2 - So why is it so complicated?

This is what I am frequently asked by friends and colleagues, and once you get into it, it makes a lot of sense:
In many other countries, take for example the UK, you buy a license valid for the year during the fishing season. There is a closed season (March 15th à June 15th) which is in place to allow the fish time to spawn and reproduce. The slight problem with this is that all species of fish do not reproduce at the same time of year, and this is the premise for the German system:
In Germany you can fish 12 months of the year, but you are not allowed to target a species of fish if it is in it’s reproductive time of year and if you accidentally catch one, then you must put it back because catch and release is not allowed in Germany, you must kill and take all fish you catch unless:
i) It is too small.
ii) It is in it’s reproductive season.
iii) It is on the ‘Red List’ of protected species.
So the lessons are to educate you in fish recognition and to understand legal size limits.
In addition, you are taught how to humanely kill the fish, dissect it and identify any form of disease to allow you to:
i) Decide if it is safe to eat.
ii) Be the eyes of the Environment Agency and help track the presence or spread of disease.
The course content also includes a general education covering the general ecology of the water systems as well as basic fishing equipment, how and when to use it.
The exam is multiple choice, 60 out of a possible 660 questions (in Hessen).