Game of Fish

Nature & Wildlife 52' 2023 4K

10,000 years ago when the inland ice vanished from Scandinavia, a glittering landscape of rivers, lakes and intricate coastlines was left behind — the perfect arena for the fascinating Game of Fish.

The protagonists in this Swedish aquatic saga are the Atlantic salmon, the Northern pike and the Atlantic cod, apex predators maintaining order in their respective ecosystems. The awe-inspiring Northern pike reaches speeds of 100 kilometers an hour when striking. With 600 razor-sharp teeth she is something of a tyrant. The agile salmon employs a complex strategy to make its way up six meter high waterfalls in order to find the exact spot where its life began. And the cod has a love life full of secrets that have never before been filmed.

This prominent trio is supported by odd characters, like prehistoric sea lamprey and the illusive eel, the perch and the tench, all players in this spectacular game, full of tricks and hacks, betrayal and friendship. A chorus of small minnows, numerous insects, and microscopic plankton finish off this cast — all equally important to keeping the the balance in this sunken realm.

The number of fish in Swedish waters was once enormous. Birds, mammals and humans could take their pick every day. But the rules of the game are being bent. We humans have changed the prerequisites for natural production by over-fishing, habitat destruction and by disconnecting bodies of water from one another. The game is not yet over for this wonderful underwater world – but it is urgent that we start playing by the rules.