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Institute of

OF Baltic Sea Fisheries

Dr. Paul Kotterba


Institute of Baltic Sea Fisheries

Alter Hafen Süd 2
18069 Rostock
Telephone
+49 381 66099 118
Fax
+49 381 66099 199
Email
paul.kotterba@thuenen.de

Fields of Activity

  • Scientist in the pelagic working group
  • Acoustic survey of pelagic fish species (e.g. herring and sprat) in the Baltic Sea
  • Research on the biology (growth, distribution, feeding ecology, and mortality) of pelagic fishes in the Baltic Sea

Research Interests

  • population dynamics and fisheries management
  • Application and further development of minimally invasive methods (such as hydroacoustics) in the study of fish populations/distributions
  • Biology of pelagic fish
  • Marine food webs and their implications for population dynamics
  • Impact of climate change on pelagic fish stocks

Scientific background

Since March 2024: Scientist in the pelagic working group at the Thünen-Institute of Baltic Sea Fisheries, Rostock

2022-2024: Scientist at the Thünen Institute, Institute of Baltic Sea Fisheries, Rostock, Project SpaCeParti

2010-2017: Scientist at the Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute, Institute of Baltic Sea Fisheries, Rostock

2008-2010: Scientist at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Institute of Infectology, Insel Riems

2003-2008: Advanced study of fisheries science, hydrobiology, microbiology and zoology at the University of Hamburg. Certificate: Diplom-Biologe

2000-2003: Basic study of biology at the Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University, Greifswald

Projects

Involved in

ongoing projects

completed projects

Publications

  1. 0

    Moll D, Asmus H, Blöcker AM, Böttcher U, Conradt J, Färber L, Funk N, Funk S, Gutte H, Hinrichsen HH, Kotterba P, Krumme U, Madiraca F, Meier HEM, Meyer S, Moritz T, Otto SA, Pinto G, Polte P, et al (2024) A climate vulnerability assessment of the fish community in the Western Baltic Sea. Sci Rep 14:16184, DOI:10.1038/s41598-024-67029-2

    https://literatur.thuenen.de/digbib_extern/dn068507.pdf

  2. 1

    Kotterba P, Moll D, Winkler H, Finke A, Polte P (2024) A wolf in sheep's clothing: Planktivorous Atlantic herring preys on demersal fishes in coastal waters. Ecology (Durham NC) 105(8):e4363, DOI:10.1002/ecy.4363

    https://literatur.thuenen.de/digbib_extern/dn068465.pdf

  3. 2

    Kotterba P, Haase S, Moll D, Fischbach V, Polte P (2024) Comment on "Early arrival of spring-spawning Atlantic herring Clupea harengus at their spawning ground in the Kiel Fjord, western Baltic, relates to increasing winter seawater temperature" by Ory et al. (2024). J Fish Biol: Online First, Dec 2024, DOI:10.1111/jfb.16007

    https://literatur.thuenen.de/digbib_extern/dn069190.pdf

  4. 3

    Brazier A, Jacobsen NS, Jacobsen JA, Bartolino V, Bekkevold D, Berg F, Berges B, Birch K, Brooks ME, Clarke M, Davies JO, De Oliveira J, Egan A, Finke A, Farrell E, Haase S, Kloppmann MHF, Kotterba P, Polte P, Rohlf N, et al (2024) Herring Assessment Working Group (HAWG). Copenhagen: ICES, xi, 969 p, ICES Sci Rep 6(24), DOI:10.17895/ices.pub.25305532

    https://literatur.thuenen.de/digbib_extern/dn069357.pdf

  5. 4

    Berg F, Nash R, Moesgaard Albertsen C, Bartolino V, Bekkevold D, Berges B, Bjarnason S, Brazier A, Clarke D, Egan A, Farrell ED, Goodall J, Haase S, Jacobsen JA, Kotterba P, Kvamme C, Makrooni MA, Marchal P, Polte P, Rohlf N, et al (2024) Second workshop on stock identification and allocation of catches of herring to stocks (WKSIDAC2; outputs from 2023 meeting). Copenhagen: ICES, iii, 67 p, ICES Sci Rep 6(5), DOI:10.17895/ices.pub.24998747

    https://literatur.thuenen.de/digbib_extern/dn067501.pdf

  6. 5

    Moyano M, Illing B, Akimova A, Alter K, Bartolino V, Börner G, Clemmesen C, Finke A, Gröhsler T, Kotterba P, Livdane L, Mittermayer F, Moll D, Nordheim L von, Peck M, Schaber M, Polte P (2023) Caught in the middle: bottom-up and top-down processes impacting recruitment in a small pelagic fish. Rev Fish Biol Fisheries 33(1):55-84, DOI:10.1007/s11160-022-09739-2

