Lake Garda Catfish Control Funded with €100,000 for Professional Fishers

Regional authorities in Lombardy and Veneto have allocated €100,000 to support professional fishers in removing invasive European catfish (wels) from Lake Garda. The funding can cover up to €20,000 per fishing company for specialised nets, storage equipment and other gear needed to target the large predators, which can exceed two metres in length and 50 kg in weight.

A new “selection‑fisher” programme will certify anglers to catch catfish, and a dedicated smartphone app will record each catch’s GPS location, size and number. The data will be shared with scientists to monitor the spread and assess the effectiveness of the control measures. Officials such as Dario Bond and Floriano Massardi stress that the catfish threaten native fish species and damage fishing nets, prompting urgent action before the ecosystem reaches a point of no return.