The fera is a quintessential freshwater fish and symbol of Lake Geneva, an inland sea where it thrived for millennia. Rarely more than 60 cm long, the fera has a slender, streamlined body and silver scales. It is generally a deep water fish, only coming closer to the shore in December to breed.
As such, fishing is prohibited between mid-October and the end of January.
Much, indeed excessively, loved in the early 20th century, fera was fished to the brink of extinction in the 1920s. Nevertheless, somewhere between 250 and 300 “professional” fishing permits were still valid just before he second world war, although most of the permit holders were not full-time fishermen.
Since the 1980s, the number of professional permits has been reduced to around 40, and fishing must be the primary activity of all holders.
Lake Geneva fera can now be trademarked as Alpine lake fish.