Making urban fishing sustainable. A case study of fishing practices and management in the city of Hamburg

Abstract: Ongoing urbanization and the demand for food, water and recreation influence the sustainability of blue urban spaces. Fishery is a prominent use of urban blue space and can cause pressure on urban nature, its water bodies and fish. This growing pressure requires more attention to how urban dwellers use and value this space and requests smart fishing management for urban areas. To improve knowledge on how to realise sustainable urban fishing, this thesis used an interview study in the city of Hamburg in Germany. Six fishers, two representatives of fishing clubs and one representative of the fishing club association, were interviewed, and the results were combined with observations during one and a half weeks of field study and literature review. The study shows that Germany uses a distinctive approach regarding fishing management with a general ban on catch-and-release and strict regulations. Since fishing law is a state law, the federal state of Hamburg is responsible for its fishing management. The main managing tool is the new fishing law from 2019, developed with scientists and stakeholders to improve fishing in an ethical and sustainable way. The stakeholder’s different impacts on and interests in the rivers of Hamburg have to be respected and are shown in this thesis. The study concludes that management practices have to be managed adaptive to consider changing environmental conditions. Generic fishing management practices (e.g., education of fishers) are limited, while most have to be individually adapted for the environment and fishing culture (e.g., fish protection).