On 26 April the first of ten fish stocks was released into Hongrin reservoir, providing a new habitat for a large number of trout with a collective weight of 400 kilograms. Under the supervision of the regional fisheries service, a helicopter was used to transport the fish safely to their new home. The releases will be repeated twice a month until September 2013, much to the delight of local anglers and, of course, tourists armed with rods and a fishing permit.
The power plant operator Forces Motrices Hongrin-Léman (FMHL), in which Alpiq has a 39 percent stake, invests around CHF 40,000 a year in stocking Hongrin reservoir with organic trout. In so doing, FMHL is fulfilling its compensation commitment to the cantons of Vaud and Fribourg, which is a required condition for the company's operating concession.