An alarm regarding the counterfeiting of whitefish has raised concerns among fishermen and restaurateurs along the lakeside, where reports indicate the presence of fish sold as local, but actually sourced from other lakes or even Denmark. The situation has become critical following the restrictions imposed by the Ministry of Ecological Transition on the restocking of this fish species, which was originally introduced in 1918. Fishermen are vocally demanding the restoration of restocking efforts, while many restaurants have been forced to remove whitefish from their menus due to its scarcity.
The first reports of irregularities date back to July, when trays of lavarello were spotted labeled as “caught in freshwater – Italy Lake Garda” being sold at competitive prices. This situation poses a serious threat to a sector that includes about 35 fishermen on the Brescia side and approximately sixty on the Verona side. As the fish population in the lake continues to decline, there is growing concern that illegal activities related to the sale of untraceable fish could further exacerbate the ecological and commercial crisis in the area.
