisheries administrations have been especially involved in the assessment of the production and socio-economic value of this activity as compared with other more commercial uses. The role of recreational fisheries should be better recognized and recreational fishers should be involved more systematically in the management of fisheries.

25. Conflicts between resource users can occur as a result of direct competition for the same fishery resource, or because resource and environmental degradation cause by one category of users is not acceptable by other users. In some cases these conflicts are resolved by limitations on access or by partitioning the resource in space or time to allow access to a greater range of users.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

26. The Symposium demonstrated that the value of the inland fisheries resources in member countries of EIFAC considerably exceeds previous estimates albeit on the basis of preliminary studies. Indications are that in coming years there will be an increased demand for inland fishery products including especially recreational use. There will also be a continued demand on water and aquatic environments for purposes other than fisheries. Inland fisheries resources will not be able to sustain increased levels of production and alternative use without careful management of the fish, the aquatic environments and the human elements of the fisheries represented by the various stakeholders. In general the members of EIFAC should endeavour to encourage policies directed at increasing the capacity of the inland fisheries to meet sustainably the expectation that the public place upon them

Co-management

27. Co-management is a valuable tool for the sustainable management of fisheries. It should also facilitate the resolution of potential conflicts among user groups. Fisheries administrations need to better recognize the need for co-management and to support improved institutional and organizational mechanisms to facilitate the adoption of this mechanism. Dialogue between all stakeholders in the fisheries is normally part of co-management but dialogue between local and tourism communities is also needed, as is a commitment on the part of non-resident stakeholders.

28. There are clear indications that fisheries in international and shared rivers and lakes are better managed if collaborative mechanisms are in place. Mechanisms for collaborative management of trans-national lakes and rivers should therefore be established where they do not already exist.

29. The high degree of interactivity between the various users of inland waters and the impacts that can result from poor management practice within a watershed make it essential that appropriate linkages between fishery administrations and various user groups are maintained. These should serve as mechanisms for negotiations to ensure that at least the minimum requirements for the maintenance of healthy fish communities are established.

30. The growing importance of the human dimensions of inland fisheries means that social scientists should be more closely involved in research and management of the fishery. Their role should be to elucidate the complex linkages that underlie fishery policy formulation to ensure that all stakeholders are included in dialogues regarding the fishery and to resolve any possible conflicts.

Database, statistics, science

31. Basic information on recreational fisheries is still incomplete in some parts of Europe. Efforts should be increased to better this situation. Techniques developed for the estimation of environmental goods that have so far been rarely applied to inland fisheries in Europe should be further assessed and promoted.

32. Technical terms should be defined when starting joint projects, be it on the level of different disciplines or among neighboring countries on the same subject.

33. In view of the need for a better understanding of socio-economic issues surveys, should be undertaken more systematically in EIFAC member countries. It is recommended that EIFAC�s Working Party on Socio-economic Aspects of Inland Fisheries organize an ad hoc workshop on methodologies for socio-economic surveys. This should build upon the existing experience as reflected in contributions to this Symposium to review concepts and methodologies and to ensure harmonized approaches to future studies.

Environmental issues

34. The fishing community should be prepared to meet the increasing concerns of the animal welfare movement, particularly with regard to catch and release fisheries.

35. Prospective assessment and long-term projections should be carried out so as to facilitate and improve the management process. An integrated approach is required at this level and assessments should concern all key factors (resource, environment, and socio-economic variables such as population trends, etc.). This is all the more important if one considers that management should satisfy various socio-economic needs, as well as the requirements for the protection of the resource and its environment.

36. EIFAC involvement with the problem of illegal international movements of fish could be achieved by national contacts working closely together to raise awareness of the ecological threat of such practice and thus draw the serious nature of the problem to the attention of the enforcement agencies. The development of a national network across Europe and the development of awareness building programmes would be the first step in trying to reduce this problem.

Financing

37. In view of the demonstrated importance of the inland fisheries sector, the growing challenges for its sustainable management and the increasing international dimensions of tourism and environmental concerns, the Symposium felt that collaborative efforts and technical cooperation among members should be strengthened. It urged EIFAC to intensify intersessional activities through cooperative programmes on key technical and management issues. Financing should be sought in support of such programmes.

38. In view of the important contribution of recreational fishing to society, appropriate financing should be allocated to the sector by governments.

Education and communication

39. A system of education of commercial fishermen is a good basis for ensuring the future of inland fisheries. Programmes should also be developed for the education of anglers where not already in existence. Efficient communication projects should also be promoted to raise public awareness of the benefits of inland fisheries.

Management policy

40. Efforts should be increased to rehabilitate and improve the state of rivers, lakes and lagoons with a view to preserving sustainable fishing activities.

41. To conform to consumer preferences towards shorter fishing trips and to the growing urbanization of European societies there is an urgent need to improve fishing sites in areas close to towns.

42. Subject to management requirements, access to fishing grounds should be maintained for commercial fishermen where traditional access rights already exist or where there are strong economic and social justifications.