Meet the fishers

Meet the Lake Hjälmaren pikeperch gill-net fishers

The MSC-certified pikeperch fisheries are located at picturesque Lake Hjälmaren in South Sweden. The fishers put up gill nets during the ice season and catch pikeperch with traps during the rest of the year – hence it is counted as 2 fisheries. 

In August 2006, the Lake Hjälmaren pikeperch fisheries became the first freshwater and first Swedish fisheries to be certified as sustainable.

Pikeperch, also known as zander, are pelagic fish inhabiting fresh water reservoirs, lakes and rivers. They thrive in rather low visibility and are very active at night. They are fast predators and grow relatively quickly. They may reach 20 kilograms in size, typical catches, however, are considerably smaller. The flesh of this fish is white, juicy and tender and contains little fat.

"Sweden has more than 100,000 lakes and most of its people live close to some kind of water. Fishing has always been an integral part of Swedish society. To make sure it stays this way the fishers at Lake Hjälmaren have opted for MSC certification. Their understanding and consideration of the lake's ecosystem has now been rewarded and they hope that this recognition will open new markets in Europe."

Inger Näslund
Marine and Fisheries Conservation Officer, WWF Sweden