New elections necessary in Upper Austria

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State fishing champion Siegfried Pilgerstorfer has to vacate his chair earlier than planned. A legal subtlety started an official fast-track while the top angler was on vacation. In the "Krone" newspaper, the man concerned talks about his departure with mixed feelings.

"I take note" - Siegfried Pilgerstorfer (66) may still be the provincial fishing champion, but his deputy Hermann Sveda is already in charge. In February, a new head of the 90,000 anglers in Upper Austria will be appointed in an early election.

I had planned a handover during the current period so that my successor could familiarize himself well. Now everything is moving a little faster. But I also see a positive side to the whole thing. I will certainly find more time to be on the water and fish.

Siegfried Pilgerstorfer war seit 2004 Geschäftsführer des Landesfischereiverbandes und ist seit 2011 Landesfischermeister.

"My legal advisors see the situation slightly differently to the state of Upper Austria, but the latter is the supervisory authority," says Pilgerstorfer, who does not want to contest the "declaratory decision" on his early dismissal - he and his team were elected until 2028.

"Wanted to stay another one to two years"
A legal subtlety has turned the planned slow withdrawal - "I wanted to stay on for another year or two and then hand over the office" - into an express train. At the end of April, Pilgerstorfer no longer stood for re-election as chairman in his Steyr I district: "25 years were enough." But in doing so, he laid the foundation for his dismissal. This is because the provincial master fisherman must be a district chairman. "Until now, that wasn't an issue, there are several examples of this," Pilgerstorfer says in an interview with Krone, surprised by the state's tough stance.

"Hand over an orderly house"
But he is leaving "without resentment". "I am handing over a house in order," says the state fishing champion, who has been in this position since 2011. The association has been restructured and instead of debts, it even has "a small fortune".

He sees the new Fisheries Act of 2020 as a milestone in his work, as well as the fact that measures against cormorants and otters are taking effect.