    https://literatur.thuenen.de/digbib_extern/dn065680.pdf

  7. 6

    Brazier A, Kvamme C, Bartolino V, Bekkevold D, Berg F, Berges B, Egan A, Farrell E, Griffiths C, Haase S, Håkansson KB, Henriksen O, Holdgate A, Huwer B, Jacobsen NS, Johnsen E, Kotterba P, Lundy M, Polte P, Rohlf N, et al (2023) Herring Assessment Working Group for the Area South of 62° N (HAWG). Copenhagen: ICES, 837 p, ICES Sci Rep 5(23), DOI:10.17895/ices.pub.22182034

    https://literatur.thuenen.de/digbib_extern/dn066633.pdf

  8. 7

    Finke A, Nordheim L von, Kotterba P, Polte P (2022) Impact of spawn concentrations on Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) egg survival in Baltic Sea inshore spawning areas. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 275:107961, DOI:10.1016/j.ecss.2022.107961

  9. 8

    Henseler C, Oesterwind D, Kotterba P, Nordström MC, Snickars M, Törnroos A, Bonsdorff E (2021) Impact of round goby on native invertebrate communities - An experimental field study. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 541:151571, DOI:10.1016/j.jembe.2021.151571

    https://literatur.thuenen.de/digbib_extern/dn063602.pdf

  10. 9

    Polte P, Gröhsler T, Kotterba P, Nordheim L von, Moll D, Santos J, Rodriguez-Tress P, Zablotski Y, Zimmermann C (2021) Reduced reproductive success of Western Baltic herring (Clupea harengus) as a response to warming winters. Front Mar Sci 8:589242, DOI:10.3389/fmars.2021.589242

    https://literatur.thuenen.de/digbib_extern/dn063306.pdf

Awards

  • 2014 1st  place at "Rostock's Eleven" Science-Communication Workshop, Rostock, Germany
  • 2012 Yellow Submarine Award, 47th European Marine Biology Symposium, Arendal, Norway

Selected presentations

Kotterba, P.: Atlantic herring Clupea harengus within the estuarine food web of southern Baltic lagoons. 2015. Vortrag. Disputation am Institut für Hydrobiologie und Fischereiwissenschaften der Universität Hamburg, Deutschland. 

Kotterba, P., Moll, D., Hammer, C., and P. Polte: Estuarine stickleback predation on the eggs of inshore-spawning Atlantic herring in the Baltic Sea. 2015. Vortrag. 23rd biennial CERF conference, Portland, Oregon, USA.   

Polte, P., Kotterba, P., Moll, D., and L. v. Nordheim: Drivers and stressors of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) recruitment in inshore Baltic Sea spawning areas. 2015. Vortrag. 23rd biennial CERF conference, Portland, Oregon, USA.  

Kotterba, P., Beyer, S., Heiler, S., Moll, D., and P. Polte: Habitat utilization of herring larvae in an inshore retention area in the Western Baltic Sea. 2015. Vortrag. 50th European Marine Biology Symposium, Helgoland, Deutschland.  

Moll, D., Kotterba, P., and P. Polte: Spawning bed selection of Atlantic herring in coastal waters of the Western Baltic Sea. 2015. Vortrag. 50th European Marine Biology Symposium, Helgoland, Deutschland.  

Moll, D., Kotterba, P., v. Nordheim, L., and P. Polte: Spawning bed selection of Atlantic herring in the waters of the Western Baltic Sea. 2015. Vortrag. 39th Annual Larval Fish Conference, Wien, Österreich.  

Polte, P., Kotterba, P., Heiler, J., Beyer, S., Moll, D., and L. v. Nordheim: Loops of near-shore habitat use by early herring (Clupea harengus) life stages in the Western Baltic Sea. 2015. Vortrag. ICES Annual Science Conference, Kopenhagen, Dänemark.  

Henseler, C., Bock, C., Kotterba, P., Winkler, H., and D. Oesterwind: Biology, abundance and feeding ecology of the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) in the eastern German Baltic. 2015. Vortrag. ICES Annual Science Conference, Kopenhagen, Dänemark.  

Winkler, H., Kotterba, P., and D. Oesterwind: Round Goby: A story of invasion success in the Baltic. 2015. Poster. ICES Annual Science Conference, Kopenhagen, Dänemark.  

Kotterba, P.: Atlantic herring Clupea harengus within the estuarine food web of southern Baltic lagoons. 2015. Vortrag. Herring Recruitment workshop, Rostock, Deutschland.  

Moll, D., Kotterba, P., and P. Polte. Otolith chemistry – An opportunity to estimate the importance of single spawning grounds to the overall population of the WBSSH. 2015. Vortrag. Herring Recruitment workshop, Rostock, Deutschland.  

Moll, D., Kotterba, P., v. Nordheim, L., and P. Polte. Spawning bed selection of Atlantic herring in the waters of the Western Baltic Sea. 2015. Vortrag. Herring Recruitment workshop, Rostock, Deutschland.  

