Administrative, legal, natural, and socioeconomic factors that impede the functioning and development of inland fisheries in Poland

Abstract The results of a questionnaire survey of the managers of fisheries enterprises entitled to operate in fisheries zones are presented. The aim of the study was to determine the degree to which selected factors have a negative impact on the functioning and development of fisheries. The impediment posed by the different factors was determined with a rating scale. The factors that posed impediments were ranked, from greatest to smallest, as follows: cormorant predation on ichthyofauna; commercial and recreational fisheries poaching; national and local administrations (e.g., flawed laws, bureaucracy, incompetence, etc.); unenforced regulations and laws or the lack of them; excessive leasing fees; water eutrophication and pollution; development of recreation linked with the aquatic environment; eco-terrorism, other fees payable to the state in addition to leasing fees; difficulties with selling fish; recreational fisheries pressure.