Wanderfische ohne Grenzen e.V.
World Fish Migration Day – event at the Patagonia Store, Munich
On World Fish Migration Day, 21st of May 2016, Patagonia invited all visitors to an event in their store in the center of Munich. Wanderfische ohne Grenzen – NASF Germany assisted in organizing the program and stood by with professional expertise on migratory fish species and river ecology.
The idea of this day of action was to focus on the significance of free flowing rivers for fish populations and the man made threats to migratory fish species.
The visitors of the store could watch the 15 min documentation “Lebensadern” (“life veins”) on the restoration of small tributaries of the river Isar in the city of Munich. Director of the film Konstantin Steinbichler, cameraman Marcus Hassler und protagonist Moritz Gärth, fish warden on the Isar, were on the site and answered questions about the documentation and the successful restorations and the resettlement of natural populations of brown trout as a local migratory fish.
Armin Weinbrenner and Michaela Stroh from the association “Wanderfische ohne Grenzen” answered the visitors questions about migratory fish species and river ecology.
Many visitors were surprised when the heard, that the heavily damned rivers of our cultural landscape that are blocked with large numbers of migratory obstacles are far from being able to function as a habitat for the abundant self sustaining stocks of migratory fishes of former times. That charismatic migratory species like Atlantic Salmon and European Sturgeon at the time were widely spread in German rivers and that there is a chance to bring them back and restore the populations.
Christian Gierisch, first voluntary shellfish consultant in Bavaria, gave a deep insight to the threatened world of local shellfish populations. Flußperlmuscheln, Bach-, Teich- and Malermuschel (four local shellfish species) depend in their life cycle on healthy stocks of migratory fish. The Flussperlmuschel (German pearlshell) for example cannot reproduce without the presence of young brown trout.
The enjoyable program at Patagonia was completed with a contest where questions about migratory fishes had to be answered. Of course it was allowed to ask the present experts.
Rainer Roth, passionate flyfisher and flytyer, showed the art of tying an artificial fly as it is used for flyfishing to children and adults.
Many thanks to Patagonia who set an example with their dedication for migratory fish species and river ecology and for hosting this wonderful event in their Munich store.
