Institute of

FI Fisheries Ecology

Projects

agri benchmark Fish

"Blue Revolution" is the term which is often used to describe the enormous growth of the global aquaculture in the last decades. Step by step aquaculture has established its role of the most important supplier of aquatic food while the wild caughts of fisheries stagnate. What are the determining factors behind this story of economic success?

Artificial reproduction and rearing of the European smelt

European smelt (Osmerus eperlanus) is a key species in the estuaries of the major German rivers and the shallow coastal areas of the North Sea. Currently, the population of the species has declined considerably. The reasons for this are not fully understood. With our experience in aquaculture, we want to artificially propagate European smelt and raise it under controlled conditions. This shall allow us to carry out ecophysiological studies on the early life stages in order to investigate the possible causes for its decline in the wild.

As you sow, so you shall reap - pollutants, parasites and their influence on Eels

The reasons for the dramatic decline in glass eel recruitment are still not fully understood. Besides the assumed decrease in the amount of adult eels, potential reductions in spawner quality due to contaminants or parasites have recently also been discussed as potential factors.

CephCo - squid as food

The "CephCo" project investigates how newly established squid stocks in the North Sea integrate into the food web and the extent of their contamination with pollutants.

Collection of economic data of the marine and freshwater aquaculture in Germany

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

CONMAR 2-FISH - Marine dumped munition and fish

Marine dumped munition is a global problem. In German waters of the North and Baltic Sea about 1.6 mio t of munition were dumped after World war two. The munitions shells are corroding and environmentally toxic substances are released to the environment. The CONMAR project consortium will investigate in more detail locations and conditions of marine dumped munition in German waters, as well as their possible impact on the environment. The aim of CONMAR is to develop strategies for future treatment of marine dumped munitions. CONMAR-Fish investigates potential impacts of marine dumped munition ...

Development and optimisation of extraction and detection methods for determination of radioactive substances (Sr-90, Th-isotopes, U-isotopes, Pu-isotopes, Am-241) in aquatic biota according the Precautionary Radiation Protection Act

The detection of alpha- and beta-emitting radionuclides in solid matrices like fish flesh is a challenging task. Therefore, their analysis requires complex extraction methods; we optimize present procedures.

DIASPARA

There is a consensus amongst scientists that the migratory fish stocks of the European eel and Atlantic salmon are in a poor state. However, when it comes to the cause of the critical stock situations the debate becomes more controversial: hydropower, fishing, habitat loss or pollution; the list of potential causes is long and their analysis complex: Migratory fish are often widespread, and their biology and (anthropogenic) stressors vary in both, time and space. The DIASPARA project aims to herald a paradigm shift in stock assessment of diadromous fish: From data collection and management, to ...

ElbeXtreme-Fish - Impact of extreme weather events on fish in the Elbe estuary

Extreme clima events happens more often. What this means to the coastal ecosysteme of the river Elbe and to the fish living there is investigated.

Epigenetics Plaice

How old is a fish really? This question plays a central role in the sustainable management of our oceans. Knowing the age of fish helps protect stocks and establish meaningful catch quotas. Traditional methods of determining fish age are invasive and usually require the animals to be killed. Our research approach relies on an innovative, gentle method to avoid this procedure.

Improving management with new data

The status of the European Eel stock is considered critical. Yet, most of the required data are based on rough estimates or model assumptions. As part of a europe-wide network, we are working on the standardized collection of age-structure and growth in all relevant German inland waters in order to provide a solid data base for eel stock assesment and improve future management measures.

KreAktiv – Fish Feed for Performance, Sustainability, and Animal Welfare

For the sustainable development of aquaculture, sustainable fish feeds and husbandry conditions that promote animal welfare are essential. In the project KreAktiv, we are investigating how both can be advanced in trout farming.

MARMAD - Development of a model to determine the dose of radiation received by marine mammals

MESMO - Modellierung der Effekte radioaktiver Stoffe auf marine Organismen

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.

Monitoring of hazardous substances in marine biota

Why are marine organisms like fish and shellfish so suitable to detect hazardous substances in the marine environment?

PFAS-Pattern

Contamination of fish by perfluorinated chemicals in rivers and sea

PINKTrack

Das Projekt untersucht die Ausbreitung invasiver Buckellachse in europäischen Binnengewässern mit Umwelt-DNA (eDNA). Ziel ist es, ein Frühwarnsystem zu entwickeln und Managementmaßnahmen zum Schutz heimischer Arten zu unterstützen.

Restoration of European oyster reef systems

Wie kann die Produktion von Austernsaat in ausreichender Menge und Qualität sichergestellt werden, um die nachhaltige Wiederherstellung der Europäischen Auster in Deutschland zu unterstützen?

Studies in the spawning area of the European eel

The European eel is endangered. There are still large gaps in our knowledge about its reproductive biology. A better understanding of the processes in the spawning area is necessary to develop a better basis for the protection and sustainable management of the species.