Location
Groningen, The Netherlands
Event Website
http://fishpassage.umass.edu/
Start Date
22-6-2015 3:00 PM
End Date
22-6-2015 3:15 PM
Description
Abstract:
River obstructions are major obstacles to connectivity and have been responsible for the decline of many diadromous fish populations. In the past fish passage solutions were built opportunistically. However with the introduction of various European Directives and recognition of a need to be more strategic in planning solutions the Environment Agency has developed an approach that ensured resources, knowledge and technical capacity were operationally aligned and optimised to get the greatest ecological benefit from re-connecting river systems for the free passage of fish.
This paper will show how we have prioritized obstructions using a digital representation of the river system based on a high resolution river centreline network. Potential obstructions to fish on the network were identified from features previously mapped by Ordnance Survey, Britain’s national mapping agency. We were able to precisely map the locations of nearly 26,000 weirs, dams, barrages, waterfalls, sluices and other obstructions. Network analysis techniques enabled us to gather metrics on tidal distance distance upstream to key features and head drop using LIDAR data. The data has been used directly in fish population models and to help focus resources to resolve fish and eel passage issues through prioritisation initiatives. We have also developed crowd sourcing initiatives to map and gather data on existing and newly discovered obstructions through a smart phone App, with our partners in the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency. We show how we have
1) embedded an objective focussed and prioritised approach to achieve legislative commitments,
2) centralised the service to help with delivery and improved contractor and project
management capability (and capacity) through the production of a Fish Pass manual and
3) developed and improved fish pass technical knowledge and resilience to get better value for money.
Session C2: Converting Government Policy into Practice by Restoring the Connectivity of English Rivers for the Free Passage of Fish
Groningen, The Netherlands
Abstract:
River obstructions are major obstacles to connectivity and have been responsible for the decline of many diadromous fish populations. In the past fish passage solutions were built opportunistically. However with the introduction of various European Directives and recognition of a need to be more strategic in planning solutions the Environment Agency has developed an approach that ensured resources, knowledge and technical capacity were operationally aligned and optimised to get the greatest ecological benefit from re-connecting river systems for the free passage of fish.
This paper will show how we have prioritized obstructions using a digital representation of the river system based on a high resolution river centreline network. Potential obstructions to fish on the network were identified from features previously mapped by Ordnance Survey, Britain’s national mapping agency. We were able to precisely map the locations of nearly 26,000 weirs, dams, barrages, waterfalls, sluices and other obstructions. Network analysis techniques enabled us to gather metrics on tidal distance distance upstream to key features and head drop using LIDAR data. The data has been used directly in fish population models and to help focus resources to resolve fish and eel passage issues through prioritisation initiatives. We have also developed crowd sourcing initiatives to map and gather data on existing and newly discovered obstructions through a smart phone App, with our partners in the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency. We show how we have
1) embedded an objective focussed and prioritised approach to achieve legislative commitments,
2) centralised the service to help with delivery and improved contractor and project
management capability (and capacity) through the production of a Fish Pass manual and
3) developed and improved fish pass technical knowledge and resilience to get better value for money.
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/fishpassage_conference/2015/June22/36
Comments
Presenting Author Bio: Jim’s 20 year career in fisheries began using acoustic and radio telemetry to monitor fish movement in impounded rivers. An early adopter and champion of split-beam acoustics and imaging sonar for fisheries monitoring, he has developed monitoring tools and techniques for fish passes and has a long association with technology based fish monitoring methods. Awarded the Winston Churchill Medal from HM Queen for international work on fish monitoring, he is a former Editor of FISH magazine and Vice chair and Fellow of the Institute of Fisheries Management. Jim now manages a team of technical specialists and is responsible, among other things, for providing a fish passage advisory service for the Environment Agency and their delivery partners.