02.03.2017

Report from the Meeting of the Advisory Board in September 2016

Reintroduction and conservation of migratory fishes by LFV-Weser-Ems e.V.

Dr. Jens Salva

Dr. Jens Salva started with a historic review with reference to today's activities. The historic numbers of Atlantic Salmon caught in Rivers Weser and Ems are strong evidence for the former abundance of this species. In modern times, since 1978 people have been working on the reintroduction of Salmon.  A report published in  the 35 / 2000 edition of the German weekly journal „Spiegel“ titled „Schöner als jedes Märchen“ (meaning: More beautiful than any fairy tale) could be regarded as a milestone for public relations in this field.

Jens Salva himself has been involved in reintroduction projects in the Weser-Ems area since the age of twelve (!). Apart from intensive public relations activities his focus lies on the improvement of disturbed river structures and the linear permeability for aquatic animals.  In younger days the measures taken for the developement of waters have been intensified in cooperation with local anglers.

The migratory species they are working with are Atlantic Salmon, Sea Trout and Houting. The Rivers are Delme, Hunte, Ems, Hase, Leda and Jümme with their tributaries.

The stocking programs are accompanied by different kinds of monitorings. Returners, caught by electrofishing are being PIT tagged and registered.

Additionally the fish movement in front of fish pass entrances are monitored using a "Didson" underwater sonar.  There has also been a trial to accompany salmon smolts by means of a floating cage into the Wadden Sea bypassing the estuarine nets.

Jens Salva mentioned as major problems: too narrow riparian strips, cattle tracks affecting river banks, too rough river maintenance and a lack of linear permeability of the rivers.

There's some very intensive and encouraging activities with respect to the ecodesign of waters.  To adjust the transport of sand in the river they try to connect the alluvial meadows and forests to the river dynamics and to remove the still predominant trapezoid bank profiles. This way at certain points very beautiful and gravelly, natural strips of water have been created. Jens Salva points out that these isolated activities have to be extended to an area-wide scale. The pace of the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive is regarded as being clearly too slow.

Please find the complete presentation here .

An overview of all presentations of the Advisory Board can be found here.