Neusiedlersee Fisch

 
Record Number: 82
 
Disclosure Date
Fishery in Lake Neusiedl is documented at least since the mid-16^th  century.
 

Photo: BM...

Title
Lake Neusiedl fish
 
 
 
Abstract or claim
Traditional fish farming and fishery, especially common eels, carps, pike-perches, and pikes in the steppe lake Lake Neusiedl.
Fish grow under natural conditions without the addition of supplementary feeding stuffs.
 
Name of product, Product class
Fish
 
Name of region
Lake Neusiedl, Burgenland
 
Field of search
Food and Agriculture
 
Name of information provider
About 15 professional fishermen.
 
Name of applicant for title
---
 
Holder of knowledge or associated resources
---
 
Grantee(s), holder(s), assignee(s) or owner(s) of title, if any
---
 
Descriptors
- History:
Lake Neusiedl evolved due to several tectonic breaks and sagging on the surface of young-tertiary sediments between 18,000 - 14,000 B.C.
Stratigraphy shows that the lake bed dried up totally at least 100 times since its formation. During recent history the lake's complete disappearance was documented on several occasions, e.g. in 1740 – 1742 or in 1811 – 1813. Between1865 - 1871 the lake disappeared except for a small stripe.
 
Fishery in Lake Neusiedl is documented at least since the mid-16^th  century.
In the past so-called “Lake farmers” were engaged in fishery and the cutting of reed and rush. Fishing was an important source of income for most of the people living near the banks of the lake.
 
In the past most of the fishery waters were properties of the nobility and managed by their tributaries. However, sometimes ponds and other waters were let. Thus, for example, the villages Illmitz, Apetlon and Martinhofen had to deliver a carriage full of fish as interest to the court Esterházy in Eisenstadt.
A large amount of fish was transported to Vienna once per week.
 
Today’s fish fauna is the result of both artificial stocking and immigration of fish from the river Wulka and the so-called Einser-Kanal (artificial sluice).
 
In the 18^th  century the occurrence of pike-perches in Lake Neusiedl was mentioned.
Until 1949 only wild carps were found in the lake. After that, stocking with mirror carps, leather carp and the fully scaled carps began. In 1958 about 200.000 young common eels were introduced into the lake.
 
Since ever fish traps have been used in Lake Neusiedl. The traditional fish trap, the so called “Gade”, was made of reed and was locally fixed. However, from 2003 onward fish traps have been substituted by dragnets and gillnets.
 
In the past fish and fish dishes played an important role only in the cuisine of the nobility and bourgeois in the Burgenland. Fish and fish dishes were hardly ever eaten by farmers or used in the kitchen of vicarages. Pastries, instead of fish, were the main dishes on festive days.
 
- Region:
Lake Neusiedl (German: Neusiedlersee; Hungarian: Fertő tó) is the second largest steppe lake in Central Europe, straddling the Austrian–Hungarian border. The lake is situated in North Burgenland, at a distance of about 50 km from Austria’s capital, Vienna. The lake covers 315 km², of which 240 km² on the Austrian side. It is no more than 1.8 m deep. The lake is drained only by one artificial sluice (Einser-Kanal), which was completed in 1895.
 
Climatic conditions:
Lake Neusiedl is influenced by continental pannonic climate.
The lake is situated in one of the hottest and driest regions of Austria. Summers are dry and hot; winters are cold and poor in snow.
The annual average temperature is 10 °C; the annual precipitation only 600 mm.
 
Habitat:
The water of Lake Neusiedl is characterized by a very low salt concentration (about 1/20 of marine water). Although the lake is only 1.8 m deep the numerous suspended particles make the water cloudy and make it difficult for sunshine to reach the lake bottom. A reed zone encircles the lake and covers more than a third of the lake’s surface. The reed zone provides best spawning grounds for fish.
 
The water level fluctuates strongly depending on the amount of rainfall and evaporation in the hot area and the limited amount of water brought by the rivers Wulka, Wolfsbrunn and Angerbach and some subsurface springs. The low water volume of the flat lake leads to significant temporary and annual fluctuations of water temperature. Water temperature in summer is about 22 °C with peaks up to 30 °C.
 
