Funding of Thünen fisheries research by the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) of the EU

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Fisheries research at the Thünen Institute in Bremerhaven and Rostock is funded by the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) of the European Union (EU Regulation 2021/1139).

The projects currently being funded are:

Research surveys

For our work at sea, we use three fisheries research vessels, which differ in design and size depending on the area in which they operate. On the majority of our research surveys, we collect data for Germany as part of the EU Data Collection Framework (DCF).

Studies on fish eggs and larvae

Knowledge on the strength of the recruiting year class of a fish stock is of tremendous importance for sustainable mangement. Successful reproduction and foraging of fry are of essential importance for the further development of the stock.

Fisheries economics in numbers

As part of the EU Data Collection Framework (DCF), each Member State is obliged to collect economic data of its fishing fleet.

Analyses of fishery effort in German fishing fleets

The project aims at a better understanding of the relationship between fisheries and population dynamics of fish stocks in order to better predict and justify the necessity of fleet capacity adjustment measures

Enhancement of multi-species assessment models

This research activity will enhance multi-species models (improved diet selection models and recruitment models) to enable best possible projections of stocks developments. This will contribute to a sustainable harvest of fish stocks inside an ecosystem approach. Not only fisheries influence fish stocks but also predation and other environmental factors.

Fish & fisheries in numbers - the Data Collection Framework

The Data Collection Framework (DCF), co-funded by the EU, allows Member States to collect fisheries data relevant for the sustainable management of fish stocks.

The demography of fishes

Age composition data for fish stocks are essential input parameters for stock assessment. It is therefore necessary to permanently develop age determination methodology further.

Youngfish in German coastal waters

The shallow waters of the German Bight and Wadden Sea serve as nursery grounds for several commercially important fish species. Annual abundance and growth assessments of youngfish allow for a first indication of the level of incoming catches in future years.

Sufficient offspring for brown shrimp?

Brown shrimp fishery is from the economic point of view the most important fishery in Germany. Our research aims to develop a sustainable and ecologically sound fishery.

Collection of economic data of the fish processing industry

As part of the EU Data Collection Framework (DCF), we collect economic data of the German aquaculture.

Reduction of plastic waste from the brown shrimp fishery through gear modifications (DRopS)

Um das Durchscheuern der Unterblätter von Baumkurrennetzen am Meeresboden zu verringern, werden dort häufig Polyethylenseile angebracht. Diese so genannten Dolly Ropes werden nach kürzester Zeit auf See als Plastikmüll freigesetzt.

MigFish

Migratory fishes are threatened by anthropogenic impacts on marine, coastal, and inland waters. Many species show declining population trends, are protected under the Habitats Directive (FFH Directive), and/or are classified as threatened and of special conservation concern according to the IUCN Red List. Efforts to reintroduce these species into their habitats or to rebuild remnant populations have so far not been successful in many cases, often because fundamental knowledge about their ecology and life cycle, as well as the causes of population declines, is lacking.

Sampling and assessment of benthic species and seabed in the German EEZ (MOBEEZ)

The project will supplement the ongoing monitoring in the German Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the North Sea, as required by Section 6 of the Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatSchG), with a temporally and spatially extended sampling and analysis of benthic communities in the German EEZ of the southern North Sea, incorporating alternative, minimally invasive methods.

Passive Shrimp fishing (TRAPS)

Traditional shrimp fishing in the North Sea is currently conducted almost exclusively with bottom trawls (beam trawls), which are criticized for their high energy consumption and potential ecological impacts. Given rising fuel prices and increasing environmental regulations, there is a growing need for alternative and sustainable fishing methods.

Research on ecosystem-friendly fishing gear in the North Sea and Baltic Sea (EMFAF)

The impact of fisheries on the ecosystem and its components largely depends on the type of fishing gear used. This also means that the systematic further development or redesign of fishing gear is a key factor in advancing an ecosystem-friendly fishery in the North Sea and Baltic Sea.