Socio-Economic Aspects of Changes in Czech Fishing Traditions in Regional Contexts

The article focuses on the current changes in the traditions of the Czech aquaculture and the possibilities of using fishing traditions in regional development. It is based on field research in smaller fishing areas of Bohemia (surroundings of Blatná, Chlumec nad Cidlinou, and Přelouč). While in Blatná and its surroundings the tradition of autumn public fish harvest is still alive, and even, as a complement to it, the community-oriented June Fishing Festival was established, fishermen in eastern Bohemia consider public harvests to be dangerous (busy roads run on the dams of the ponds) and loss-making. While the economic importance of the Czech aquaculture is declining, its non-productive functions are becoming increasingly important, both for the landscape and water retention in it, as well as for the regional identity and development of tourism associated with the growing popularity of recreational fishing. While present-day Czech fish producers focus primarily on maximizing their production, a differentiation of approaches to the industry can be expected in the future, including the emergence of new products using elements of fishing traditions in their marketing. We can therefore divide fishing traditions into the following categories: production, environment, leisure, and regional aspects.