The Deutscher Angelfischerverband (DAFV - German Anglers Association) is the umbrella organisation of anglers in Germany. It counts around 520.000 members affiliated through regional clubs. The DAFV is a non-profit and recognised nature conservation and environmental organisation.
The DAFV is active in nature protection and leads many activities related to river restoration, management of fish stocks and wildlife conservation.
Every two years, in partnership with Friends of the Nature, the DAFV nominates the “River Landscape of the Year". This important title is also reported to the Federal Environment Ministry to be published in the List of official annual environmentally relevant actions.
The River Landscape of the Year award has been created in 2000 to highlight the ecological, economic and socio-cultural role of rivers and of their surrounding environment. The idea is to promote river landscapes as an asset to support local communities and, at the same time, encourage river conservation and restauration. Furthermore, the title is aimed at rewarding the fishing communities’ work to improve fish habitats and water quality. The selection takes into account several aspects, including the presence of endangered species or of programmes aimed at reintroducing wildlife, the sustainable tourism development of the area and the presence of anglers’ clubs committed to the protection of the environment.
For 2014/2015, the Advisory Board selected as River Landscape of the Year the Argen River, in the Baden-Württemberg region. Thanks to this project, the population is more aware of the natural and cultural beauties of its region and of the threat menacing them.
Another important activity aimed at raising awareness on endangered species and biodiversity loss is the “Fish of the Year” contest. Every year, the DAFV selects a species threatened of extinction: the one chosen in 2015 is the Danube Salmon. This fish still exists in Germany thanks to the work of fishing clubs that take care of juvenile fish and improve their habitats.
The Danube Salmon is particularly threatened by dams and by the difficulties to find proper places to spawn. For this reason, the DAFV is committed to preserve the natural rivers’ flow and thus, fish habitats.
On the occasion of the 2015 “Fish of the Year” selection, the DAFV published a booklet to raise awareness on the Danube Salmon, its habitat and its habits. The "Fish of the Year" 2016 was pike and the one of 2017 was flounder.
You can find more information about this association and its activities here.