POLAND (continue)

9. STATE OF THE FISHERY

9.1 Yield

Estimates of the standing crops of fish in Polish trout rivers have wide variance, e.g., a range of 7.7 to 375 kg/ha in several southern rivers (Solewski, 1962), and 24 to 123 kg/ha in several northern rivers (Kaj, 1955).

Of more practical importance are the specific yields through fishing shown in Table 17. In addition to these yields, some exceedingly high annual yields have been reported by Zawisza (1965), who called them “maximum”: 430 kg/ha in the 60-ha Duzy Dom Lake and 370 kg/ha in Lake Track. These were obtained less than two years after a poisoning of fish by industrial wastes. Yields of 100–200 kg/ha/year are not unusual in Polish waters in which winterkill has occurred, but a lower level of yield usually follows within a few years.

Table 17

Yields from open waters in Poland

^a Migratory species account for a large proportion of the catch in estuaries, and fishing effort there is greater than in the upper rivers.

^b Estimated.

The Polish statistics as reported by FAO (Table 12) show a gradual rise, with occasional setbacks, in the overall inland fishery “catch” from 17 600 t in 1965 to 26 199 t in 1977, followed by a decline to 18 722 t in 1980 and then a resurgence to 30 386 t in 1983 and 34 540 t in 1984. Almost all of the 1965–77 increase was in carp production which increased from a low of 9 700 t in 1965 to a high of 16 208 t in 1977, and then declined to only 8 793 t in 1980 (its lowest point during this period) before ascending to 18 472 t in 1987. Meanwhile, the rest of the reported catch (supposedly almost all from the commercial capture fishery) remained fairly constant during the 1965–74 period with an average annual catch of 8 300 t (range 7 900–8 579). It then rose to 10 895 t in 1979, declined to 9 929 in 1980, and rose again to 14 580 t in 1982, 16 555 t in 1984 and 12 239 t in 1987. It might appear therefore, that the total harvest by commercial capture fisheries has not only been well sustained for the 23 years of record, but has shown an increase. However, as shown in section 7.1.1, the actual Polish commercial catch (based on Poland/EIFAC, 1989) was 9 348 t in 1984 and 8 997 t in 1987.

In 1974, the yield by commercial fishing from all exploited waters (rivers, reservoirs and natural lakes) was approximately 23.9 kg/ha/year (see section 7.1.1). Assuming that the same area of water was fished commercially in 1987, the yield by commercial fishermen in that year would have been about 33.5 kg/ha. But all such calculations are rather theoretical. Therefore, in view of the difficulties in obtaining exact figures, the author prefers to use only those provided by Poland/EIFAC (1989) which says that 272 693 ha were exploited commercially in 1986. Since the actual commercial catch in that year was 9 325 t (see section 7.1.1), the commercial yield of the capture fishery was, therefore, about 34.2 kg/ha/year.

The total harvest and yield per angler from Polish inland waters by sport fishermen has been discussed in section 7.1.2. The yield from pond fish (primarily carp) has been discussed in section 7.2. Circa 1974 the yield of table or consumable carp was 358 kg/ha/year. In 1987, this yield was 426 kg/ha. (In each case, only the pond area actually used entered the calculation.)

9.2 Factors Affecting the Fishery

Poland does not have a wide variety of inland fishing waters. Good habitat for the once abundant anadromous salmonids is now quite limited. There are only a few oligotrophic trout lakes in the southern mountains, and other trout water is mainly limited to the southern streams of the Carpathians and the Pomeranian rivers of the northwest. The larger part of the river systems are best suited for lesser fishes, the barbels and bream. There is, however, an extensive network of thousands of lowland lakes with a mixed fauna of: coregonids, cyprinids, percids, pike, eels, etc. There has also been a natural exchange of fish stocks through flooding over the low divides between lowland rivers, as well as exchange through the easily facilitated interconnexions by artificial waterways. Brackishwater systems along the Baltic further enlarge the distribution of fluvial fishes.

Generally speaking, the glaciated soils of Poland are not rich in nutrients either for crops or for aquatic fertilization. The growing season at this latitude is short, and the hydrographic and climatic conditions often limit the lake area accessible to fish during the summer.

Land and water use in Poland has greatly changed the original hydrographic conditions. Hydroelectric development has not contributed as much to these changes as in many countries, both because of its relatively low potential and the presence of rich coal resources. However, other forms of river regulation, e.g., for flood control and navigation, have included the construction of dams which have blocked or impeded the migration of diadromous fishes. The sturgeon is now virtually extinct in Polish rivers, and Backiel (1985) believes its disappearance is linked with regulation and channelization of the Vistula estuary. The Atlantic salmon is also very scarce. Sea trout persist although conditions for survival are difficult and stocking for this fish is now practised. The semi-migratory cyprinid Vimba vimba is also affected by barrier dams.

It has been emphasized (in section 6) that industrial demands for water greatly outrank any other uses in Poland. Such large demands (see Table 10) diminish the quantity and affect the quality of water for fisheries. Conversely, Polish demands for water for irrigation are not great. Most of the crops do not require its use, and throughout the country summer precipitation is approximately double that of the winter and usually provides adequate water for crops. (Only in areas with light soils with 50 percent dry months is it really required.)

Drainage, a much more important measure for agriculture here, has diminished fishery production since the middle of the Nineteenth Century by accelerating the process of water-level reduction. Deforestation has also been a means toward this end. Erosion after removal of natural forest cover has not, however, been the problem in Poland that it has in countries with steeper terrain.

