Suivi scientifique de l’efficacité des nouvelles échelles à poissons sur la Berwinne aux barrages de Berneau et Mortroux. Bilan global des études et perspectives.

Définition de bases biologiques et éco-hydrauliques pour la libre circulation des poissons dans les cours d'eau non navigables de Wallonie

Spawning movements of European grayling Thymallus thymallus in the River Aisne (Belgium)

In three consecutive years (1998 to 2000), 20 adult grayling Thymallus thymallus (L.) (FL +/- SD: 326 +/- 43 mm) were radio-tracked during circum reproduction period (February to May) in the River Aisne, Belgium. Before the spawning period, grayling remained consistently in the pool-riffle sequence in which they had been captured. Pre-spawning migration time extended from 7 to 29 March. Distances travelled during the spawning migration ranged from 70 to 4980 in (mean +/- S.E.: 1234 +/- 328 m). Spawning migrations stalled under conditions of decreasing water level and increasing water temperature in a thermal range (daily mean Tdegrees) from 5 to 8 degreesC. Spawners remained from 1 to 31 days (mean +/- S.D.: 10.4 +/- 9.8 days) at the spawning grounds and performed a post-spawning homing from 28 March to 18 April in decreasing water flow and in a thermal range (daily mean Tdegrees) from 7 to 11 degreesC. This study demonstrates that migration patterns of grayling are similar between years, but with a timing adjusted as a response to annual variations of the hydroclimatic conditions

Essai d’estimation des dommages piscicoles engendrés par les prises d’eau industrielles et les turbines hydroélectriques dans les cours d’eau de la Province de Liège. Partie E. Chapitre 8. Les centrales hydro-électriques sur la Méhaigne, petit affluent de la Meuse dans le sous-bassin Meuse aval

Ce rapport à la Commission provinciale de Liège du Fonds piscicole de Wallonie est un dossier bibliographique qui analyse l’impact potentiel sur les populations de poissons des quatre centrales hydroélectriques (voir tableau A) installées sur la Méhaige, principal, petit affluent de la rive gauche de la Meuse, sous-bassin Meuse aval. L’impact de la production d’hydroélectricité sur les poissons de la Méhaigne concerne principalement le cours inférieur de la rivière où se succèdent sur une distance de 5,9 km trois micro-centrales qui utilisent un débit de 2-3 m3/s, pratiquement égal au module. L’utilisation d’un tel débit sur aussi petite rivière favorise un fort pourcentage d’entrainement de l’eau et des poissons dévalants dans l’installation de turbinage (turbine Kaplan, turbine Francis ou vis hydrodynamique). Dans ce cas, il faut envisager un effet cumulé de la cascade des trois microcentrales de la Basse Méhaigne

Decreased stock entering the Belgian Meuse is associated with the loss of colonisation behaviour in yellow-phase European eels

The upstream migratory behaviour of yellow-phase European eels was investigated in regulated inland rivers (>320 km upstream the sea), where the stock is in drastic decline. From 2010 to 2015, eels entering the Belgian Meuse River (n = 1357; total length, 231–755 mm) were caught in fish passes, tagged with a pit-tag and released. Their upstream movements were tracked during the next six consecutive years, using three detection stations installed in vertical-slot fish passes of the Meuse and its Ourthe tributary. Among the 1357 eels tagged, 27.6% (n = 374 individuals) were detected at one or more of the three upstream detection stations. Only 6.6% (n = 89) of tagged eels were detected at the two subsequent stations. In this last group, most of the detected eels continued to move upstream through the Meuse rather than leaving it for the Ourthe. Water temperature >13 °C, river flow 24–226 m3/s, dark time 00:00–05:00 h and the spring–summer seasons were the most important cues for upstream migration. Temperatures and flows at detection did not differ between size classes of ascending eels, while the detection period was earlier and daily speed was faster in large (>450 mm) eels. However, small (≤300 mm) eels moved further upstream at slow speeds because they alternated between short periods of movement and long stationary periods. This behaviour suggests the existence of a few nomad individuals and probably more home range dwellers in the entering population. Small eels were better suited to colonise upper rivers

RETABLISSEMENT DE LA LIBRE CIRCULATION DES POISSONS EN MEUSE : 20 ANNEES DE SUIVIS DE PASSES A POISSONS

editorial reviewe

Fish responses to artificial flow and water temperature variability in a large river (Rhône, France)

peer reviewedUnderstanding fine scale behavioural responses of fish to changes in abiotic characteristics of habitat, such as flow variability, is an interesting innovative issue to improve river management in highly disturbed aquatic environments. For example, in the Rhône River (France), important hydrology and thermal contrasts are mainly explicated by the succession of dams and nuclear power plants. The main aim of our study was to describe fish behaviour in term of movements and habitat use as responses to habitat variability due to the production of peaking electricity and temperature heterogeneity (natural or due to a nuclear power plant release). Fixed telemetry system (accuracy of few square meters; Hydroacoustic Technology Inc.) enabled to define individual fish behavior during different short habitat variability configuration (flow increase, flow decrease, temperature increase....). We then recorded at a local scale continuous movements of n=61 fish during short term (lower than day) habitat variability. The study was conducted in a 2 km long river stretch, from July to September 2009. Abiotic conditions (temperature, depth, velocity or substrate) were simulated (with an accuracy comparable with fish positioning accuracy) every where at any time (i.e. for any discharge) using a hydraulic 2D model calibrated and validated for the whole discharge range observed during the experiment. Three main species were represented : two native cyprinids, chub (Squalius cephalus) and barbel (Barbus barbus), and an invasive species, wels catfish (Silurus glanis). Fish mobility and habitat use were studied to describe changes in behavior associated with changes of abiotic conditions. The separate effects of each environmental factors (discharge, temperature, photoperiod) and their interactions on fish behavioral responses were studied. Finally, variability of fish habitat preferences were estimated to refine understanding of observed behaviors. The different results highlighted the advantages and limitations of the telemetry acoustic system in a large river to address fish displacement in response to discharge and temperature variability. They also emphasized the necessity of a 2D hydrodynamic model to understand fish behaviour