Lake Hjälmaren pikeperch fish-trap and gillnet

Certified as sustainable on 7 August 2006

Summary

Species: Pikeperch (Sander lucioperca)
Location: Lake Hjälmaren, southern Sweden
Fishing methods: Summer fish-trap and Gill-net
Number of fisheries:  1

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More about pikeperch

Pikeperch is a piscivorous freshwater fish that occurs in eastern and central Europe. It can grow reasonably old, to over 20 yrs, and reach a mass of over 10 kg. Pikeperch mature at 3-5 years of age and spawn in shallow water, often 2-5 metres deep, in the spring and early summer. The spawning site is aggressively guarded by the adults until the eggs have hatched.

More about the fishing methods

Gill-nets are nets "set" to intercept fish during their normal migrations. Fish try to swim through deliberately sized mesh openings but are unable to squeeze through swimming forward. Once in this position, they are prevented from backing out because then their gills get caught. The mesh size of gill nets used in Lake Hjälmaren is set to minimize catches of undersized, less than 45 cm, pikeperch.

Fish-traps are used to catch pikeperch mainly during the ice free season in summer.  These traps vary in size, construction and mesh-size. The traps are set at a depth less than 5 metres. The fish get trapped in the part which is called fish house and this is taken up to the surface and emptied by the fishermen.

Fishery tonnage

166 tonnes