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- From the end of September, Migros will offer its customers fresh fish, directly from its own farm in Birsfelden.
- Some 240 tonnes of perch and whitefish will be raised there sustainably each year.
- Sustainability must be ensured with closed circulation systems.
With fish in particular, there is still great potential in terms of sustainability. Because only five percent of the ever-growing consumption comes from Swiss lakes or local fish farms.
We want Swiss fish to stand out again.
Migros’ subsidiary, Micarna, now wants to satisfy the growing appetite of consumers for fish from Switzerland and the region with its first own aquaculture. “We want Swiss fish to stand out again,” emphasizes Martin Stalder, director of Micarna’s fish business.
Now there are more and more of these aquacultures in Switzerland. Successful examples of national fish production can be found, for example, with the salmon farm in Lostallo (GR) or a cooperative of ten farmers in the canton of Lucerne, which produces zander and salmon. There is also the Frutigen Tropical House, which raises sturgeons, perch and walleye.
Import numbers are constantly increasing
In all, the around 240 tonnes of Swiss perch and whitefish are just a drop in the ocean. Of all consumption, 95 percent is still imported. And the numbers are increasing steadily: in recent years they have risen to more than 70,000 tons per year.
Mathias Sigrist runs aquaculture at ZHAW in Wädenswil. From an ecological point of view, it makes perfect sense to rely more on these circular fish farming systems, he says.
According to experts, the concept is correct. The locally raised fish will be available at Migros Basel from the end of September. They will then be offered gradually from Birsfelden throughout Switzerland.
