There was a biting wind at the fjord as Dan Jørgensen, the Danish Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, fishcare consultant Mads Christoffersen and local anglers released turbot into Roskilde Fjord, where they can grow to edible size.
It was a windy but festive day in Gershøj Harbour on 6 October, 2014, where almost 6,000 small turbot were released into Roskilde Fjord by local anglers, fish care consultant Mads Christoffersen from DTU Aqua and Dan Jørgensen, the Danish Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries.
Turbot are a popular food fish, which many anglers are keen to catch. To boost stocks, Marine Fishcare Management, under DTU Aqua, regularly releases young turbot in collaboration with local fishermen. On 6 October turbot were released at Gershøj in Roskilde Fjord, near Holbæk Harbour, in Karrebæk Fjord and near Vedbæk. In 2014, a total of 40,000 turbot have so far been released at sites around Zealand.
The release of turbot is financed by income from the fishing licences anglers must hold. The Danish AgriFish Agency, under the Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, administers the money and distributes it for various purposes, including the release of fish.
The Minister was generous in his praise of Fishcare Management and the event:
"It is wonderful to see so many good people brought together—enthusiasts in the local community, anglers, researchers and government authorities. As well as the focus here on sustainable initiatives. It is fascinating to think that in three years time these young fish will be fierce predatory fish," said the Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries.
The young turbot are released as part of the Danish marine fishcare management, which aims to preserve and restore the natural fish stocks in coastal areas. The work is done in close collaboration between DTU Aqua and anglers around the country. The 7-14 cm long fish arrive in a tank truck from Venø Fish Farm.
All the released turbo are tagged, so they can be recognized if caught again. If an angler catches a tagged fish, they can send the tag to DTU Aqua and receive a reward and a refund of their postage costs. DTU Aqua uses the tag information to monitor the survival and growth of the released turbot. This will give them even better knowledge about where it is best to release turbot in the future.
The turbot must grow to at least 30 cm in length before they can be legally caught and taken home. Depending on growth conditions, it will take around 2-4 years before the released turbot reach this size. Angler Niels Winther displays a good catch.