# Baden-Württemberg Fish Populations: A Mixed Report
2025/12/27 08:37:36
There is some encouraging news: the allis shad has returned to the Neckar River after years of absence, thanks to newly constructed fish ladders. Additionally, researchers at the Fisheries Research Center in Langenargen have observed “well-grown and better-fed” blue whitefish in Lake Constance.However, the overall picture for fish populations in Baden-Württemberg is concerning. After eleven years, the Ministry of Food, Rural Areas and Consumer Protection (MLR) has released an updated red list for the region’s 60 fish species. Five species have been downgraded in status: the noble crab, burbot, brown trout, blue whitefish, and gangue fish are all becoming less common. The nose fish in Lake Constance is now considered “threatened with extinction.”
## Only a quarter of all fish species are still safe
Only two species,the bitterling and sand whitefish,have shown improved vitality. 39 of Baden-Württemberg’s 60 fish species are now classified as endangered, critically endangered, or threatened with extinction. Only 15 species – including chub, pike, carp, and zander – are considered safe.
Despite the recent positive signs, the allis shad remains critically endangered. While the blue whitefish population has benefited from a two-year fishing ban and breeding programs, it is indeed still far from recovery.
the cormorant is a highly emotional topic, not just on Lake Constance. photo: dpa
The cormorant population in Lake Constance has dramatically declined,from an estimated one million ten years ago to less than 300,000 five years ago,and likely fewer today. This is due to a lack of nutrients and competition from the three-spined stickleback, wich consumes vital food sources and whitefish eggs. While the stickleback population experienced a notable decline in 2024, fish expert Jan Baer cautions that the problem hasn’t disappeared entirely.
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