- Lake Neusiedl fish:
Lake Neusiedl harbours more than 30 fish species. Biodiversity of fish is highest in the reed zone surrounding the lake.
Main food fish are common eel (Anguilla anguilla), carp (Cyprinus carpio), pike-perch (Sander lucioperca), pike (Esox luciu), and catfish (Silurus glanis).
Other fish species living in the lake are stickleback (Gasterosteidus), common bleak (Alburnus alburnus), silver bream (Blicca bjoerkna), carp bream(Abramis brama) and Eurasian Ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus), Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio), pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus), stone loach (Nemacheilus barbatulus), common whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus), Crucian Carp (Carassius carassius), Moderlieschen (Leucaspius delineatus), Common Rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus), European weatherfish (Misgurnus fossilis), and tench (Tinca tinca).
 
The common eel was introduced into lake Neusiedl in 1958, but became a problem as predator of spawn. Today eels are substituted mainly by the stocking of pikes, catfish, carps, and tenches. It is assumed that eels will be rare in Lake Neusiedl in about ten years’ time.
However, the non-stocking with eels resulted in massive income losses for professional fishermen who now run restaurants, farms or wineries in addition.
Today about 50 tons of fish are produced.
 
Feeding:
Fish feed only on organisms naturally occurring in the lake. There is no additional input of feeding stuff.
 
Fishing:
Fish are mainly harvested with dragnets or gillnets. Then the fish are kept in water tanks and the eels in net-sacks.
Most of the fish are sold alive, the rest is slaughtered.
 
Slaughtering:
Fish are slaughtered in slaughter rooms which have to comply with the requirements of hygiene. Then the fish are refrigerated or deep-frozen.
 
Processing and packaging:
The fish are cut or filleted and made ready for consumption.
The flesh is packed in plastic or is vacuum-packed.
 
Quality control:
The bathing water quality of Lake Neusiedl is controlled by the research institute Biologische Station Neusiedlersee (Biological Institute Lake Neusiedl) on a regular basis according to EC Directive 76/160/EEC.
The water quality has been determined to be mesotrophic to eutrophic since 1990.
 
Fish are regularly controlled with respect to germ content and heavy metals by food safety inspectors in the fishermen’s premises.
 
- Marketing:
Neusiedlersee Fisch is available throughout the year.
Fish are sold directly, on markets and to the local gastronomy.
 
Connection with the geographical area and Traditional Knowledge
- Specific soil and climate, water and landscape conditions in the region of
  Neusiedel provide optimal conditions for fishery.
- Production of Neusiedlersee Fische is the result of Traditional Knowledge
  passed on from generation to generation over centuries: the Traditional
  Knowledge and expertise of fishermen (traditional method of catching with
  nets, storage and transport) as well as of the slaughtering (cutting) and
  processing sectors.
 
- Utilization:
Fish are offered as fresh fish, ready for consumption, processed, frozen or smoked. Regional delicacies are eel traditionally hot smoked with local beech wood, Neusiedlersee Fischsuppe (Halaszlé) (LINK), Hechtnockerl, and eel with tomato.
 
- Protection:
-
 
Key Words
Food and Agriculture, Traditional Knowledge, Austria, Burgenland, region, Lake Neusiedl, fish, Lake Neusiedl fish, common eel (Anguilla anguilla), carp (Cyprinus carpio), pike-perch (Sander lucioperca), pike (Esox luciu), catfish (Silurus glanis),  (Gasterosteida), common bleak (Alburnus alburnus), s ream (Blicca bjoerkna), carp bream (Abramis brama) and Eurasian Ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus), Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio), pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus), stone loach (Nemacheilus barbatulus), common whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus), Crucian Carp (Carassius carassius), Moderlieschen (Leucaspius delineatus), Common Rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus), European weatherfish (Misgurnus fossilis), tench (Tinca tinca).
 
