Perhaps Siegfried Pilgerstorfer will catch the biggest salmon of his life one of these days. Upper Austria’s state fishing master is currently on vacation in Mongolia, and of course he’s fishing too. While he’s in the east on the prowl for the Taimen, a type of huchen that can grow up to 210 cm long, his nets at home are floating away quicker than he expected. According to the state’s agricultural department responsible for fishing, the 66-year-old’s days as chairman of the Upper Austrian State Fishing Association, and thus of around 90,000 licensed fishermen in the state, are numbered.
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At the end of April this year, Pilgerstorfer’s slow withdrawal began, which was to develop a surprising dynamic: the top fisherman, chairman of the Steyr I fishing district for 25 years, did not stand for re-election in his district. This was discussed extensively in the board, says the new district chairman Martin Knittl-Frank. Pilgerstorfer said that 25 years was enough.
The supervisory authority for the State Fisheries Association, the State of Upper Austria, examined the regional election and decided to remove the State Fisherman from his position, which was supposed to run until 2028. Peter Schmidt, office manager and responsible advisor to the State Minister for Agriculture, explains her legal position: “The State Fisherman is elected from among the district managers in the Fisheries Council. Pilgerstorfer is no longer district manager and therefore no longer on the Fisheries Council; the legal framework for his function has therefore been withdrawn from him.”
Recall on the way
Specifically, the state is working on a determination notice that will be sent to Pilgerstorfer shortly after he returns from vacation. According to this, he would remain “physically state fishing master” (Schmidt) until the early election in February 2025, but his deputy Hermann Sveda, chairman of the Inn-Braunau district, would have to take over his official duties immediately. “There is nothing tragic about this,” says Schmidt, “it’s just a normal deadline, everything is moving in an orderly manner.” Of course, a gradual withdrawal by Pilgerstorfer would have been easier to plan with timely discussions.
In fact, such a process is a first. Pilgerstorfer probably interpreted the legal situation differently than the supervisory authority. He could appeal against the decision, but it is assumed that it will not stand in the way of a younger successor.
Pilgerstorfer was the head of the Hinterstoder municipality and later the managing director of the state fishing association. In 2011, he was elected state fishing master for the first time. He earned merit in the fight against fish predators (especially otters) and reformed the association into a powerful lobbyist and service provider. He also campaigned strongly for the renaturation of water bodies, fish protection and fisherman training. He was not available for comment. (but)
Source: Nachrichten
