Project
Timing is of the essence: The performance of intertidal fish passes in the Wadden Sea area utilizing temporal windows of migratory opportunity
Background
Fishes that migrate between the ocean and freshwaters (diadromous fishes) are increasingly hampered by human activities, such as dam building and other adaptations to the estuaries. In order to allow for diadromous fishes to still perform their migration fish passes have been built at many places. However, the effectivity and efficiency of these fish passes are not always assessed, and there is a scope for optimization.
Objectives
The main objective of this project is to establish the performance of fish passes at intertidal barriers for different diadromous fish species. We focus on identifying mechanisms and underlying processes of diadromous fish migration and the subsequent temporal and spatial match/mismatch in relation to operational and functional characteristics of these fish passes.
Methodology
Field work involves monitoring sticklebacks and glass eels at nine locations along the Dutch Wadden Sea coast, using different types of nettings. In addition experiments involving tagged fish will also be used.
Contact information