Flagship Process on Migratory Fish - EUSDR

Process; ongoing

EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 4 Water Quality

PA 4 in cooperation with PA 6 is very active in increasing the knowledge base on migratory fish species, including the sturgeon – the Danube endemic fish species – and is looking for possibilities of re-establishing their migration routes. PA 4 supports international projects like the Monstur project to establish, test, and launch a transboundary system to monitor sturgeon species for the management and protection of migratory fish in the Danube basin or We Pass I and II and Living Rivers projects to enable fish migration at the Iron Gates and Gabčíkovo Water Structure. PA 4 presented a brochure “Promoting Measures to Enable Fish Migration in the Danube River Basin” summarising the current knowledge, carried out a study on the effects of noise and waves on fish species and a fish migration restoration document, prepared an animated film about sterlets, and organised a working meeting regarding fish migration “From Iron Gates to Gabčíkovo Water Structure”. PA 4 is also continuously promoting hydro-morphological measures to achieve a good ecological status of the waters needed for fish migration.

Objectives: PA 4 Action Plan, Action 5 objectives:

raising broad public awareness for the Danube sturgeons as Flagship Species for the Danube River Basin and for the ecosystems and biodiversity of the Danube River Basin as a whole;
fostering sturgeon conservation activities including protection of habitats, restoration of fish migration routes, and ex-situ conservation measures;
closing knowledge gaps concerning monitoring of pressures and planning of measures for fish migration in coordination with PA 6 (Action 3).

Need and (expected) impact: In May 2024, PA 4 organised the fish migration working meeting “From Iron Gates to Gabčíkovo Water Structure”, which provided the platform for discussion about behaviour of migratory fish species and about technical solutions of fish pass designs, especially the Iron Gates and Gabčíkovo Water Structure. In addition, PA 4 prepared the brochure “Promoting Measures to Enable Fish Migration in the Danube River Basin” and the fish migration restoration document. The document provides a database of relevant information on migratory fish restoration (e.g., methodologies, the investigation on behaviour of fish species; an overview of ichtyocenoses in the Middle and Upper Danube); and estimates alternative technical solutions of fish pass design for specific migratory fish at Gabčíkovo Water Structure. To support visibility of the topic, PA 4 completed a short animated film, titled “Why is it a challenge to be a migratory fish species?”.

Macro-regional dimension: Migratory fish species (e.g. sturgeons) can spawn only in the river without barriers and borders, hence this process will affect all countries on the Danube River. Conservation measures will be effective only in case they are applied at the macro-regional level. Moreover, countries and operators of the Iron Gates and Gabčíkovo Water Structure should closely cooperate to create the most feasible solution for fish passes.

Stakeholders involved: ICPDR; PA 6 – DSTF; related projects leaders, related hydropower operators (e.g. Water Construction, Slovakia, Hidroelectrica), experts on migratory fish protection in Danube Region, experts in the field of technical design of fish passes, international organisations, PA 4 SG members, etc.

Budget and Funding: The process has already been partly financed by implementation of the PA 4 relevant projects related to sturgeons. The transnational projects are financed by the European Commission, Interreg Danube Region Programme and LIFE Programme.

The new financing should be allocated for sturgeon conservation measures projects and processes (e.g. negotiations, meetings, conferences, workshops and public awareness raising campaigns).

Further information:

Contact: Ms Andrea Vranovská, Priority Area Coordination Team, PA 4, Water Research Institute, Bratislava – Slovakia,

Other: There are two major barriers on the Danube River for migratory fish species – Iron Gates in Romania/ Serbia and Gabčíkovo Water Structure/Dunakiliti in Slovakia/Hungary. Construction of fish passes in the Iron Gates can serve as an information base for the construction of other fish passes in the Danube River (e.g., Gabčíkovo, and upper Danube ones). The Danube Strategy Flagship Process on Migratory Fish aims to facilitate the removal of fish barriers along the Danube River.

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