Do you like fishing? Yes, but not just any species at any time!
Professional and recreational fishing in Lake Geneva requires a compulsory fishing permit and is governed by a Franco-Swiss agreement that sets fishing periods according to the reproduction periods of the various fish species. Fish are protected during their reproduction period to ensure that populations last. These regulations specify the mesh sizes of nets (and therefore the catch size) and the number of gears authorised, as well as the periods during which fish may not be caught. The table below shows the protection periods by species in Lake Geneva.
There are around thirty species of fish and shellfish in Lake Geneva, including around twenty indigenous species. Many of them are quite edible, but the fish most eaten around Lake Geneva are perch, arctic char, trout and whitefish (commonly known as féra). Fishing is therefore highly targeted at these four species, which puts pressure on their populations.
But how can this pressure be reduced?
Diversifying fishing by increasing demand for species that are not widely consumed.
So let yourself be tempted by the taste of the unknown and get into the habit of eating a wider variety of fish such as roach, pike, monkfish or even tench.
Firstly, the Gardon (Rutilus rutilus), also known as Vengeron, is a fish that very often ends up in fishermen's nets, but due to a lack of demand, it ends up back in the water. Yet it has a very pleasant iodised flavour and can be prepared in the same way as a sardine. Chef Benoit Girardon is one of its specialists, and has invented a range of spreadable creams called " Délice du Gardon " (https://www.leterroirduleman.ch/produits/).
Next, the Pike (Esox lucius), is more difficult to prepare because of its many Y-shaped bones, but its flesh is tasty and delicate. It can be cooked in a variety of ways: minced, in quenelles, on skewers and you can even make chips with its fins!
For its part, Lotte (Lota lota) is renowned for its fine flesh, its low number of bones and for its liver, which enthusiasts believe to be the best fish liver. It is regularly filleted and its liver can be eaten as a burger or used to stuff fish and pâtés.
Finally, the Tench (Tinca tinca), with its tender, flavoursome flesh, is a very refined fish. It can be cooked as a herb gravelax, fish and chips or in a terrine. It can also be smoked, as suggested by fisherman Bernard Cerutti.
Where can you find them?
The easiest way is to contact the fishermen and women in your area directly, as many of them sell directly. They will also be able to give you advice on how to prepare the fish.
We hope we've whetted your appetite, now let's get cooking and don't hesitate to share your favourite recipes and fish with us on our social networks.
Sources
Torrent, MT. (2020). Recipes from Manu & his crew, wild fish from Lake Geneva. Editions Slatkine.
International Commission for the Protection of the Waters of Lake Geneva (CIPEL) (2013) - Fishing trends in Lake Geneva
Website : https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/2015/902/fr ; https://www.leterroirduleman.ch/histoire-de-nos-lacs/ ; https://museeduleman.ch/le-musee/les-aquariums/especes/ ; https://stephanedecotterd.com/2015/11/06/le-brochet-un-grand-predateur-dans-les-eaux-du-leman/ ; http://www.daveblog.ch/archive/2010/02/19/la-lotte-d-eau-douce-un-delice.html
Photo credit :
Poster of the indigenous fish of Lake Geneva available from the ASL shop.
