On November 8, 2017 the Mid-Term Conference “The Future of Sustainable Coastal Angling Tourism” was held in Peenemunde, Germany.
The conference gathered participants representing fishing, tourism, authorities, scientific and non-governmental organisations. Gerd Lange, Head of Tourism Unit at the Ministryr of Economics, Employment and Health Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Policy Area Coordinator Tourism in the framework of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region welcomed the participants.
The conference was joined by number of interesting speakers from different perspectives, e.g. Dr. Harry Strehlow, Thünen Institute of Baltic Sea Fisheries, who gave insights in Marine Recreational Fisheries in the Baltic Sea – Impact, data collection, management, Niels Lagergaard Pedersen, Certified Fishing Guide and Biologist, representing Fishing Zealand and Håkan Häggström, County Administrative Board in Stockholm, Lead Partner of the Interreg Baltic Sea Region project RETROUT (Development, promotion and sustainable management of the Baltic Sea Region as a coastal fishing tourism
During the conference also a panel discussion „Sustainable coastal angling tourism – opportunities and challenges” took place with invited guests representing all five South Baltic countries:
Kaare Manniche Ebert, Denmark Sportfishing Association
Sandra Hippauf,Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Tourist Board
Antanas Kontautas, Fishery Service under the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania
Iwona Krępic, Local Tourist Organization of Stepnica
Daniel Melin, Swedish Board of Agriculture
The discussion was moderated by Arnulf Ehrchen, Former deputy editor – in-chief “Rute & Rolle”.
During the lunch break a guided round tour at the Mola Beach Angling Camp (Peninsula Peenemünde) was offered. Both the presentations of invited speakers and exchange of participants as well as questions of the conference participants turned out to be very fruitful and relevant. They allowed them to get acquainted with the subject of fishing tourism in the area ofthe southern Baltic Sea as well as to explore and refine the knowledge of the subject matter. Moreover, the conference allowed for comparison of different approaches, shortcomings and strengths in approach and treatment of the angling and tourism sector in Denmark, Germany, Poland, Lithuania and Sweden as well. Recreational fisheries combined with active tourism is a significant element of coastal development. The potential for expansion of this area can and should go hand in hand with an ecological, sustainable approach connected with the conservation of attractive angling fish stocks as well as their characteristic habitats. The project CATCH aims at emphasizing the importance of recreational angling in the South Baltic, increasing the capability of coastal communities to establish sustainable angling tour-ism, delivering improved measures for touristic providers and combining all new knowledge in an information and knowledge platform on coastal angling tourism.