Living Moselle: Only nine professional fishermen are fighting for survival!

Living Moselle: Only nine professional fishermen are fighting for survival!

The tradition of professional fishing on the Moselle is facing challenges. In recent decades the number of professional fishermen has fallen sharply. There are currently only nine commercial fishermen active on the Moselle - a drastic decline from 68 in the 1950s n-tv reported. Most of these fishermen work part-time because the income from river fishing is not enough to live on.

One of the last Mohicans is Marc Rosengarten, who served as chairman of the Rhine-Mosel Professional Fishermen's Association in 1909 and also ran a fish farm in Trassem. His lease covers an impressive 1,600 hectares. In addition to fishing, the ecosystem has also changed: pike and eels are becoming increasingly rare, while invasive species such as the black-mouthed goby now make up 50% of the fish population. A total of 41 species of fish and two invasive types of cancer have been documented in the Moselle.

New ways for fishing

35-year-old Thomas Weber is the youngest Moselle fisherman and has taken the leap from an office job into fishing. Every day at 7 a.m. he heads to the Moselle in his motorboat to set nets and support fishing. His approach is innovative: He offers an “adventure day with the Moselle fisherman” where tourists can lend a hand. Safety equipment such as life jackets and headphones are included to help guests learn more about the Moselle ecosystem during the trip.

However, the catch quantities are often meagre. Weber, who mainly fishes for eels - an important species in the Rhineland-Palatinate eel conservation initiative - faces challenges as invasive species such as the black-mouthed goby are currently dominant and difficult to exploit. To reflect his commitment, he is planning to open a restaurant called “Zum Moselfischer” in Trittenheim. All fish caught there will be used for culinary purposes, including creative dishes for the less popular gobies.

The look into the future

In addition to the challenges of overfishing and environmental influences affecting the fishing industry internationally, it is important to keep an eye on the quality of catches. Loud Statista Fisheries and aquaculture industry players must adhere to strict environmental and animal welfare standards to secure the future of fishing. Catch quotas, set annually by the European Union, play a central role in protecting stocks and ensuring sustainable management.

The return to tradition is proving difficult, but the state of Rhineland-Palatinate has a strong interest in preserving the river fishing profession and supports them through initiatives such as the eel protection initiative. Ultimately, it is the fishing pioneers like Rosengarten and Weber who want to save a piece of nature and culture on the Moselle with fresh ideas together with local conditions.