News

Buying fish, sausage or meat saves you from breaking a social taboo in some industrialized nations, especially when hunting and fishing are conducted for recreation. In a perspective article in Nature Sustainability, a research team from the natural and social sciences and environmental philosophy adds a new perspective to the topic of "recreational use of wild animals". The hypothesis is that an emotionally intense interaction between hunters or anglers and wild animals can create a particularly strong sense of responsibility,

In thestudy, published in Nature Food, the research team estimates that recreational fishing in lakes and rivers accounts for more than eleven per cent of the annually reported catches in inland fisheries worldwide. The analyzed total consumption value of harvested fish is around 10 billion US dollars per year. Due to climate change and direct human impacts on freshwater ecosystems, the productivity of important fish species such as trout and salmon is declining, affecting the nutritional services offered by rivers and lakes.

IGB scientist Olga Lukyanova was honoured by the Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin for her master thesis.

Student Katja Mehrwald has investigated what species are on the diet of grey seals in the southern Baltic Sea. For her study, carried out at the University of Rostock and IGB, she has now been awarded the Master's Prize of the German Zoological Society. 

At its annual conference, the German Society for Limnology (DGL) awards three prizes to outstanding young researchers. Malwina Schafft from the research group of Robert Arlinghaus received the 3rd prize.

How can the declining pike stocks in the Bodden be supported? IGB researchers have formulated clear recommendations for politics, authorities and the user groups.

Freshwater biodiversity is declining at alarming rates. In a large-scale effort, a research team led by IGB and the Humboldt Universität zu Berlin (HU) in cooperation with angling clubs, has conducted whole-lake experiments in 20 lakes to improve ecological conditions. Habitat improvements were the most effective means to enhance fish populations, whereas fish stocking completely failed. The study published in the journal Science emphasizes the importance of restoring habitats and improving natural ecosystem processes, which benefits fish populations, conservation and fisheries.

IGB has provided feedback on the government draft of the National Water Strategy, emphasising, among other things, the relevance of aquatic biodiversity and the large practical implementation deficit in water management.