Polte, P., Beyer, S., Heiler, J., and P. Kotterba. Loops of near shore habitat use by early herring (Clupea harengus) life stages in the Western Baltic Sea. 2015. Vortrag. Herring Recruitment workshop, Rostock, Deutschland.  

Kotterba, P.: Atlantic herring Clupea harengus within the estuarine food web of southern Baltic lagoons. 2014. Vortrag. Zoologisches Kolloquium der Universität Rostock, Deutschland  

Kotterba, P., C. Hammer, P. Polte and C. Kühn: The effect of predation of threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) on the eggs of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) in a Baltic spawning site. 2014. Vortrag. 38th Annual Larval fish conference, Québec, Canada.  

Kotterba, P. Kaviar fürs Fisch-Volk: Der Stichling ist ein unterschätzer Räuber! 2014. Vortrag. 6th Rostock’s Eleven Science-Communication Workshop, Rostock, Deutschland

Kotterba, P., D. Moll, P. Paulsen and P. Polte: Atlantic herring Clupea harengus within the estuarine food web of southern Baltic lagoons. 2013. Vortrag. Herring early life stages seminar, Hamburg, Deutschland  

Kotterba, P., M. Paulsen, and P. Polte: A wolf in sheep’s clothing – Western Baltic herring as an intense predator of estuarine demersal fish. 2013. Vortrag. 48th European Marine Biology Symposium, Galway, Irland  

Moll, D., P. Kotterba, P. Polte: Impact of storm induced hydrodynamics on egg mortality of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) in the Western Baltic Sea. 2013. Poster. 48th European Marine Biology Symposium, Galway, Irland  

Kotterba, P., D. Moll, M. Paulsen, S. Beyer, J. Heiler, and P. Polte: Recruitment ecology Research at the Thuenen-Institute of Baltic Sea fisheries. 2013. Vortrag. Transnational HERRING Meeting, Rostock, Deutschland  

Moll, D., P. Kotterba, P. Polte: Impacts of storm induced hydrodynamics on herring egg mortality. 2013. Vortrag. Transnational HERRING Meeting, Rostock, Deutschland  

Lauerburg RAM, F. Keyl, P. Kotterba, J. Floeter and A. Temming: Sex-specific food intake in North Sea Whiting (Merlangius merlangus). 2013. Poster. ICES/NAFO Symposium Gadoid Fisheries, St Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada.  

Polte P., J. Heiler, D. Moll, S. Beyer and P. Kotterba: Horizontal and vertical distribution of early herring (Clupea harengus, L.) life stages in a shallow western Baltic lagoon. 2013. Vortrag. 37th  Annual Larval fish Conference, Miami, Florida, USA  

Polte, P., C. Hammer, P. Kotterba and C. Zimmermann: Survival bottlenecks in the early ontogenesis of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus,L.)  in coastal lagoon spawning areas of the western Baltic sea. 2012. Vortrag. 36th  Annual Larval fish Conference, Bergen, Norwegen.  

Kotterba, P., S. Beyer, C. Hammer, P. Polte: Survival bottlenecks in early herring (Clupea harengus, L.) life history in coastal lagoons of the Western Baltic Sea. 2012. Vortrag. 50th ECSA Conference, Venedig, Italien 

Kotterba, P., C. Hammer, C. Kühn, and P. Polte: Trophic interactions between oceanic and resident estuarine fish species - Atlantic herring and the three-spined stickleback. 2012. Vortrag. 47th European Marine Biology Symposium, Arendal, Norwegen  

Kotterba, P., S. Beyer, C. Hammer, and P. Polte: Stickleback predation on early life stages of herring (Clupea harengus, L.) in a shallow western Baltic retention area. 2011. Vortrag. ICES Annual Science Conference, Danzig, Polen    

Polte, P., S. Beyer, P. Kotterba, C. Hammer, R. Oeberst, and C. Zimmermann: Identification  of  recruitment  bottlenecks  in  the  early  life  history  of  western Baltic  herring (Clupea harengus L.). 2011. Poster. ICES Annual Science Conference, Danzig, Polen  

Beyer, S., C. Hammer, C. Zimmermann, O. Goni, P. Polte, and P. Kotterba: Herring Recruitment ecology: looking at the youngest. 2011. Poster. ICES Annual Science Conference, Danzig, Polen  

Kotterba, P., S. Sczodroc, F. Takizawa, B. Köllner, N. Lorenzen, M. Ototake, and U. Fischer: Cell-mediated cytotoxicity, immune gene regulation and protein expression after DNA vaccination in rainbow trout. 2009. Vortrag. 14th International EAFP Conference, Prag, Tschechien  

Kotterba, P., G. Kotterba und A. Tautenhahn: Untersuchung der immunstimulierenden Wirkung einer Chlorella vulgaris – Extraktfütterung auf Forellen. 2004. Poster. X. Gemeinschaftstagung der Deutschen und Österreichischen und Schweizer Sektion der EAFP, Stralsund, Deutschland.

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