The EAA welcomes the recognition by the incoming German coalition government of the achievements of anglers for nature and species protection.
The coalition agreement which represents the governing priorities and goals of the SPD / Bündnis90/Die Grüne / FDP coalition, offered a positive message that reads:
“We want to limit bottom trawling and adapt fishing techniques to specific species, as well as regulate gillnets in a way that is compatible with nature conservation. We recognise the contribution of anglers to nature conservation and species protection.”
As underlined by “Deutscher Angelfischerverband e.V.” (DAFV), an EAA member association, this recognition marks the confirmation that angling, after a long time being conceived as a marginal phenomenon, has become a mainstream activity. Indeed, in 2021 in Germany, a total of 6.64 million people go angling at least once per year. Projected on the 70.54 million people over the age of 14 (who can have a fishing licence), this represents 9.4% of Germany’s population (Statista 2021).
The president of DAFV, Klaus-Dieter Mau, expressed his satisfaction with the news which finally recognises that: "fishing in Germany is contemporary, sustainable and socially and economically important."
The DAFV pledged to continue to promote and communicate the health, social and economic benefits of angling whereas recreational fishing have so far been disregarded in many ways in some areas of German nature conservation management.
The outgoing Chancellor, Angela Merkel, also recently addressed the recreational fishing communities with a
video message, at the occasion of the German Fishing Day in Emden.
Read more on the DAFV website (in German)