Hamburg raises fines for feeding geese to 200 euros and clamps down on littering

Hamburg's district offices and the environmental authority have jointly revised the city's fine catalogue, introducing substantially higher penalties for a range of environmental violations. The overhaul targets both the long-standing problem of feeding waterfowl and the rising tide of litter in public spaces. Umweltsenatorin Katharina Fegebank (Greens) said the tougher sanctions are needed because careless behaviour harms the community and overburdens shared recreational areas.

Whoever simply leaves cigarette butts, cups or bulky waste lying around harms the general public.

New fine amounts

The revised penalties cover everything from chewing gum to large-scale illegal dumping. Discarding a cigarette butt now costs between 100 and 300 euros, up from a previous range of 35 to 150 euros. Spitting out a piece of gum on the pavement can attract a fine of 55 to 150 euros, compared with the earlier starting point of 35 euros. Takeaway packaging and other small waste left in parks or on streets may be fined between 35 and 300 euros, doubling the former ceiling.

For bulkier items, the increases are even steeper. Unlawfully dumping small bulky waste (up to one cubic metre) now carries a maximum penalty of 2,000 euros, while the previous cap was 1,500 euros. A single small piece, no larger than 0.1 cubic metres, is now subject to a fixed fine of 55 euros. Large-scale illegal disposal (over one cubic metre) will be punished with fines ranging from 2,000 to 16,000 euros, a sharp rise from the old bracket of 1,000 to 8,000 euros.

Protecting waterfowl and green spaces

Feeding geese and other water birds on the Alster and its surrounding green spaces has also been made much more expensive. The maximum fine for prohibited feeding has doubled from 100 to 200 euros. In severe or repeated cases the environmental authority (BUKEA) can impose penalties reaching into the four-figure range. Fegebank stressed that feeding the birds stems from a misguided idea of animal welfare and ultimately damages the waterfowl while degrading the very lawns and parks used by all Hamburgers.

Feeding out of misguided love for animals leads to problems for the animals and at the same time burdens the green spaces.

Why the crackdown now?

The city's push comes as the grey goose population has grown visibly, especially during the moulting season in July. Many grey geese from Schleswig-Holstein spend several weeks on Hamburg's waters while they are flightless, using the area as a safe retreat. During this period, known locally as "Mausergäste" (moulting guests), the birds are particularly conspicuous on riverbanks and lawns. The authority lists the Stadtparkwiese, the green spaces along Hufnerstrasse, Ohlsdorf station and the Kuhmühle as hotspots.

Despite the large numbers, scientific studies have found no evidence that the geese are displacing other water birds. Grey geese are entirely vegetarian and occupy different breeding habitats and feeding niches than species such as great crested grebes, ducks or rails. Officials see the growing recreational use of the Alster and its canals as a larger threat to nesting sites.

Last year alone, the city's cleaning services had to collect nearly 6,000 tonnes of illegally discarded waste. The new fine schedule took effect immediately, and additional signs have been put up to remind the public of the feeding ban.