Professional fishing for catfish is starting.

On Monday, October 29, 2025, activities related to professional fishing began for the containment of the catfish in the Avigliana Lakes Natural Park. The initiative is one of the actions of the Life Predator project, in which the Protected Areas of the Cottian Alps are partners, aimed at controlling Silurus glanis, the aquatic predator that represents an invasive alien species in the freshwater bodies of southern Europe.

The first operations took place in the Small Lake, where it is believed that a significant reduction—if not even eradication—of the catfish is possible after studies have certified that its population is not excessively abundant in a lake context where fishing is simpler due to the limited depth of the basin. The activities were carried out on Monday, October 29, and Tuesday, October 30, using the technique of electrofishing and fishing with the use of longlines, which allowed the collection of a total of 5 individuals with a total weight of 42 kg of biomass removed from the lake waters. The fact that predominantly young fish were captured is considered positive in terms of complicating the generational turnover process within the catfish population. The work of the team of ichthyologists will continue on Monday, October 6, and Tuesday, October 7, followed by an analysis phase to evaluate the effectiveness of the different techniques used and the best strategies to adopt for future sessions.

From a technical perspective, electrofishing is carried out by applying a light electric shock in some priority areas of the lake to temporarily stun certain types of fish that come to the surface. The personnel aboard the vessel then proceed to collect the catfish individuals, while others resume their regular life cycle. Fishing with longlines, on the other hand, involves targeted use of hooks and bait to avoid catching the northern pike, the other main aquatic predator present in the Avigliana Lakes that is to be protected as an indigenous species. The captured Silurus glanis have been stored by the Park Authority staff for use in future research and analysis activities.