Fisheries Impacts on North Atlantic Ecosystems: Catch, Effort and National/Regional Data Sets
German Fisheries: Institutional structure for reporting of catches and fleet statistics
Kristin Kaschner1, Gunnar Wolff2 and Dirk Zeller1
1 Fisheries Centre, 2204 Main Mall, University of British Columbia
2Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung ReferatAbstract
The availability and accessibility to German fisheries data is complicated by the historic changes in reporting responsibilities between federal agencies, and by changes in fleet category definitions. Here we summarize the institutional structure for fisheries related data reporting established in Germany, and report on the structure of the German fishing fleet database. Initially, from 1924-1980 all fisheries statistics were compiled and reported by the Bundesfischereiforschungsanstalt (BFA, Federal Research Institute for Fisheries). From 1980 to 1990, this task was carried out by the Statistische Bundesamt (Federal Statistical Office). Since the German re-unification in 1990, the Bundesministerium für Landwirtschaft, Ernährung und Forsten (BML, Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Food and Forestry) holds the responsibility for the reporting of fisheries statistics. The BML produces the 'Annual Report on German Fisheries', which includes information on all catches (including invertebrates), general fleet statistics and economics. The report also includes information on German landings abroad and foreign landings in Germany. This report and associated data appear to form the basis of what is officially reported to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). In preparation of the annual report, the BML receives data and information from several federal (Bund-) and provincial (Land-) agencies which are outlined here. This includes information from the German fishing fleet database, developed since the early 1990s, and being administered by the Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung (BLE, Federal Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition). Its purpose is primarily to assist in the management and control of German and EU fisheries policies. From 1991-1996 vessels were categorized in fleet segments as defined by a 'Multi-Annual Fleet Adjustment Program' (MAP III). In 1997 fleet categories were re-defined under MAP IV (1997-2001). Unfortunately the two different fleet categories are not always consistent, as some vessels were re-assigned to other segments based on their gear types. Thus, both time periods are not directly comparable. Fishing effort within the database is presented as sea-days, and effort information has only been included in the BLE database in a standardized and comprehensive manner since 1995.