Finally, with respect to uses of water adverse to inland fisheries, is the effect of pollution caused by discharge of navigational, industrial, domestic and agricultural (e.g., sugarbeet effluent) wastes. Kindler (1978) stated that the volume of wastes in Poland was estimated to have almost doubled between 1970 (4.4 thousand million m³) and 1980 (8.4 thousand million m³) and further estimated to increase by one and a half times to 12.5 thousand million m³ by 1990. However, as shown in Table 18 (whose source is Poland's main statistical bureau), the volume of wastes discharged into Poland's open waters was already 8.5 thousand million m³ in 1970, 12.0 thousand million m³ in 1980 and had surpassed Kindler's prediction by 1985.

The annual runoff per caput is only about 1 428 m³ which is decidedly below the European average and makes effluent dilution difficult. In recent years, the discharge of hot water by thermalelectric power plants has constituted a new type of pollution problem. The area of warm lakes in which the temperature is not expected to drop below 6–8°C in winter, will cover several thousand hectares. This change in temperature may, however, be advantageous in raising fish in some areas.

Table 18

Waste discharge into Poland's open water, 1970–87

Source: Glówny Urzad Statystyczny (1981, 1988)

In addition to consideration of the physical and biological factors which affect the fishery, note should be taken of certain historical and social factors which affect inland fishery development favourably. Poland has a long history of interest in both wild and cultivated stocks of inland fish, including early attempts at regulation of fishing effort and the practice of pond culture. There is a high demand for freshwater fish, including acceptance of many otherwise considered as coarse or weed species. There is also an old tradition of free access to inland waters, and (at least in recent years) sport fishing in the sea is prohibited by law. Such traditions and considerations may in part account for the high percentage of freshwater anglers including many who are unlicensed. Private transport of anglers to fishing areas is handicapped by the very low number of private passenger cars, but is compensated for by the proximity of fishing areas. There are conflicts between commercial and recreational fishermen but these do not appear to be significant. Some of these conflicts have been resolved on streams by dividing them into angling and commercial areas.

In recent years there have been concerted efforts to: conduct up-to-date fishery research; institute an active programme of management involving protection of the environment, legal regulation of the catch, and stocking; and organize the processes of inland fishery development. The expected decline in marine fishery development with introduction of Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) has been a factor in this latter development. Thus, the Government exempted some areas from tax, and made other funds available (Backiel, 1978).

Pondfish culture, which is more amenable to close control than are capture fisheries, has been increasing its production in Poland but has had its ups and downs. Pertinent to these fluctuations are unfavourable factors such as: the short growing season, use of old ponds of poor quality and poorly dispersed (neither large nor compact) on poor soil or fed by small streams and used for other purposes, and an actual decrease in pond area of about 10 percent due to the demands of other water uses and pollution. Conversely, intensive culture, including increased use of mineral and organic waste fertilizers, supplementary low-protein carbohydrate feeds for carp, use of heated effluents, and polyculture including exotic species are among the measures designed to increase yields.

9.3 Prospect

The commercial capture fisheries in rivers, where decline has already been indicated, will continue to decline in yield. This is a concomitant of environmental deterioration, particularly dam construction, river bed correction and pollution. Sturgeon and Atlantic salmon appear to be doomed although the latter are still holding on especially through smolt stocking for the Baltic. Sea trout have a better chance, particularly if stocked as smolts. Vimba, whose spawning grounds are downstream from those of salmon, are not as endangered but are still vulnerable to increased dam construction.

The commercial capture fisheries on lakes may continue to produce at about the same level. However, sustained or increased yields are dependent upon: abatement of pollution, replacement of winter-killed or otherwise decimated stocks, and stocking of non-reproducing species such as eels. In fact, most of the valuable species are now stocked as water quality deterents and the facilities for this form of management are being increased. Among other designed management measures are innovations such as the rearing of coregonids in illuminated cages so that they subsist on plankters rather than on feeds which pollute water.

Sport fishing as in most countries will continue to increase. The sport catch has already surpassed the overall commercial catch and will increase in greater proportion in the Polish lakes.

The overall picture for increased production of food fish is brighter for aquaculture than for capture fisheries. Despite the decrease in pond area, a long-range fish cultural development plan envisions an increase from the 500 million m³ of water held for ponds circa 1965 to 1.5 thousand million m³. Such an increase would include not only the construction of new ponds, but an increase in average depth from 80 to 120 cm. Overall hydrologically, the enlargement of pond area and capacity can be viewed not only as a means of increasing fish production, but as an increase in retention reservoirs useful for Poland's water economy.

Despite the lowland lake and river systems, the total water resources of Poland are not large, in relation to its size and population, its needs for water, and the decided diminishment of its quality by pollution. By 1969, a quantity of water equal to about 15 percent of the runoff leaving the country was being used. It was then estimated that by 1980 the water requirements for industrial, agricultural, and domestic uses would exceed 50 percent, and in a very dry year 80 percent of the entire available flow. Calculated per head of population, Polish water resources are among the lowest in Europe. Very limited expansion of the capacity of surface storage reservoirs is possible. According to Kindler (1978), the maximum possible useable capacity of surface storage reservoirs in Poland amounts to only 15 percent of the mean annual runoff from the area of the country. In future, water resource development in Poland may not be related as much to individual river basins as to specific economic regions and their needs. Interbasin redistributions to correct water deficits can be visualized, and their patterns will further affect the inland fisheries.

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