The water facilities of Lake Döröskei were renewed with a MAHOP tender

2023.10.13. Share

The Hungarian National Fishermen's Association implemented the "Rehabilitation of the Döröskei Reservoir by restoring the condition of the littoral zone and suppressing alien invasive species" using a HUF 63,827,796 grant from the Hungarian Fish Management Operative Program. project.

In 2018, the Döröskei reservoir was transferred from Austrian private ownership to Hungarian public ownership, whose first state asset manager and also the developer of the MAHOP project was the Őrségi National Park Administration. The Hungarian National Fishing Association (MOHOSZ) became the state trustee of the lake on October 6, 2021, and subsequently the awarded MAHOP-1.2.1-2017-2019-00013. project's new owner. MOHOSZ is Hungary's largest non-governmental organization performing public tasks, currently with 856,082 registered anglers, of which nearly 600,000 people are actively fishing. There are 2,218 registered fish management water areas in our country, of which the vast majority of state or majority state-owned natural water areas, a total of 134,673 hectares, belong to the MOHOSZ organizational system.

The lake is located on the border of the village of Döröske in Vas County, where the waters of the Bogrács Stream were dammed into a lake in 1976, which served as a tourist center for bathing and relaxation for decades. The reservoir forms an integral and defining part of the typical Western Transdanubian landscape located at the junction of the Rába-Csörnöc valley and the Kemeneshát.

Unfortunately, by the time the reservoir returned to Hungarian ownership, the condition of the water retention facilities had completely deteriorated and was not suitable for keeping and preserving the water at a safe level. The reinforced concrete structure with a concrete circular bottom drain was soaked in many places, causing corrosion of the reinforced concrete structure. The state of the water facilities did not meet the operating conditions, and as a result, the reservoir did not have a water law operating license. Ensuring a sustainable operating water level was an indispensable basic condition for the preservation of biodiversity and further welfare utilization, for which the renovation of the technical facilities became necessary. The utilization of the water area for fish management was also unorganized, the fishing was carried out randomly and not professionally in the last decades.

As a result, despite the favorable natural conditions (rich underwater flora, shallow shorelines), the lake contained a significant amount of non-native, invasive fish species, such as the silver carp. Within the framework of the awarded MAHOP project, in addition to preserving biodiversity, MOHOSZ renovated and modernized the lake's existing water technical facilities and obtained a water rights operating license for long-term legal use.

Before the renovation of the lake's technical facilities, the lake was completely drained and professionally fished and rescued, in the framework of which, in accordance with the tender objectives, 3413 kg of non-native silver carp of mixed ages were also professionally removed. The gross amount of the technical renovation works was HUF 84,052,834, of which MAHOP provided HUF 63,827,796 in EU ~~and~~ domestic support. As a result of the project, the lake received a water rights operation license for 20 years, and then as the next milestone, the lake's fish management plan was completed, which was approved by the authorities until December 31, 2027 . At the end of the project, on October 13, 2023, in accordance with the current fish management plan, the first new "residents" of the lake arrived, a total of 468 kg in the form of extra carp between 4-5 kg.

Zsolt V. Németh , the State Secretary responsible for the water utilities sector of the Ministry of Energy, the Prime Minister's Commissioner responsible for the protection of the Hungarian way of life and our national values, a representative of the Parliament, and the mayor Erika Döröske Dománé Tóth also took part in the fish planting of the project closing spectacle. State Secretary Zsolt V. Németh said: It is a pleasure to see that after decades of uncertainty, the case of Lake Döröske is coming to fruition. 5 years ago, as a significant change, the lake was transferred from Austrian private ownership to Hungarian public ownership, averting the danger that the wonderful facility would be appropriated by a few. After the investment, a new period begins with the acquisition of the water rights operating license. I am convinced that MOHOSZ will be a good owner of the lake and we expect further arrangement and development of the lake's environment from him, for which I will give all my support. Mayor Erika Dománé Tóth stated that the Municipality, the population of the village and the resort owners are happy about the positive changes related to the lake. The rehabilitation of the lake serves the public good: it contributes to the development of tourism and the useful use of free time, and stops the devaluation of real estate. As a partner, the municipality looks forward to further opportunities for progress.

At the fish stocking, the vice-president of MOHOSZ, Norbert Puskás , highlighted that the works and licensing procedures carried out in the last two years were less spectacular, but from the point of view of the future complex utilization of the lake, basic conditions were created that had not been met for decades. MOHOSZ, as a fish management authority, wants to use the Döröske lake primarily as a C&R (catch and release) sport fishing lake in the coming year, using the available shorelines, so that the water area can be re-entered into the fishing tourism cycle. Plans include the renovation of the dilapidated beach and tourist buildings next to the lake. MOHOSZ is currently working hard on the creation of the "National Fishing Tourism Strategy 2030" and its governmental approval.

Among other things, these fishing tourism resources can create an opportunity to renew the entire waterside welfare infrastructure of Lake Döröskei, to this end, MOHOSZ counts on the support of all its strategic partners.