Catfish alarm at the swimming lake: injuries and new warnings!

Catfish alarm at the swimming lake: injuries and new warnings!

A recent outrageous incident at Lake Brombachsee in Bavaria, in which a 90kg catfish injured five bathers, has sparked concerns about the safety of water sports enthusiasts. The police shot the aggressive fish, while many are wondering whether such encounters are also possible in the bathing lakes of Baden-Württemberg. Police spokesman Michael Petzold emphasizes that the catfish's behavior is atypical because these fish do not normally attack people. However, bathers should remain calm in such situations and slowly remove themselves from the water so as not to cause additional stress to the fish. Information and recommendations can be found in the report Swabian Post.

According to the local authorities, there are currently no special warnings about catfish in popular bathing lakes such as Lake Constance or Schluchsee. Alexander Brinker from the Langenargen Fisheries Research Center explains that catfish generally do not pose a danger to humans. However, the European catfish has experienced a dangerous rise in Baden-Württemberg and its population is steadily increasing. The fish can be over two meters long and catfish feel particularly comfortable in waters such as the arms of the Old Rhine, the Neckar and large quarry lakes.

The spread of catfish

Global warming is contributing significantly to the increase in the catfish population as rising water temperatures promote ideal growth. In many regions, caught catfish are not allowed to be released, which further encourages the population to increase. Over 20 years ago, the catfish “Kuno, the killer catfish” made headlines after it allegedly swallowed a dog. Today, the catfish still leads to discussions in many regions about possible threats to the local fauna.

There are different views regarding the ecological role of catfish. Some experts warn about its potentially harmful effects on native fish species, while others argue that the catfish could control the spread of invasive species such as the Black Sea goby. To date, there is only limited data available on the exact effects of catfish on the fish and aquatic ecosystem in Germany, as there are hardly any studies on this species, which are based solely on differences to pond management in southeastern Europe. This is reported by the Baden-Württemberg Agricultural Authority.

Fisheries management and future prospects

Various projects are working on assessing the ecological and fishing consequences of the increase in the population and spread of catfish. The aim is to derive plausible future scenarios and develop possible fisheries management measures to take catfish into account both as a predatory fish and as part of the ecosystem.

Overall, it remains to be seen how the situation surrounding the catfish will develop and what significance this fish will have for the aquatic ecology and the safety of bathers in Baden-Württemberg. Anglers and nature lovers are encouraged to monitor the carp fish and its growth and to act cautiously within the official bathing water map, which indicates safe conditions.