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Catfish attacks on Lake Brombach: Climate change is accelerating the threat!
A current incident at Brombachsee shows how climate change is affecting the catfish population in the Donau-Ries and presenting challenges to fishermen.
Catfish attacks on Lake Brombach: Climate change is accelerating the threat!
The situation at Brombachsee has recently become more serious: a catfish attacked a person after it felt threatened and wanted to defend its spawning area. However, Erich Keinath, the chairman of the Swabian Fisheries Association for the Donau-Ries district, emphasizes that such incidents are rather the exception. The catfish is widespread in the waters of the Donau-Ries district and can be seen in almost all local waters, from the Danube to the Wörnitz to quarry ponds and bathing lakes. However, according to Donau-Ries Aktuell, an accurate estimate of the catfish population is difficult.
The proliferation of catfish is increasingly being attributed to climate change, which is causing water temperatures to rise. As a result, the catfish's spawning season has now often been extended to four months instead of the usual two months. This creates difficulties for fishermen in the district, as catfish eat a significant amount of the fish released by local clubs to replenish stocks.
Stunning spread and challenges
The facts surrounding the European catfish (Silurus glanis), which is considered the largest freshwater fish in Europe, are spectacular. This fish has expanded considerably in Central Europe in recent years, especially in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. This is closely related to climatic changes. As FischApp reports, the catfish prefers warmer water, and the physiological optimum temperature is between 25 and 27 °C. As temperatures rise, populations are growing rapidly and it is believed that a record-breaking 2.81 meter catfish has now been spotted in Bavaria.
The growth of the catfish is favored by the warmed waters, which offer it optimal conditions. However, this also means that fish such as roach and young predatory fish suffer greatly from the hunter catfish. In addition, due to its size, the catfish could catch larger prey such as waterfowl or small mammals, which has a significant impact on the local flora and fauna. Careful handling of this species is therefore required in order to maintain the ecological balance in the waters.
Management strategies and outlook
Current challenges require precise scientific observation and perhaps innovative management strategies to regulate the catfish population. This could include targeted fishing measures and special regulations on stocking. These strategies are important to ensure long-term biodiversity in the waters of Central Europe. Fishermen and anglers continue to value catfish as a valuable target and food fish, but it is essential to keep a close eye on the effects of its continued reproduction on other fish species and the entire ecosystem. The reports from Spiegel Online highlight the need for measures to control not only the catfish population, but also safety of bathers and fishermen.