The National Food Chain Safety Office (Nébih) has successfully completed a major multi-year development under the Széchenyi 2020 programme: the Fisheries Management System is now fully operational. The objective was straightforward yet essential—to create a modern digital system that helps safeguard Hungary’s fish stocks, supports responsible fish farmers and anglers, and makes fisheries inspections more efficient and effective.
Implemented between 2017 and 2023, this flagship project resulted in the launch of an intelligent, integrated database containing publicly accessible information on registered fisheries areas. The system records fish stocking, catches, and inspection data, and is seamlessly connected to Nébih’s other IT platforms. This integration enables real-time, on-site verification of fishing permits. In practice, this means that fisheries officers and inspectors can now work faster and with greater accuracy—less paperwork, and more time spent where it matters most: on the water.
During the preparatory phase, Nébih experts reviewed comparable fisheries management systems in several European countries, including landlocked nations similar to Hungary. The experience gained was carefully adapted to domestic conditions, ensuring that Hungarian fisheries management aligns with international best practices. Today, data on fisheries areas and key public fisheries information are available to everyone through the system’s online portal. This includes fish stocking data, aggregated stocking reports, and publicly accessible catch statistics for each registered fisheries area.
The project placed strong emphasis on training and continuous professional development, ensuring that fisheries officers and inspectors can carry out their duties confidently, consistently, and to a high standard. Equal attention was given to public communication: when anglers and permit holders—whether fishing for recreational, ecological, selective, or research purposes—understand the purpose and process of inspections, they become active partners in a fair and sustainable fisheries management system.
As a result of the new system, fisheries supervision and management have become more transparent, faster, and more secure. Violations have declined, data reporting has become more accurate and consistent, and overall oversight has improved. Ultimately, this contributes to the protection of fish stocks, consumer safety, and the long-term sustainability of Hungary’s natural waters. The project demonstrates that when modern technology is combined with professional expertise, the outcome is not just better data—but real progress.
The development was implemented from EU funding in the project MAHOP-3-2.1.1-2016-2017-00001 under the Hungarian Fisheries Operational Programme.
Find out more about the project in the Project Finder:Details
