Heat Causes Stress in Fish in Water Bodies

State Association: “You should refrain from trout fishing”

However, the state association is not aware of any restrictions for anglers in Saxony’s fishing waters. Water bodies are closed only in absolutely exceptional cases, such as an extraordinary fish die-off. Otherwise, the association relies on its members being competent enough not to put additional pressure on already stressed fish populations. Schuster gave the following example: “Under these circumstances, people really should refrain from trout fishing.”

Georg Stähler, managing director of Teichwirtschaft Wermsdorf, also reports increasingly difficult conditions in the company’s 50 ponds. The primary reason is a lack of water: water levels are low in some cases—ranging from about 50 to 60 percent, depending on the body of water. “The second reason is the heat, which has caused water temperatures to reach around 30 degrees—a condition that has proved fatal for some fish species.” About one metric ton of fish has died so far—primarily pike and sturgeon, Stähler reports. “So this isn’t anything serious for the year as a whole, but it’s still frustrating.”