Angling

The Elbe and its tributaries, together with the numberless ponds and oxbow lakes in the region, are a paradise for anglers. These include not only the members of the 30 local angling clubs, but also many of the visitors who come to the biosphere reserve see the high points of their stay in the Elbe valley in the opportunities it offers to catch eel, zander, pike and bream.

Many of the bodies of water are to be found in the sensitive areas under special protection. Paragraph 16, Section 5 of the Biosphere Reserve Act regulates the designation of certain parts of the banks and the waters themselves as fishing waters, with the requirement that this be performed in cooperation with the owners and beneficiaries of fishing rights. The purpose of this process is to ensure that the most sensitive areas remain undisturbed and the activities of the anglers are confined to appropriate reaches.

However, its implementation is not trivial, as there are several hundred individual fishing rights involved within the bounds of the biosphere reserve, and many of them are of uncertain legal status. It will therefore take some time before all the areas concerned have been given the consideration they need.

As well as deciding on the angling reaches themselves, it is necessary to reach agreement on the access routes to them as well as parking facilities. Paragraph 12, Section 4 of the Biosphere Reserve Act prohibits vehicle traffic across zone C areas for angling purposes, but it is permissible to gain access to them via the protected areas on foot.