Climate Change Drives Surge in Swiss Catfish Population

Warming waters lead to dramatic increase in catfish numbers across Swiss waterways, with specimens exceeding 2 meters becoming more common in Lake Constance.

Key Takeaways

Catfish catches in Switzerland have increased from 506 in 2003 to 7,622 in 2023.
An amateur fisherman caught a 2.2-meter, 86.5-kilogram catfish in the Old Rhine near Diepoldsau.
Rising water temperatures due to global warming are the primary driver for the spread and growth of catfish.
In Germany, a catfish attacked five bathers in Lake Brombachsee, leading police to shoot the animal.

By The Numbers

7,622

catfish caught in 2023

506

catfish caught in 2003

2.2 meters

length of recent specimen

86.5 kilograms

weight of recent specimen

They Said

"This sharp increase is thought to be linked to the increasingly high water temperatures caused by global warming."
— David Frei

"What’s important is that we humans show respect for aquatic creatures such as catfish."
— David Frei

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Bather Safety: Separating Myth from Reality

Sources & References

Catfish thriving in Switzerland due to climate change

SWI swissinfo.ch