Bibliography / References
- KOENIG, O. Das Buch vom Neusiedlersee, Wollzeilen Verlag, 1961,
  Wien, pp.238-241
- LOEFFLER, H. Der Neusiedlersee-Naturgeschichte eines Steppensees,
  Verlag Fritz Molden, Wien-München-Zürich, 1974, pp. 105-115
- MAIER-BRUCK, F. Burgenland: Fischgerichte. In: Vom Essen auf dem Lande,
  2nd edition, Verlag Kremayr & Scheriau, Wien, 1995, p. 20
- SIEVERS, G.W. (2007). Genussland Österreich – Was Küche und Keller zu
  bieten haben, Leopold Stocker Verlag, pp. 379-382
- Als einziger Steppensee Mitteleuropas liegt der Neusiedler See im nördl.
  Teil des Burgenlandes.
  http://www.lsv-burgenland.at/index.php?id=28&full=257
- Delikatesse aus dem Neusiedler See
  http://burgenland.orf.at/stories/162689/
- Die Fischer vom Neusiedler See
  http://www.angeltechniken.de/?p=1180
- Die Schilffischer vom Neusiedler See
  http://www.pressetext.at/pte.mc?pte=980916011
- Einser-Kanal
  http://aeiou.iicm.tugraz.at/aeiou.encyclop.e/e353065.htm
- Einserkanal
  http://www.neusiedlerseewiki.at/Einserkanal
- Fakten & Zahlen, Neusiedler See
  http://www.welterbe.org/fakten/de
- Fisch
  http://www.neusiedlerseewiki.at/Fisch
- Fischen
  http://www.byc.at/neusiedler_see/Fischen--a380.html
- Fischerei Schwarz
  http://www.agrarprojektpreis.at/fischerei-schwarz.424.htm
- Geschichte des Neusiedler Sees
  http://www.lsv-burgenland.at/index.php?id=28&full=135
- Lake Neusiedl
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_neusiedl
- Neusiedlersee Fisch
  http://www.genuss-region.at/article/archive/24989
- Neusiedler See
  http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neusiedler_See
- Neusiedler See 
  http://burgenland.anglerinfo.at/Burgenland_Gewaesser/Neusiedl/Neusiedl_Gewasser/ND_Neusiedler_See/ND_Neusiedler_See_Detail/nd_neusiedler_see_detail.html - Neusiedler See
  http://www.breitenbrunn.at/cms/Neusiedler_See.86.0.html
- Neusiedler See – Stilles Wasser
  http://www.stern.de/reise/europa/:Neusiedler-See--Stilles-Wasser/531057.html
- Revierinformation Neusiedler See-Chronik
  http://www.byc.at/neusiedler_see/chronik/
- Schilfgürtel am Neusiedlersee
  http://www.neusiedlerseewiki.at/Schilf
- Schwierige Schilfernte auf dem See
  http://burgenland.orf.at/stories/254056/
- Varga ist Fisch. Und mehr
  http://www.varga.co.at/index.html
- Von zartem Spargel, scharfem Chili und Schmorbraten vom Steppenrind
  UNIVERSUM-Magazin, Nr.1/Spezial 2005
  http://www.kamolz.at/cgi-bin/page.pl?id=21
- Von Heimkehrern, Einwanderern und eingeschleppten Arten
  http://www.nationalparks.or.at/article/articleview/59071/1/21523
- Wasserqualität
  http://www.byc.at/neusiedler_see/Wasserqualitaet--a317.html
- Zander statt Aal für den Neusiedler See
  http://burgenland.orf.at/stories/170251/
- Zander statt Aal
  http://194.242.37.89/aktuell/367
 
All internet references last accessed on 7 September 2009.
 
Language Code
German
 
Product of www.genuss-region.at
Yes
 
Regional contact
Neusiedlersee Fische
Mr Fritz Tösch
Untere Hauptstr. 59
7100 Neusiedl am See
Phone: 02167/40222
E-mail: landgasthaus@nyikospark.at
 
Autoren: Mag. Doris Reinthaler, Mag. Eva Sommer, Dr. Erhard Höbaus
 

29.07.2010, Lebensministerium III/4