Invitation to submit an offer - Conception of a possible National Park compliant fishery regulation in the National Parks Thayatal - Podyjí

Invitation to submit an offer

Conception of a possible National Park compliant fishery
regulation in the National Parks Thayatal - Podyjí

Hardegg, 13. February 2019
The National Park Thayatal and the National Park Podyjí are looking for interested parties
for the creation of a concept on the future fishery in the National Parks Thayatal and Podyjí.
Der Nationalpark Thayatal und der Nationalpark Podyjí suchen Interessenten an der
Erstellung eines Konzeptes über die zukünftige Fischerei in den Nationalparks Thayatal
und Podyjí.
Národní park Thayatal a Národní park Podyjí hledá zájemce pro vypracování konceptu
úpravy rybaření v Národních parcích Thayatal a Podyjí.

Interested parties send their offer with the presentation of all costs,the working steps,
schedules and the indication of references to:
Interessenten senden ihr Angebot mit der Darstellung aller Kosten, der Arbeitsschritte,
Zeitpläne und der Angabe von Referenzen an:
Zájemce mohou zaslat své nabídky s uvedením všech nákladů, pracovních kroků, plánů a
odkazů na:

Contracting authority:
Nationalpark Thayatal GmbH
Nationalparkhaus
Merkersdorf 90
A-2082 Hardegg

Project leader: Christian Übl, BSc.
Mail: christian.uebl@np-thayatal.at
Tel.: +43 2949 7005

Contact person: David Freudl, BSc.
Mail: david.freudl@np-thayatal.at
Tel.: +43 2949 7005 60

Deadline for the receipt of the offers: 28. February 2019
Offers can be sent by mail, fax or email.

Conception of a possible National Park compliant fishery regulation
in the National Parks Thayatal - Podyjí
Introduction
The Thayatal National Park and the Podyjí National Park jointly protect the natural jewel of
the Thaya valley between the cities of Vranov nad Dyjí and Znojmo. In this section the river
stretches on a distance of 44km, of which 25km form the state border between Austria and
the Czech Republic. The Thaya in the National Parks Thayatal and Podyjí is a special case
of a transformend river landscapes. Originally, this section was a part of the barbel region,
but since the construction of the power plant in Vranov in 1934, this area now belongs to
the lower trout and grayling region. This change in the region of the National Parks is due
to the power plant operation. The fish fauna was reduced by the use of cold deep water and
the severe water level changes from 35 to 9 species (HOLZER 2009 & SPINDLER 2000).
In 1934, the Vranov dam was put into operation with a hydroelectric power plant. In 1966,
another dam was put into operation in Znojmo. The entire system is designed in such a
way that the hydroelectric power plant Vranov operates in high-peaks and the dam in
Znojmo serves as a buffer reservoir. The high-peaks affect the entire river section in the
National Parks Thayatal and Podyjí. In the past, the flow rate varied between 1m³/s and
45m³/s during one day, today the minimum flow is 2.8m³/s, most of the high-peaks are
with a flow rate of 15m³/s or 30m³/s. In extreme situations, such as long term droughts, it
is possible to exceptionally adjust the flow rates for a given period of time.
Based on literature sources, the fish composition of a barbel region, which was found on
the project area prior to the construction of the two dams, had up to 30 species. In the
years 1991 to 1993, only 16 species were detected, at the turn of the millennium 11 species.
At newer monitoring campaigns 9 fish species were detected, but only 5 to 8 species closer
to the Vranov power plant. In isolated locations only 2 species, the trout and the european
bullhead could be detected.
In agreement with the Austrian-Czech Border Commission it was decided, that the desired
fish composition in the project section of the Thaya should be a lower trout-grayling region,
which usually has more than ten fish species.
The Thaya is not only heavily influenced by the power plant operation, but also faces
another challenge, fishing. While on the Austrian side the fishing rights are with the
National Park Authority Thayatal, the fishery on the Czech side is managed by the South
Moravian Fishery Union. In different sections along the river Thaya fishing is possible and
allowed. In Austria the number of fishermen is limited fishing licenses, on the Czech side
there is basically no limit, since the membership with the local fishery association grants
permission to fish on those sections along the river within the National Parks. Some other
regulations also differ due to national legislative differences.
Both National Park administrations endeavor to reduce the disturbance caused by the
fishing in this valuable nature reserve, however this did not take place to a satisfactory
extent due to the different legal situation. For this reason, the National Park Authorities of
Thayatal and Podyjí are interested in having the disturbance potential of fishery and
activities related to fishing determined and examined by external international team of
experts in cross-border cooperation.

