Despite the ban on sales of pike and perch, Zug still celebrates the Rötel

Following the ban on the sale on pike and perch from Lake Zug, the mood among professional fishermen has been troubled. At the same time, however, the cantonal government has opened the season for Rötel fishing through an exclusive meeting. This has drawn criticism – though not all fishermen share it.
 

The Rötel (red char) is a Zug institution, as much a part of the city's identity as its Kirschtorte (cherry cake). Also known as the ‘lake char’, this fish is an exclusive delicacy. Its season lasts only from mid-November to January, and the fish is relatively scarce – and catch numbers are declining.

The ceremony surrounding the Rötel is also exclusive. Every year, the Director of the Interior hosts a tasting dinner (Rötelessen) where the fish is sampled and the season is officially opened. The eight to twelve guests are personally invited by the Director of the Interior; self-invitation is not permitted. Furthermore, each person is invited only once in their lifetime.

The Zuger Zeitung newspaper was therefore not present when the traditional Rötelessen took place last Wednesday evening at the Aesch Restaurant in Walchwil. But Landammann (Cantonal Governor) Andreas Hostettler (FDP) recorded that the "excellently prepared" Rötel was tasted in various forms and with different side dishes, accompanied by a "fine Swiss wine." He also stated that the fish had been cleared for fishing.

This is not entirely a given, as this year's celebratory meal took place under unusual circumstances: In mid-November, the canton announced that pike (Hecht) and perch (Egli) from Lake Zug could no longer be sold (we reported at the time). Monitoring had revealed that the fish exceeded the maximum levels for PFAS – Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a harmful, long-lasting chemical – that are prescribed by the federal government.

The measure shocked the professional fishermen, some of whom spoke of existential worries. This was also because the ban coincided with the start of the closed season for whitefish (Felchen). And the ban is likely to remain in effect for an extended period, as the PFAS contamination of the fish will only decrease once the contamination in the whole of Lake Zug is reduced.

Uncertain and anxious fishermen on the one hand, a ceremony celebrated solemnly in an exclusive circle on the other – does that add up?

"A very strange signal"
'No', says Daniel Schwendeler emphatically. The professional fisherman from Arth (SZ) has been fishing on Lake Zug since 1989, and expressed his incomprehension and concerns about the future after the ban was announced. He considers it a "very strange signal" that the traditional Rötelessen organised by the Director of the Interior went ahead as usual this year. After enacting the drastic sales ban on perch and pike, which is detrimental to fishermen, the government should have immediately investigated the PFAS contamination of Rötel. "But the cantonal government wanted to continue eating Rötel for free and with a clear conscience," he complains.

The Rötel is being celebrated as a symbol of Zug – as on this advertising poster in the city of Zug.             Photo: Matthias Jurt
Professional fisherman Daniel Schwendeler in action.        Photo: provided.
Toni Hürlimann has been a professional fisherman for almost 40 years      Photo: Stefan Kaiser
 

He also cannot understand the unequal treatment of pike and perch on the one hand, and Rötel on the other. The responsible Office for Forests and Wildlife (Amt für Wild und Wald) explained the high PFAS contamination of pike and perch by stating that they are predatory fish that feed primarily on other fish – and therefore ingest increased amounts of PFAS through their feeding behaviour. "But the Rötel is also a predatory fish – but unlike pike and perch, it apparently wasn't tested," he adds.

Mattias Fricker, cantonal chemist and head of the Zug Office for Consumer Protection (Amt von Verbraucherschutz), confirms that the Rötel had not yet been tested for PFAS. "The Rötel season started in November, which is why the sampling is only taking place now." According to him, the fact that perch and pike have now been affected is due to random samples taken in 2024. The PFAS limits were exceeded in pike and perch even then – but not in whitefish (Felchen) and roach (Rotaugen). The canton issued a corresponding notice in December 2024, and a monitoring programme was subsequently launched in cooperation with commercial fishermen, and will continue until next spring. "The results for pike and perch were so clear, however, that they could no longer be sold – this is entirely in the best interest of consumers," said Mattias Fricker.

In the meantime, Daniel Schwendeler and other fishermen with whom the Zuger Zeitung newspaper spoke cannot understand why the sale of pike and perch should no longer be permitted – while private catching and personal consumption is allowed. "That shows it can't be all that dangerous," says Daniel Schwendeler.

Mattias Fricker adds that the scope of food law does not extend to the private sphere. "And that's a good thing, otherwise we'd have to inspect private refrigerators, which we don't want to do." In its statement regarding the recently imposed sales ban, the canton advises reducing intake of fish, due to the accumulation of PFAS substances in the body.

Is it all just "scaremongering"?
“Perhaps a warning label on the product would be a solution, like on cigarettes," says Toni Hürlimann jokingly. The Walchwil resident has been a professional fisherman on Lake Zug for almost 40 years, and takes a more relaxed view of the situation than his colleague Daniel Schwendeler. He even speaks of "scaremongering" being spread by some fishermen.

Most of the professional fishermen on Lake Zug – there are about ten of them – focus on catching whitefish. "In recent years, perch and pike were more of a side business during the closed season for whitefish," says Toni Hürlimann. This closed season only lasts from mid-November to mid-January. And Rötel can also be fished from mid-November onwards. The fact that at least this species can still be caught is a positive thing: "Rötel guarantees a good price and is a status symbol – luckily, fishing for it is still permitted!" he adds. He thereby can't bring himself to complain about the "unequal treatment" of the different fish species by the authorities.

Is the sales ban on perch and pike from Lake Zug now a threat to livelihoods – or is it not so bad after all?

Pascal Reichlin, president of the cantonal professional fishermen's association (Berufsfischerverband), offers a nuanced perspective: "How the sales ban affects an individual fisherman depends largely on his sales structure." A fisherman who supplies the wholesale trade with whitefish is less affected than one who sells his catch in a small specialty shop. "He can't just offer whitefish there; he needs to offer a certain selection." And perch (Egli) can be sold at a higher price in a small fish shop: "The price per kilo there is between CHF 70 and CHF 80, while the price per kilo of whitefish is between CHF 35 and CHF 40." The sales prices are lower in wholesale, and the differences are correspondingly less noticeable.

Fear of creating a bad image
This concern is shared by Pascal Reichlin: "The reputation of fish from Lake Zug is likely to suffer, and this could also affect species that do not exceed the legal PFAS limit." He therefore hopes that, following the warnings and negative reports, the authorities will now also emphasize the positive aspects of Lake Zug fish, and fishing in general.

This doesn't seem necessary in connection with the Rötel, which is being promoted in the canton through various channels. Posters advertising the canton's flagship fish can currently be seen in the city and at the entrances to towns. As president of the professional fishermen's association, Pascal Reichlin also says: "Should it soon turn out that the Rötel is also contaminated with PFAS, this would be very painful." He has one hope in this case, however: "The canton would then probably take action and do everything in its power to make fishing possible."

The special status of the Rötel –a source of both irritation and hope for the fishermen.

Compensation details not yet finalised
With the announcement of the ban on sales, the cantonal government (Regierungsrat) has committed itself to provide financial support for professional fishermen, although further details are not yet available. According to Beda Schlumpf, head of the Fisheries and Hunting Department, the goal is not only "to mitigate the economic consequences for the affected professional fishermen." The measure should also help maintain the ecological balance of the lake.

Meanwhile, professional fisherman Daniel Schwendeler is calling for faster action on the compensation issue: As pike and perch from Lake Zug can no longer be sold, and the closed season for whitefish is also in effect, professional fishermen on Lake Zug are currently "effectively banned from carrying out their profession."