Hungarian fisheries are struggling with drought, price pressure and reduced consumption

Price pressure and falling demand

The selling price of live carp near the lake has fallen from 1,500 forints/kg last year to around 1,200 forints this year, while consumption and the number of anglers are also decreasing. It is particularly worrying that during the Christmas season – when 60 percent of the total annual carp sales take place – sales decreased for the first time in a long time last year.

Developments that are lagging behind

The lack of investments further complicates the situation of the sector: in six years, only 17 hectares of new fish ponds have been built with state support, and only 120 hectares have been reconstructed. The economic efficiency of fish ponds brings a profit of 4-5 percent of sales revenue at best, which does not encourage investments.

Water shortage and accelerating drought

The lack of surface water and the continuous decline in groundwater levels are causing serious problems. In Transdanubia, the filling of lakes this spring was only 70-80 percent. As a result of climate change, slow winter precipitation has been replaced by sudden, large amounts of rain, which quickly disappear into the vegetation. Evaporation has also increased: compared to the previous 1.2-1.5 centimeters of daily summer evaporation, 2-2.5 centimeters can now be measured.

Fishponds: Water and Ecosystem Providers

Hungarian fishponds – covering an area of around 26,000 hectares – can store 300 million cubic metres of water, more than all the country’s reservoirs combined. This is crucial not only for water retention but also for ecological diversity. One hectare of fishpond can support 600–800 kg of fish, while Lake Balaton only supports 30–50 kg. The wildlife of the lakes – from larvae to fish to birds – is many times richer than in other agricultural areas.