On 26 November 2024, ProtectFish partners Carola Winkelmann from the Univeristy of Koblenz (DE) and Niels Jepsen from DTU Aqua (DK) presented their research on cormorant predation in Tallinn – Estonia.
The seminar – “The impact of cormorants on fisheries and ecosystems” – organised by the Fisheries Centre of the Estonian Marine Institute of the University of Tartu focused on scientists’ reviews of the impact of cormorants on marine and freshwater fish and the wider ecosystem.
The seminar gathered coastal fishermen, fishery entrepreneurs, ornithologists, scientists, representatives of the sector’s authorities and citizen interested in the subject.
Prof. Dr. Carola Winkelmann, in charge of the ProtectFish Work Package entitled Cormorants and Habitats – Ecosystem effect and protection of river fish,– made a presentation on the impact of cormorant predation on the ecological quality of rivers.
ProtectFish Coordinator Dr. Niels Jepsen shared his views on “new documentation of the effect of cormorant predation on coastal fish, the present state of the knowledge in relation to cormorants and freshwater fish”. Both project members highlighted the need to conduct research on cormorant predation to protect vulnerable freshwater fish stocks such as grayling. They also outlined the ProtectFish project’s main objectives and developments over the past 6 months.
A major output of the event is the call for an intensified cooperation with the Baltic Sea Advisory Council – BSAC on the matter of cormorant predation. Estonian stakeholders are looking forward to the scientific results from Denmark.
A total of 150 people attended physically this event with many more following via an online livestream.
More information on the event can be found here: Fisheries Information Centre: Hybrid Seminar “The impact of cormorants on fisheries and ecosystems” on 26 November 2024 (on-site and online via Worksup)
Media contact for any further information – Aliénor: protectfish@alienor.eu