Objectives
With the involvement of external independent experts from Austria and the Czech
Republic, a concept is to be drawn up, which covers the effects of fishery-related activities
on fish populations, other protection goals (eg disturbance-sensitive species) and
coordination with the National Park idea and the objectives of the IUCN.
As a transboundary project and a transboundary national park the research is requested to
involve partners and/or experts from the neighboring country to make sure that the results
are satisfactory for research standards in Austria and the Czech Republic. Please name a
potential partner or expert you will collaborate with in the offer.
The aim of the project is an assessment of whether and in what form a fishery in the two
National Parks is possible. The result of a positive assessment is a spatial concept on the
designation of rest areas and small-scale protection zones, a time concept with the
determination of the fishing season and times of day as well as the quantitative
determination of catch and stocking.

Implementation
As part of the invitation to bid, we offer interested parties the opportunity to make an offer
for the conception of a possible National Park compliant fishery regulation in the National
Park Thayatal - Podyjí:

Project title:
Conception of a possible National Park compliant fishery regulation in the National Parks
Thayatal - Podyjí within the framework of the INTERREG project Dyje 2020 - Thaya 2020
ATCZ7.

Timeframe:
From February 2019 until February 2020

Activities

    Review existing surveys of both National Parks on fish populations and fisheries.
    Discussion with the objectives of the two National Parks, with the criteria of the
     IUCN and other international organizations (Council of Europe, Europarc).
    Assessment of the impact of the fishery on other protection objectives of the
     National Park (eg disturbance-sensitive species).
    Conception of a possible National Park compliant fishery regulation
    Presentation of measures to improve the habitat of the fish population in the Thaya
     river.
    Preparation of a joint final report with textual and graphic presentation of the
     research work.

Research questions
As part of the project activities, the research work of the cross-border external team of
experts should jointly provide the answers to the following four research questions:
       1. What species, which are found in the fishery areas and around their access routes
       in the Thayatal and Podyjí National Parks, are sensitive to disturbances caused by
       the presence of humans?
       2. Where are actual or potential localities of those species in the study area?
       3. Which activities that are related to fishing have a negative impact on the occuring
       species and what are the specific disturbances and causes?
       Within another project, a specialist of fish biology is answering following questions:
       1) How does the angling and stocking influence the populations of fishes in the river?
       2) What is the situation of natural reproduction of fish populations in the river and what
       are the possibilities to improve it?
       4. Concerning the results of all these questions define if and under what conditions
       angling is possible in national park.

Deadline:

Interested parties send their offer until 28. February 2019 to the National Park Thayatal
GmbH. Contact person is David Freudl, Mail: david.freudl@np-thayatal.at, Tel.:
00432949700560.

Recording and presentation of the results
Texts, images and data (including GIS data) must be recorded digitally and made available
to the client. The data becomes the property of the client. The publication or the disclosure
of data to third parties requires the consent of the client.
The results of the surveys and evaluations are presented in the form of a report with tables,
graphs and figures (in triplicate, one copy as a copy template unbound), a three-page short
report and a half-page English abstract. Likewise, relevant results are transmitted in
original files (shape files, Excel or Acces files, images, ...).

Time schedule
The allocation will take place after examination of the offers and clarification of open
questions with the signing of the contract until the end of February 2019.
The project must be completed by 1. February 2020 with the submission of the final report
and the transfer of the data.

Previous research in the National Park Thayatal

Helesic, J., Kubicek, F. (1999): Hydrobiology of the Dyje River in the National Park Podyji, Czech
Republic

Holzer, G. (2009): Projekt zur Verbesserung des Reproduktionserfolges der Bachforelle im
Nationalpark Thayatal. Bericht Jungfischkartierung 2009

Holzer, G. (2010): Projekt zur Verbesserung des Reproduktionserfolges der Bachforelle im
Nationalpark Thayatal

Pöppl, R. (2007): Die Hydrogeographie der Thaya innerhalb der Grenzen des Nationalparks
Thayatal

Pöppl, R. E., Bauer, B., Keiler, M., Glade, T. (2010): Die Thaya im Nationalpark Thayatal - eine
flussmorphologische Analyse auf verschiedenen räumlichen Skalenebenen

Spindler, T. (2000): Fischökologische Untersuchung - Bericht 2000

Spindler, T. (2008): INTERREG-Projekt Thaya/Dyje. Bewertung des ökologischen Zustandes und
Entwicklung eines gewässerökologischen Maßnahmenplans unter Einbindung der Öffentlichkeit.
Modul Fischökologie

Spindler, T. (2010): Der fischökologische Zustand der Thaya im Nationalpark