Stakeholder interest in Lake Ferto restoration Focus on the fishery sector

1. University of Debrecen Centre for Environmental Management and Policy 3. LAKEPROMO MEETING AND SEMINAR 26.10. – 28.10.2005 University of Brighton, UK Stakeholder interest in Lake Ferto restorationFocus on the fishery sector Dr. Zoltan Karacsonyi University of Debrecen Centre for Environmental Management and Policy

2. University of Debrecen Centre for Environmental Management and Policy General overview of Lake Ferto • Location: Austrian-Hungarian border • Austria – touristic, nature cons. • Hungary – Iron curtain, limited access area • (Zero develoment until 1989) • Main features: • Shallow (average depth below 1m) • Highly saline (avg. salt content 2000 mg/l) • Small watershed (1200 km2) compared to lake surface (310 km2); rate only 3:1) • World heritage title (December 2002)

3. University of Debrecen Centre for Environmental Management and Policy Most important stakeholders in water management and restoration of Lake Ferto • environmental authorities • national parks • farmers and agricultural organizations • development agencies • fishery associations • fishermen • anglers • universities • research institutes • reed management • municipalities • tourism organisations

4. University of Debrecen Centre for Environmental Management and Policy Applied methods • interviews and workshops: to get acquainted with actors’ points • stakeholder conference: possibility to present views • stakeholders were presented from both sides of the border (Austria and Hungary: 22-23 Sept 2005, Sopron) • great emphasize were put on the Fishery sector because on one hand there were co-operation in terms of fishery before and on the other hand there is a chance to create and implement a joint development plan

5. Regional development aspects University of Debrecen Centre for Environmental Management and Policy • Strategic planning • Regional development programme • County development programmes • Phare CBC; Interreg • National programmes • National decentralised sources • Phare CBC • International programmes • West-Pannon EuRegion • Reginalmanagement Burgenland (RMB) • Pannon Pedal – Burgenland Tourismus • Hallo Nachparn • Planned priorities: • ‘Our living space’ measure within the frame of regional development programme • Protection of the ecological state of Lake Ferto, improvement of water quality

6. Agricultural aspects University of Debrecen Centre for Environmental Management and Policy Lake Ferto area: • Arable land 7.000 ha • Grape 1.350 ha • Fruits 236 ha • Grassland 2.900 ha National Rural Development Plan target programmes: • Basic arable land • Arable plant production - habitat development • Integrated arable crop production • Grassland management with habitat development instructions • Grassland habitat management • Integrated plantation • Ecological plantation • Reed management

7. Aspects of national park University of Debrecen Centre for Environmental Management and Policy • Fertő-Hanság National Park (Fertő) - 12641 ha • Especially protected: 4100 ha • Neusiedler See – Seewinkel National Park - 9365 ha Zone areas • Natural belt: 4070 ha • Managed belt: 4911 ha • Demonstration belt: 3660 ha

8. Aspects of national park - Ferto Landscape University of Debrecen Centre for Environmental Management and Policy • Open water surface: 1203 ha • Reed: 3679 ha • Rarefied reeds, reed-mace with high sedge : 2617 ha Totally: 7499 ha • Length of channels: ~340 km

9. Aspects of research institute University of Debrecen Centre for Environmental Management and Policy Causes of reed degradation: • Physical damages • Eutrophisation • Water level fluctuation For the harmonized nature protection – management – water management – other utilization (reed management, fishery management, ecotourism) strategy of the whole Ferto, the healthy reed stock is a common interest. The regular reed harvest executed with adequate technology has to serve this.

10. Water quality issues – aspects of water authorities University of Debrecen Centre for Environmental Management and Policy Interventions: • Water level regulation • Reduction of external loads • Improvement of flow relations Recommendations: • Due to unfavourable level of oxygen, the enhancement of fresh water supply of reed stock is recommended • Maintenance of channels is required for fishery aspect to increase fish habitat and spawning area • The direct burden impact of external waters should have to be avoided

11. Aspects of anglers University of Debrecen Centre for Environmental Management and Policy • Angling in open water by boat • Other areas where angling is permitted but impossible due to water level • Protected areas – no entrance for anglers • Anglers associations: 10 • Totally about 2251 anglers (members of associations)

12. Aspects of Fisheries University of Debrecen Centre for Environmental Management and Policy Recent practice: • Entitled for fishery: national park and water authority • Fish fauna: 17 endemic and 6 foreign species • Fisheries: 9 independent fishermen (local • Electronic fishery equipments are prohibited • On Hungarian side: overburden by fisheries Fish stock: • Fisheries data since 16th century • Fauna: 23-24 permanent species • 1950’s and 1960’s: 30 endemic and 2 foreign species (Anguilla anguilla, Ictalurus melas) • Since1975: regular deployments with eel, pikeperch, pike, carp, catfish • Long-term (15-20 years) overdeployment (4 million/year) with eel had unfavourable impacts

13. Aspects of Fisheries – fish stock survey University of Debrecen Centre for Environmental Management and Policy • Survey: • 3 times • For the whole Hungarian part • Aug 2005: acoustic fish stock survey on both sides of the border

14. Aspects of Fisheries – recent fish fauna University of Debrecen Centre for Environmental Management and Policy

15. Aspects of Fisheries – recent situation, problems, solutions University of Debrecen Centre for Environmental Management and Policy • Recent fish stock is legging behind the desired both in quantity (biomass) and compound • In case of economic fish the stock is decreasing, younger ages are missing • Some prey fish stocks are strong (bleak, carp bream, white bream, ziege) • Opportunity for natural reproduction is limited • Lack of reproduction + intensive fisheries • This can’t be complemented by deployment • Solution: spawning place development (adequate site and channel system supporting getting back)