Study on Fish Fauna: Sustainability of Fishing in Lake Garda

The Lombardy Region, in collaboration with the Veneto Region, the Autonomous Province of Trento, and the University of Insubria, has launched an important project for the sustainable management of fishing in Lake Garda. The initiative was announced by the Councillor for Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Forests, Alessandro Beduschi, and aims to study the conservation status of the fish fauna in the lake. This biodiversity-rich environment faces significant challenges such as human impact and invasive species. The project, with a budget of 830,000 euros funded by the European FEAMPA Fund 2021-2027, is set to conclude in 2027 and will focus on analyses of key species for professional fishing. Currently, around 80 professional fishing enterprises operate in the lake, but the sector is facing difficulties related to declining catches and the suspension of coregonus releases due to regulatory constraints. The study will concentrate on the species most relevant to commercial fishing, such as coregonus and the Garda carp, which are emblematic of the lake’s ecosystem. Beduschi emphasized that this project represents a concrete example of cooperation between institutions and the scientific community to protect a unique heritage and ensure a sustainable future for fishing and the biodiversity of the lake. Italian Version