OderTogether: Analyses and solutions for the cross-border management of water quality, biodiversity, fisheries and other ecosystem services

Problem statement and Project Objectives:

As the border river between Brandenburg and the Lubuskie Voivodeship the Oder is a shared resource providing numerous ecosystem services. However, the conservation and sustainable management of the River Oder face many challenges. This is demonstrated not only by the catastrophic floods and periods of drought in recent years, but also by the mass mortality of fish and molluscs caused by the alga Prymnesium parvum in 2022. The challenge of restoring the river system requires cross-border efforts, solutions and platforms for exchange. The project aims to gather information and, together with scientists, managers and stakeholders from Brandenburg and Poland, develop solutions for the cross-border management of water quality, fish biodiversity, fisheries and ecosystem services.
The project is divided into five work packages. The first work package involves developing a model designed to provide short-term forecasts of water quality and the risk of Prymnesium blooms for the entire River Oder. The model will also contribute to a better understanding of how climatic conditions and management measures affect water quality and the likelihood of the algal blooms occurring. Work packages two and three address cross-border issues relating to fish ecology and fisheries. The aim of the fourth work package is to assess the importance of the Oder’s ecosystem services and its biodiversity for the residents of Brandenburg and the Lubusz Voivodeship. The final work package will bring together the data and tools from all previous sub-projects. The aim is to compare the effects of alternative management measures on water quality, fish biodiversity, fisheries and other ecosystem services under various climate and environmental scenarios.
The IfB will lead the entire project and carry out up to five studies and analyses in each work package. 
 

German-Polish inaugural event on Fisheries on the River Oder

On 20 March 2026, an initial German-Polish event, organised by the IfB, took place under the title “One shared waterway, one shared responsibility: Fishery on the Oder”. The aim of the event was to facilitate an exchange of views on issues relating to the practical conduct of fishing on the Oder and the state of the river’s fish fauna. The invitation was primarily addressed to fishing rights holders and those authorised to fish in the project region, as well as their representatives at regional and state level. In addition, the regional fisheries and water authorities on both the German and Polish sides of the Oder were invited. The event was held at the Kleist Forum in Frankfurt, which is centrally located within the project region. In total, almost 40 people took part in the event.

The event began with a presentation of the “OderZusammen” project, its work packages and their objectives. This was followed by a series of keynote presentations on specific topics relating to fishing practices on the River Oder, which served to stimulate an initial joint discussion. External speakers from the field of applied science and from the ministries responsible for fisheries were invited to contribute. Simultaneous interpretation of the presentations and discussions enabled real-time translation from German into Polish and vice versa. 

In the second part of the event, an open discussion session addressed not only country-specific characteristics relating to the practical conduct of fishing, but also differences in fisheries regulations and responsibilities. On this basis, first steps to implementing joint fisheries management on the River Oder, as well as ways forward from there, were agreed upon.

The OderZusammen project is funded by the EU’s cooperation programme – INTERREG VI A Brandenburg-Poland 2021–2027 – with nearly €2.5 million.

Brandenburg's Ministry of Agriculture, Food, the Environment and Consumer Protection (MLEUV) is providing co-funding to cover the IfB's own contribution of approximately €240,000.

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