Session E1: Behavior and Abundance of Diadromous Fish at a Large Tidal Barrier: In View of the Fish Migration River Passage
Location
Groningen, The Netherlands
Event Website
http://fishpassage.umass.edu/
Start Date
22-6-2015 11:25 AM
End Date
22-6-2015 11:40 AM
Description
Abstract:
Closing-off the estuary Zuiderzee with a 32 km dam (Afsluitdijk) had severe consequences for fish migration between Wadden Sea and rivers IJssel/Rhine and Vecht. Plans are proposed to build a large fish passage (‘Fish Migration River’) next to the discharge sluices in the Afsluitdijk at Kornwerderzand. This passage of several km length is unique in also allowing incoming tide, thus facilitating fish using selective tidal transport. To come to an optimal design and placing of entrances that efficiently will attract diadromous fish, several studies were carried out in spring 2014 to study behaviour and abundance of migratory fish. The seaward side of the sluices were monitored with lift nets, mainly targeting flounder larvae, three-spined stickleback, smelt and glass eel. DIDSON observations were made to determine vertical distribution of fish. An acoustic telemetry experiment (18 VEMCO receivers) was carried out to study searching behaviour and passage success of sea lamprey, houting and sea trout. Abundance estimates for the different species varied from several tens to hundreds of millions. The spatial dynamics of small fishes in time in the Kornwerderzand discharge basin were large. Numbers of small fish in the discharge basin were high, but the highest concentrations occurred at different locations in time.
Lower numbers of glass eels and sticklebacks after highwater than before upcoming tide are in accordance with Selective Tidal Transport, although smelt numbers were similar after high water, suggesting more active swimming behaviour. Telemetry data showed large dynamics and intensive searching of the whole discharge basin by the fish. Passage success of sea lamprey appeared to be limited to 12-25%. In addition, substantial delay of sea lamprey migration was indicated. Passage success of houting and sea trout appeared to be larger than 50%. In this, discharge events, tidal current, wind and active swimming all play a role.
Session E1: Behavior and Abundance of Diadromous Fish at a Large Tidal Barrier: In View of the Fish Migration River Passage
Groningen, The Netherlands
Abstract:
Closing-off the estuary Zuiderzee with a 32 km dam (Afsluitdijk) had severe consequences for fish migration between Wadden Sea and rivers IJssel/Rhine and Vecht. Plans are proposed to build a large fish passage (‘Fish Migration River’) next to the discharge sluices in the Afsluitdijk at Kornwerderzand. This passage of several km length is unique in also allowing incoming tide, thus facilitating fish using selective tidal transport. To come to an optimal design and placing of entrances that efficiently will attract diadromous fish, several studies were carried out in spring 2014 to study behaviour and abundance of migratory fish. The seaward side of the sluices were monitored with lift nets, mainly targeting flounder larvae, three-spined stickleback, smelt and glass eel. DIDSON observations were made to determine vertical distribution of fish. An acoustic telemetry experiment (18 VEMCO receivers) was carried out to study searching behaviour and passage success of sea lamprey, houting and sea trout. Abundance estimates for the different species varied from several tens to hundreds of millions. The spatial dynamics of small fishes in time in the Kornwerderzand discharge basin were large. Numbers of small fish in the discharge basin were high, but the highest concentrations occurred at different locations in time.
Lower numbers of glass eels and sticklebacks after highwater than before upcoming tide are in accordance with Selective Tidal Transport, although smelt numbers were similar after high water, suggesting more active swimming behaviour. Telemetry data showed large dynamics and intensive searching of the whole discharge basin by the fish. Passage success of sea lamprey appeared to be limited to 12-25%. In addition, substantial delay of sea lamprey migration was indicated. Passage success of houting and sea trout appeared to be larger than 50%. In this, discharge events, tidal current, wind and active swimming all play a role.
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/fishpassage_conference/2015/June22/3
Comments
Presenting Author Bio: Erwin is a research ecologist at IMARES, Wageningen UR, in the Netherlands. He has been working on mainly fish migration and behaviour of fish in both riverine and marine environments for twenty years now. Most of the studies concern the effects of human activities or anthropogenic structures, such as weirs, dams, hydropower or pumping stations and offshore wind farms on fish populations, often using telemetry or DIDSON techniques. He received his PhD from Wageningen University on a study on the effectiveness of a series of fishways in 2007.