Silbersee (Villach)

General Description

Popular bathing lake. The Silbersee, situated in the west of Villach directly near the river Drau is a man- made lake, which in the 1970s developed in the ground-water region by digging gravel out of it. It has become a popular bathing lake since 1980.

Fish Stock

There are 12 species of fish in the lake (JAKLITSCH, oral information):

Pike (Esox lucius)
Bass (Perca fluviatilis)
Catfish (Silurus glanis)
Chub (Leuciscus cephalus)
Carp (Cyprinus carpio)
Bleak (Alburnus alburnus)
Roach (Rutilus rutilus)
Common rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus)
Tench (Tinca tinca)
Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Barbel (Barbus barbus)
Gudgeon (Gobio gobio)

There was a stocking of catfish which did not bring the expected success. Pike grow very well in the lake, which results out of the former respectable stock of crayfish that served the pike as a food resource (FARKAS, 1991).

Fishing management. Up to 1990 there was no fishing management but since 1991 the lake is leased to a fishing association that manages the Silbersee. From time to time fish dying of tench and large, stocked rainbow trout decreased the population. Its reason was an infection attack at the gill crayfish (Ergasilus sieboldii).

Occurence of Crayfish

Precious crayfish population. Again and again divers observed Astacus astacus in the lake during the last years. They have their origin in former stocking with individuals out of the Weißensee, but the crayfish population has gone back.