It is a fish that is often found on the menu of starred restaurants. But in Évian-les-Bains, on the shores of Lake Geneva, the féra is becoming increasingly rare. Ten years ago, in 2011-2012, fishermen took out 900 tonnes. Now it’s more like 200 tons, while the fishing industry has become dependent on the féra.
“Over an average year, the féra has always represented around 70% of the fisherman’s turnover.”
Michaël Dumaz, President of the Association of Professional Fishermen of Lake Genevaat franceinfo
“When picking up ten féras costs 20 or 30 bullets of fuel, plus the man’s hours… might as well stay at home”is sorry Michael Dumaz.
Although the melting of the glaciers brings some respite, the water is warmer and the lake is becoming poorer in food. So, the féra is less present. “The warming almost makes the mixing of the lake disappear, it’s been ten years since we had it”, explains Michaël Dumaz, the boss of the association of professional fishermen of Lake Geneva. brewing, “It’s the engine of the lake, if you like. If we don’t seek the bottom waters which are rich in nutrients, and the surface rises by this winter mixing, it could be complicated at the future to produce fish.”
“It’s a problem that is general”ensures Chloé Goulon, researcher at INRAE, the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment. “People who go to study whitefish in Scandinavia have questions about the impact of temperatures on egg development.”
“If the temperature has played a major role in reducing the stock and behind you there is strong fishing pressure, obviously it is not improving.”
Chloé Goulon, researcher at INRAEat franceinfo
The fish had already had to be reintroduced into Lake Geneva after disappearing from the lake in the early 20th century due to overfishing and disease. From now on, the warming of the waters could make it disappear definitively.