This article was featured in Eurofish Magazine 2 2026.
Germany has established a new coordination body to guide the transformation of its North Sea and Baltic Sea coastal fisheries. The Information and Coordination Centre for Fisheries Transformation (IKTF), based in Hamburg’s HafenCity, officially opens on 13 March and operates under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture on behalf of the Thünen Institute.
The centre was created in response to mounting pressure on the sector. Baltic fish stocks such as cod and herring are suffering under poor environmental conditions, while North Sea fishers face growing competition for fishing grounds from offshore wind development and new protected areas. Ageing fleets, a lack of younger entrants, and rising numbers of closures add to the challenge.
The IKTF aims to connect fishers with policymakers, researchers and industry, while promoting sustainable fishing techniques, fleet innovation including climate-neutral vessels, and diversification into areas such as marine data collection and tourism.
