Synopsis of freshwater aquaculture legislation in Germany since national reunification

Under German law, federal ministries are responsible for preparing legislation, while federal states (Länder) are responsible for applying the legislation. The author describes the system, contrasting it with the situation in former East Germany, where preparation and application of legislation were controlled centrally. The author also describes the various inland water fisheries Acts and regulations of the federal states of former West Germany which apply to aquaculture. There is a discussion of the impact on German freshwater aquaculture of the Federal Water Act, the Waste Water Levies Act, the Nature Conservation and Protection Act, the Conservation of Species Regulation, the Animal Welfare Act, the Fisheries Acts of the Länder, the Drug Act, the Animal Epidemic Act and the Fish Epidemics Regulation. The impact of this legislation varies considerably, and the extent of application is discussed. The economic changes in freshwater fish production are briefly summarised and their causes analysed.