Swiss Fishing Federation: zander elected fish of 2025

The Swiss Fishing Federation has designated the pikeperch as fish of the year 2025. “Superb like a mythical creature, merciless like a fiery predator, it is appreciated both for fishing and in cooking,” noted the FSP on Thursday.

“The zander is truly a beautiful fish,” enthuses David Bittner, administrator of the FSP. It looks like “a fabulous animal straight out of a storybook,” according to him. “Its appearance is majestic due to its two separate dorsal fins. Its slightly sparkling scales, its large eyes and its widely protruding mouth give it an air of nobility.

“The zander is one of the most fascinating fish in Swiss waters,” emphasizes the FSP, enthusiastically. He is an “immigrant” who only began to spread in our country about sixty years ago, she notes. Today, it lives in numbers in the lakes of Murten, Gruyère, Schiffenen, Sihl, Constance and in Lake Lugano.

He is also a formidable hunter. It stalks its prey even at night. Like wolves, it moves in packs, surrounds its victim in a coordinated manner – then attacks suddenly. The male is also an excellent dad. It is he who builds the nest to accommodate the eggs and who watches over them “ferociously”.

Thanks to its ability to adapt, the zander is also one of the rare fish to survive on its own. But it must be exploited sustainably and therefore protected, notes the Federation. She therefore calls for, for him and for all the country’s fish, more natural aquatic habitats, “so that wild native fish are once again more numerous for fishing.”

Very popular for fishing and cooking