Hjälmargös gets protected status in the EU

Published 30 July 2024 at 08.57

Domestic. Hjälmargös is a wild-caught fresh zander (Sander lucioperca) from Hjälmaren. The small-scale and sustainable fishing of Hjälmargös is MSC-certified and now Hjälmargös can also boast a protected designation of origin in the EU.

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Hjälmargös is fished in Hjälmaren, Sweden's fourth largest lake, which is shared between the three provinces of Södermanland, Närke and Västmanland.

The tradition of fishing in Hjälmaren goes back to ancient times and the approximately 35 active professional fishermen today conduct small-scale fishing with long-term sustainability in focus. In 2006, the fishing of Hjälmargös became the world's first lake fishery to be MSC-certified (Marine Stewardship Council).

– Many of us who work with the fishing of Hjälmargös are the children and grandchildren of fishermen, and we want to keep the fish in the lake to our children and grandchildren. Therefore, it is important for us to fish sustainably and with quality, says Anna Vesper Gunnarsson, chairman of the Hjälmaren fishermen's association and 17th generation fisherman in Hjälmaren, in a press release.

That Hjälmargös has now received protected designation of origin within the EU means that the product name is protected from plagiarism. Hjälmargös must be produced according to the adopted product description within the geographical area.

Hjälmargös is sold at fish auctions in Stockholm and Gothenburg where a large proportion is exported to the Netherlands. In Sweden, Hjälmargös is popular among chefs and has been served at Nobel dinners and at royal weddings.