The FCVPA section of Martigny organized the 96th assembly of delegates of the Fédération Cantonale Valaisanne des Pêcheurs Amateurs (Cantonal Federation of Valais Amateur Fishermen) with great skill. This assembly brought together 90 delegates from the different regions of Valais.
Mr. Bernard Broye, President of the FCVPA cantonal committee, presented the major events that have marked the year 2024. Mr. Broye detailed the most serious damage to wildlife and aquatic environments: The draining of the Toules dam, which wiped out all the fish and benthic fauna between Bourg-St-Pierre and Martigny, pollution of 4 kilometers of the Fully Canal, the flooding of the Navizence, which destroyed almost the entire fish population, the flooding of the fish farms in Brig and Leuk and the destruction of the breeding ponds in the Saas Valley. Civil engineering works, carried out in a manner that did not comply with the requirements for the preservation of wildlife, also seriously damaged the wildlife in various sectors of the Wissigen canal and the Saas Viège. All these unfortunate events seriously affect not only the fish but also their breeding grounds, endangering local populations.
Mr. Broye noted the excellent collaboration with the Service de la Chasse, de la Pêche et de la Faune and emphasized the hard work of all the fish farmers, those responsible for the releases, and the various assistants working in the twelve sections of the FCVPA. These various players contribute actively throughout the year to compensate for the natural reproduction of fish and ‘breakages’ by a controlled restocking of the various rivers and lakes in the canton with juvenile fish from local stocks.
Some interresting Datas :
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- Catch statistics 2024
- Restockings of waterways
The Assembly has decided on a significant change: from 2026, the use of single, double or triple barbed hooks will be banned in all Valais waters. As a result, the current exception for open water will be abolished.
Mr. Stefan Wenger, vice-president of the Swiss Fishing Federation and Mr. Nicolas Bourquin, head of the Valais Hunting, Fishing and Wildlife Service, presented various projects currently underway within their respective organizations.
An overview of the future fishven catch registration application was also presented by Mr. Papilloud, an employee of the SCPF. This application, which is already in production in several Swiss cantons, should be available to fishermen in Valais in 2026.
Fishing in Valais is a popular hobby among residents and tourists alike. In 2024, around 2,500 fishermen took out an annual fishing license and 3,500 short-term daily fishing licenses were sold at points of sale throughout the canton.
