Introducing… the German Angling Association

Germany is a privileged area for anglers as they can enjoy a large diversity of coasts, lakes and rivers, from the North Sea and the Baltic Sea to the Lake Constance and the shores of Danube. It is therefore logic that Germany is a truly angling nation with about 1,73 million anglers, holders of a valid fishing licence in Germany, for which a state examination must be passed. Tens of thousands of German anglers pursue their hobby in neighbouring countries or in German federal states where a licence is not required, so that current estimation and surveys assume that over 3 million Germans go fishing at least once a year. Recreational fisheries are estimated to generate a direct and indirection contribution to the German economy of over €6,4 billion and supporting around 52,000 jobs

The Deutscher Angelfischerverband is in charge of representing this massive angling population. The organisation is the result of a recent merger (2013) between the Association of German Sport Fishermen (VDSF) which was active mainly in former Western Germany, and the German Anglers Association (DAV) which was mostly based in former Eastern Germany.

Since then, DAFV tries to make the voice of anglers heard on behalf of 27 regional and special associations, 9,000 affiliated clubs and a total of about 500,000 members. These impressive numbers make the German Angling Association one of the largest German associations active in the field of nature conservation and environment protection.

DAFV is promoting angling, with the conviction that a proper practice of this activity helps to protect nature and the environment. In that regard, the German Angling Association is encouraging its affiliated clubs and associations to raise awareness regarding sustainable angling and to directly take actions at local levels to protect rivers.

Among other things, DAFV is committed to keep its priorities visible through social media and a wide set of communication tools. For instance, the association together with Germany’s Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) recently elected Atlantic herring as Fish of the year 2021. This will help DAFV and its members to spread awareness on the need to protect this species whose population have dramatically declined over the last twenty years.