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Fish in Germany
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European Whitefish

European Whitefish

Coregonus lavaretus

DE: Große Maräne

Not listed
Maximum Size
70 cm
Waters
5

Distinguishing Features

Slender silvery body, superior mouth, adipose fin, dark fin margins.

Habitat

Large deep lakes and brackish water; open-water zone, schooling fish.

Red List Germany

Not assessed in a German Red List.

Germany does not list Coregonus lavaretus as one species; its native whitefish are several species, each with its own category.

Fishing rules by federal state

Can I keep it?
Federal state Minimum size Closed season Notes
Brandenburg Protected year-round

Protected year-round in rivers. In lakes after stocking: 30 cm, closed 1 Oct – 31 Dec.

Not yet researched here — see the ordinance of: Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia

Statewide rules for anglers as of 24 Oct 2026, without guarantee. Clubs and waters can set stricter rules; the ordinance text is binding.

Waters

Baden-Württemberg Bavaria Berlin Brandenburg Bremen Hamburg Hesse Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Lower Saxony North Rhine-Westphalia Rhineland-Palatinate Saarland Saxony Saxony-Anhalt Schleswig-Holstein Thuringia Rhein Elbe Donau Oder Weser Ems Main Mosel Neckar Havel Spree Saale Isar Inn Finowkanal Oder-Havel-Kanal Main-Donau-Kanal Mittellandkanal Steinhuder Meer Scharmützelsee Schwielochsee Senftenberger See Bodensee Chiemsee Ammersee Starnberger See Müritz

Map: Natural Earth (public domain); © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)

Expected occurrence, modelled from each water's fish zones, habitat type and the federal states the species lives in, and checked against GBIF records — not a record of observations.