The Ministry of the Environment’s questionnaire on the issuing of leases to the management rights of waterway fisheries resources has been completed by almost 30 different organisations and individual fishermen. “Opinions are split between two camps in terms of both respondents and their attitude to the subject,” explained Herki Tuus, chief specialist with the Fisheries Resources Department of the Ministry of the Environment. “Associations and clubs support the leasing of management rights to fisheries resources, but the majority of individual fishermen who responded do not.” The main counter-argument given by more than half of these fishermen was that leasing could reduce access to recreational fishing. A third of respondents were concerned that recreational fishing would become more expensive, while another third thought that leasing would increase the danger of corruption in its organisation. The fishermen were also worried that the wrong management methods could cause damage to the aquatic ecosystem. Almost a fifth of individual fishermen considered it unethical to give anybody the right to make a profit from waterways in which the state has made significant investments to restore fisheries resources. “However, some of the fishermen did feel that leasing would make fishing more organised and make illicit fishing controls more effective, thus improving the situation of fisheries resources,” Tuus pointed out. At least a third of both supports and opponents to leasing thought that gill net fishing should be banned in Estonia’s inland waterways (with the exception of Lakes Peipsi and Võrtsjärv). The fishing clubs who responded felt that leasing fisheries resources would lead to more sustainable management and help to better organise fishing, thereby improving the quality and control of the provision of services. “Only one of the clubs representing fishermen was against leasing,” Tuus explained. Of those respondents who are not directly connected to fishing (such as local governments, state-owned businesses and nature conservation organisations), half were for the idea and half were against. “Based on the responses we received, we can conclude that there is no consensus among fishermen at the moment in terms of the leasing of management rights to fisheries resources,” said Tuus. “At the same time, the fishermen are extremely disunited, as a result of which the majority of their views are basically not being represented by any one organisation.” “Since public opinion seems to be against the leasing of management rights to fisheries resources, the Ministry of the Environment feels that it is not the right time to do so,” explained Ain Soome, the director of the ministry’s Fisheries Resources Department. “We will carry on with discussions of the subject, and there is a clear need for active debate on the topic between those for leasing and those against it.” The questionnaire on the issue of the leasing of management rights to waterway fisheries resources for private individuals and legal entities was arranged by the Ministry of the Environment in March and April this year. For further information please contact: Agnes Jürgens, Adviser, Public Relations Department, Ministry of the Environment |
