Fischer Piehl fights against rising costs and falling crab stocks!

Fischer Piehl fights against rising costs and falling crab stocks!

Alt Schlagsdorf, Deutschland - Today Walter Piehl, a fisherman from Alt Schlagsdorf, reports from his fishing room about the worrying economic situation in fishing. While he used to fish on Hochsee, he works on Lake Igel today. But the challenges are huge. "It is time for us to talk about reality," he says with a serious expression. The rising electricity prices of 38 cents per kilowatt hour increase it and make fish processing and cooling unaffordable. "Energy at prices around 20 cents per kilowatt hour would be a step in the right direction," he demands according to Uckermarkurier .

high prices and decline in stocks

The North German fishermen are not only confronted with high operating costs, but also with drastically increased prices for cod, which also make sales difficult. Currently North Sea crabs can be sold for at least 80 euros per kilo, which reaches the limits of profitability for the popular crab rolls. According to restaurateur Karl-Heinz Kolle, the high prices mean that he continues to keep his traditional crab soup on the menu, despite the financial uncertainty. However, the framework conditions could not be more stressful, so reports NDR .

The situation in the North Sea is critical because the crab stock falls sharply. The natural predator of the crab, the Wittling, has spread considerably and represents a serious threat to the stocks. As Fischer André Clauss reports, the catch times have been restricted by the MSC seal (Marine Stewardship Council). Fischer can now only fish at sea for 36 hours per calendar week, which further limits the operations and potential yields. Allegedly, the stocks have to suffer from the overfishing and climate change . .

politics and regulations

The unloved regulations such as the Latin names of the fish, which are subject to labeling, also make it difficult for fishermen. "Customers are not interested in this, that's all too much bureaucracy," says Piehl. Because instead of being fishing, he often spends time with labeling and fulfilling guidelines, which gnaws at his calling. The constant regulations on fishing and the high requirements of current energy policy lead to great uncertainties in the industry. "What will become of the future of fishing in Germany when the regulations are getting stricter?" He asks himself.

With a decline in fishing companies in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Schleswig-Holstein, which have shrunk by more than 300 companies since 2000, the question remains unanswered how long the fleet of crab fishermen, currently 180 cutter, can still exist. It is time for Fischer urgently demand support to make crab fishing in the North Sea future -proof and to meet the challenges with a clear head.