22.12.2016

Winfried Klein and the activities of the IG-Lahn - Presentation at the board meeting in September 2016

Salmon, Hydropower and Netting – Winfried Klein and the activities of the IG Lahn

The reintroduction of Atlantic Salmon to River Lahn started with an initial stocking in 1993 using a strain from river Ardour (France). Starting from year 2000 the Allier strain was used and  the Swedish Ätran strain starting from 2004.

Already in 1997 the first returning fish where detected at the mouth of River Lahn to the Rhine. According to Winfried Klein in 2006/2007 a significant decline in numbers of returning fish was found.

There is suspicion that the reason for this decline had something to do with changes in the fisheries legislation in the Netherlands (increased semiprofessional fishery leading to higher bycatch).

However stocking in this period was converted to smolt stocking (with adipose clipping (ac)) and in other areas of River Rhine (Rivers Sieg and Kinzig) no decline could be encountered at this time. It remains to be clarified why the numbers of returners are constantly lower than before since that time. Today stocking is done with parrs once more.

Until today 108 adult returning salmon have been found in River Lahn.

The  returners  caught were used for stripping in the hatchery of the organization.

IG Lahn judges the quality of fish passes the better the more their design resembles a natural stream. Very technical solutions are being regarded critical as they show limited functionality or don’t work at all in the Lahn river system.

Please find here the complete presentation of Winfried Klein.

Pease also find an overview of all presentations of the board meetings right here.