Fishing association in Bautzen has to pay 1500 euros for catfish!

Fishing association in Bautzen has to pay 1500 euros for catfish!

Bautzen - a carelessly experiment has now brought the fishing association "Oberland" a lush fine. The association had put 160 African catfish in Rosensee without obtaining the necessary approval. This decision has now been negotiated before the Bautzen district court.

The association chairman André Redmann was in court and had to answer for the campaign. The court decision came quickly: the Petri disciples have to pay 1500 euros, a sum that is not insignificant for a small club. This punishment results from the injunction to obtain an official approval that is necessary to suspend the exotic fish.

The background of the incident

The meaning behind the campaign was originally well meant. The association, which consists of 130 members, including around 20 children and adolescents, wanted to offer the youngest something special. In the summer of 2023 the African catfish, which are known for their great size and nature, were used. These fish can become up to 1.70 meters long and weigh up to 60 kilograms. They are particularly tasty and almost bony -free as suitable food fish for children.

by the end of summer, almost all catfish were caught by the anglers. The rest was fished out in autumn, which was also necessary, since the lake was released for a renovation to the bottom anyway. If you are considering, everything seemed to run according to plan.

But then the nasty surprise came: the behavior of the club did not fail. So that such fish do not enter into less than 10 degrees at water temperatures, state approval is required that the members of the association had apparently not applied for. This finally led to an advertisement and the demand from the fishing authority to determine the punishment for 2000 euros, which illustrated the legal consequences for the unauthorized action.

In the court, Andreas Redmann argued: "Unfortunately we didn't know that", and emphasized the lack of information about the legal requirements. He stated that the anglers had inquired in advance, but saw no reason for approval.

The responsible fishing authority, however, brought into play that such actions for commercial fishing companies are permitted in open waters, but not for fishing associations. This misunderstanding about the legal framework revealed how complex and winding the laws regarding the fish stocking in Germany.

The consequences for the association

The fine was finally reduced by the district court to 1500 euros, which, despite the reduction, represents a significant sum for the association. Redmann complained that the funds were already planned for other projects within the association, especially for youth promotion. Thus, this decision not only affects finances, but also on the funding opportunities of the association.

The case is a clear example of how important it is to be clear before the implementation of certain actions on the applicable laws and regulations. A misunderstanding can lead to high financial burdens that can significantly affect club life. This is also evident in the experiences of the "Oberland" fishing association, the intentions of which end up in the trap for both the fish and for the club members.

For the fishing community in the region and beyond, this incident is a warning memory of the need to comply with regulations that are intended for the protection of animals and their habitat. It remains to be seen which teachings the club will draw from this situation and how this will affect future work in the sense of youth promotion.

For further information and details on this topic there are comprehensive reports, on www.tag24.de .