Freitag, 23.01.2026
Last change: Freitag, 23.01.2026
News for recreational sea anglers – EU regulation
from
Markus SchmuckLawyer
Specialist in criminal law
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Since January 10, 2026, Germany has been required under EU law to ensure that persons engaged in recreational fishing at sea are registered and record and report certain catches via an electronic system. This results from an amendment made in 2023 to the EU Fisheries Control Regulation (Regulation (EC) No. 1224/2009, amended by Regulation (EU) 2023/2842).
Which electronic system is intended for the registration, recording, and reporting of catches?
The electronic system for registering, recording, and reporting catches is the "RecFishing" smartphone app developed by the European Commission. "RecFishing" stands for "recreational fishing."
First things first: reporting catches and registering as a sea angler will be possible in Germany from February 5 at the earliest — the app required for this will not be available in Germany before then. According to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs, the following applies until this date: "The European Commission has made it clear to member states that not using the RecFishing app before it is actually available should not have any negative consequences for recreational fishermen." This means that, at least until February 5, sea anglers in Schleswig-Holstein do not have to register or report catches.
From February 5, the following will be subject to reporting requirements for the time being:
- North Sea: sea bass, eel
- Baltic Sea: cod, eel, salmon
Discarded fish (discards) must also be reported. As soon as the app is available, the following applies: Register, enter catches of the same species on the day of fishing, and report them.
The statements represent initial information that was current for the law applicable in Germany at the time of initial publication. The legal situation may have changed since then. Furthermore, the information provided cannot replace individual advice on a specific matter. Please contact us for this purpose.