Details
Free-flowing rivers are essential ecosystems providing vital services. Yet, ever-increasing human
population causing global change, significantly alters these ecosystems. Anthropogenic water
regulating structures, such as pumps and shipping locks, block fish when undertaking their critical
migratory journeys. In the Northern Atlantic, the population size of diadromous fish species, i.e.
species that migrate between freshwater and marine realms to complete their life cycle, declined by
at least 90% since the end of the 19th century. Despite legislation and management efforts to
restore diadromous fish, the desired results are still to be reached. This project takes action on the
urgent need to include data and knowledge-driven measures into water management in Flanders for
diadromous species restoration. For this purpose, a model-based water management tool will be
developed which estimates when fish want to migrate across a barrier and which conditions must be
met to do so safely. At its core, the tool consists of an individual-based model. By making use of
several telemetry datasets of the flagship species the European eel (Anguilla anguilla), downstream
migration behavior in typical Flemish landscapes is studied. In this way, the effect of barriers in both
polder areas and canalized rivers, typical water systems in Flanders, is investigated at both individual
and population level.
| Status |
Running |
| Actual start/end date |
04/11/2024 - 31/10/2028 |
Teams
INBO Research theme(s)
Tags
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fish
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migration
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modelling
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water
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watermanagement
