-Keil.jpg/jcr:content/Fischereifachtagung%20(c)%20Keil.jpg "You can see the participants sitting at the back of the fishing conference at Mondsee Castle. On the stage is a large screen on which a presentation is being shown.")
This year's fisheries conference once again demonstrated the importance of the exchange between aquatic ecology, aquaculture and fisheries. At the invitation of the Federal Agency for Water Management, scientists, practitioners and representatives of the administration from all over Austria and beyond came together in the stylish ambience of the Schlosshotel Mondsee to discuss current topics and exchange perspectives.
The conference covered a wide range of topics in order to promote dialog between these often divergent interests and their stakeholders.
- Aquatic ecology focuses on the protection of natural waters and their biodiversity and, despite many difficulties, can look back on numerous successes in recent decades - this was illustrated in particular in Gisela Ofenböck's presentation on achieving the objectives of the Water Framework Directive.
- Aquaculture, on the other hand, focuses on the agricultural production of animal products and uses water as a resource (with a long tradition of craftsmanship, see pond pipes) - and for its part can look back on numerous successes (feed production, increased production, new technologies, etc.) but also has to overcome new challenges (animal welfare, diagnostics, ...).
- Fishing itself, especially angling, is somewhere in between: Stocking waters with farmed fish is sometimes at odds with ecological goals, at least in the case of triploid fish. Improvements for natural fish populations were therefore discussed, as was protection from predators.
The conference program therefore included a variety of exciting presentations and discussions. Topics such as the introduction of national animal welfare monitoring, new diagnostic methods in fish health or the effects of reservoir flushing on fish populations provided an exciting basis for discussion not only after the presentations but also during the breaks. Practical issues such as the development of fishmeal-reduced feed or cormorant management were also addressed. The effects of the climate crisis and new findings from eDNA studies added scientific perspectives to the discussions.
Between the presentations and over dinner, there was an opportunity to share different points of view and make new contacts. This exchange is a central component of the conference and supports cooperation between science, practice and administration.
The Fisheries Conference remains an important platform for building bridges between the interests of aquatic ecology, aquaculture and fisheries. The interdisciplinary approach of the event helps to develop solutions and promote understanding between the groups involved.