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Management

Mussel Fishery in Schleswig-Holstein - Final Decisions for the Next 10 Years

Thomas Borchardt, National Park Office Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea, FRG

Mussel fishery in Schleswig-Holstein takes place exclusively inside the Wadden Sea National Park. The impact of mussel fishery on mussel beds and the Wadden Sea ecosystem was documented in a five-year interdisciplinary ecosystem research project. Mainly based on this knowledge, a draft program for the mussel fishery was developed (WSNL 1995 No. 2).

Now, after more than one year of negotiations between the Ministry for Environment, Nature and Forestry, the Ministry for Rural Regions and the Mussel Fishery Association, a final agreement was found. In the form of a juristically binding contract, signed on 06.03.1997, a number of key points were fixed.

In order to be able to assess this contract, one should recall the situation as it was some years ago. Until 1994 wild and cultured mussels could be landed and exported without any quantitative and nearly no other restrictions. The minimum landing size was 4 cm with 10 % undersized mussels.

Mussels could be fished everywhere in the National Park. There were more than 3000 ha culture lots (including 150 ha for oysters), some of them in the most protected zone 1 of the National Park. A closed season existed only for landings from 15th April to 31st July. There was no governmental management and monitoring. A maximum of eight licences was granted, with nearly no licence fees.

This has been changed now. The new contract brings many advantages for nature protection. It also contains at least two positive aspects for the mussel fishery. First, the contract is valid for ten years. Thus, the mussel fishermen gain planning and production safety over a long period, which is important for investments and economical survival. Second, the nature protection elements of the contract, the limitation of the fishery intensity and the end of dredging in the intertidal brings them more of the urgently needed public acceptance.

WSNL 1997-1

T. Borchardt

The key points of this contract, which is valid until the 31.12.2006, are as follows:

• Prohibition of the landing of wild mussels. Permit for landings only for cultivated consumable mussels (shell length as a rule more than 4 cm).
• Permit for fishing of seed or half grown mussels only for the purpose of stocking the culture lots in the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea. Prohibition of the export of seed or half grown mussels.
• Complete closure of the intertidal zone for all kinds of mussel fishery.
• Closure of zone 1 of the National Park at 100 % of the area for mussel culture lots and at 93 % for fishing seed and half grown mussels.
• Stepwise reduction of the culture lot area to 2000 ha: a reduction to 2750 ha is already implemented; the further steps will be 2400/2200/2000 ha until the end of 1999/2002/2006, respectively. Oyster cultures will be reduced from the actual 50 ha to 39 ha.
• Minimum residence period of ten months: mussels which are put onto the culture lots from 1st December of a year to the 30th November of the next year may be harvested only from the 1st October of the next following year.

• Closed seasons for mussel landings from 15th April to 14th July and for fishing seed and half grown mussels from 1st May to 30th June.
• Permanent control by a satellite supported black box system; additional documentation of all fishing and cultivating activities, of fishing and landing quantities, etc.
• Prohibition to intentionally repel sea ducks and other sea birds from the cultures.
• A maximum of eight mussel fishery licenses.
• A annual fee of 460 000 DM for governmental administration, management and monitoring.
• Performance of management and monitoring by the Fishery Office and the National Park Office.
• A public information campaign at the beginning of each mussel season about the situation of stocks and fishery, conducted in cooperation with the Fishery Office, the National Park Office and the Association of Mussel Fishers.

WSNL 1997-1

T. Borchardt

Authors address:

Landesamt für den Nationalpark Schleswig Holsteinisches Wattenmeer
Schloßgarten 1
D - 25832 Tönning