Session A1: Upstream Passage of Adult Salmonids: Blocking Off Cul-De-Sacs with Graduated Field Fish Barriers
Location
Groningen, The Netherlands
Event Website
http://fishpassage.umass.edu/
Start Date
22-6-2015 10:40 AM
End Date
22-6-2015 10:55 AM
Description
Abstract:
The hydrology of watercourses in the vicinity of hydropower installations is often complex and varies with cascade catchment area inflows, generating and spill regimes and statutory compensation flows in the residual basin area. Depending on discharge regimes from draft tubes, spillways, tailraces, fish passes and residual channels, ascending adult salmonids can be attracted into hydrological cul-de-sacs where their upstream migration is delayed and they may become vulnerable to predation, illegal capture and condition loss. The spawning urge of maturing adult salmonids is such that downstream movement out of such culde-sacs is an unnatural choice.
This paper reviews hydropower installations in Europe where graduated field fish barriers (GFFBs) have been installed to exclude ascending adult salmonids from tailrace and draft tube environments. The case histories include Rygene on the Nidelva (Norway), Vessy on the Arve (Switzerland) and Beeston on the Trent (England). The paper also reviews other hydropower installations in Europe where installation of GFFBs is being considered as an option to exclude ascending adult salmonids from draft tubes, tailraces and spillway channels. This approach is being driven by a combination of biological, economic and safety goals. Based on a review of the literature on fish guidance using electric fields, GFFBs have been quite successful in achieving results — especially for upstream fish-guidance needs where river flows and water velocity can be leveraged with the graduated nature of the technology to yield positive results.
Session A1: Upstream Passage of Adult Salmonids: Blocking Off Cul-De-Sacs with Graduated Field Fish Barriers
Groningen, The Netherlands
Abstract:
The hydrology of watercourses in the vicinity of hydropower installations is often complex and varies with cascade catchment area inflows, generating and spill regimes and statutory compensation flows in the residual basin area. Depending on discharge regimes from draft tubes, spillways, tailraces, fish passes and residual channels, ascending adult salmonids can be attracted into hydrological cul-de-sacs where their upstream migration is delayed and they may become vulnerable to predation, illegal capture and condition loss. The spawning urge of maturing adult salmonids is such that downstream movement out of such culde-sacs is an unnatural choice.
This paper reviews hydropower installations in Europe where graduated field fish barriers (GFFBs) have been installed to exclude ascending adult salmonids from tailrace and draft tube environments. The case histories include Rygene on the Nidelva (Norway), Vessy on the Arve (Switzerland) and Beeston on the Trent (England). The paper also reviews other hydropower installations in Europe where installation of GFFBs is being considered as an option to exclude ascending adult salmonids from draft tubes, tailraces and spillway channels. This approach is being driven by a combination of biological, economic and safety goals. Based on a review of the literature on fish guidance using electric fields, GFFBs have been quite successful in achieving results — especially for upstream fish-guidance needs where river flows and water velocity can be leveraged with the graduated nature of the technology to yield positive results.
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/fishpassage_conference/2015/June22/57
Comments
Presenting Author Bio:
Martin O’Farrell Ph.D. Senior Scientist, is a fisheries biologist by training. He has spent most of his career working as a fisheries consultant in Ireland and several other European countries. During the early part of his fisheries career, his main focus was on the assessment and management of Atlantic salmon and migratory trout stocks supporting commercial and recreational fisheries. He then spent a decade as fulltime fisheries consultant with Ireland’s national electricity generator, designing and executing fisheries management programmes for Atlantic salmon and European eel of river systems fuelling hydroelectric generating stations. He has widespread international experience of fisheries management issues associated with hydroelectric development and has participated in turbine passage survival assessments for Atlantic salmon smolt in Ireland, Scotland and Russia and for American eel and steelhead smolt in the USA. He has also consulted for manufacturers of infra-red and resistivity fish counting technology. He has a background in Atlantic salmon and Arctic charr aquaculture and is very familiar with environmental impact and commercial aspects of fish farming operations. For the past 15 years Martin has owned and managed an Irish company involved in the manufacture of electric fishing equipment and electric fish barriers. He sold this business to Smith-Root Inc. in 2011 and now runs the European office of Smith-Root. He has used his training and experience as a fisheries consultant to develop business opportunities for the company in Europe. Since 2012 he has also participated in Smith-Root research and development projects throughout the United States. Martin is a valued member of the SmithRoot scientific and management teams and is now a director of Smith-Root Inc.