Management and conservation of fish populations in mountain streams: An holistic approach in the framework of LIFE DIVAQUA project

Producción CientíficaThe recovery of threatened and endangered fish species is among the highest priorities for biodiversity conservation in national parks and fisheries management in nearby areas. Threats to fish populations are numerous and include habitat fragmentation and degradation, proliferation of invasive and pathogen species, and climate change. Moreover, mountain areas often share the most critical threats. However, there does not exist a common strategy that integrates conservation and management plans for fish populations in mountain areas. In this regard, LIFE DIVAQUA designed a conservation strategy that integrates new knowledge gained from scientific research and long-term monitoring data, and considers the main threats to fish populations in mountain areas: (1) A long term monitoring program has been already implemented for 10 years, revealing temporal trends of fish populations in mountain streams. (2) Modeling of fish population by the use of environmental DNA allowed analyzing fish distributions in areas with scarce data and evaluating habitat suitability maps. (3) Fishways construction and removal of river barriers substantially increased the distribution area of endangered species. (4) The analysis of climate change effects in water temperature and hydrology led to the implementation of environmental flows under a climate change scenario; (5) Monitoring fish diseases, their occurrence, and temporal changes (e.g., Aeromonas spp.) can be used as an early warning signal of ecosystem unbalance. A pilot study for the implementation of this conservation and management plan in the LIFE DIVAQUA project is showing promising results. However, the success of conservation and management strategies requires a broader approach. This includes the participation of a wide range of partners and stakeholders and utilizes independent scientific oversight, assessment, and project adjustments to ensure conservation goals are met.Comisión Europea - (grant LIFE18 NAT/ES/000121

Session D7: Fishway with Two Entrance Locations: Understanding its importance for Iberian Barbel

Abstract In recent years, in the Iberian Peninsula, many fish passes have been built and improved. To ensure the proper operation of these, it is essential to carry out an evaluation and subsequent monitoring, considering both biologic and hydraulic aspects. We analyze the performance of Iberian barbel –Luciobarbus bocagei (Steindachner, 1864)– in a technical fishway: pool and weir, with bottom orifice. It is located in the Josefina hydropower plant (Duero River, Valladolid, Spain). Fish ladder has two fish entrances: one in the turbine outlet channel and another in the natural river course. Both the most relevant hydraulic values (flow, velocity, volumetric energy dissipation) and biological parameters (movement pattern, attraction, entry and passage) were measured. Biological assessment was conducted in the spawning season using PIT tag technology. The main influence on upstream movement was river discharge. There were no preferences between path selection; and ascent success and transit time were similar between two entrances.. Results highlight the importance of two access points for improve entrance and decrease migration delay

Capacidad de nado de ciprínidos potamódromos ibéricos: experimentación en el canal de nado de Vadocondes

The anthropogenic alteration in fluvial ecosystems is high, mainly due to the creation of transverse barriers (dams, weirs, gauging stations, drainage pipes, etc.), which modify their longitudinal connectivity, causing, among other impacts, the fragmentation of the habitat. This problem affects the migrating fish, because it can suppose a blockade or delay in their movements, reducing their habitats, threatening the viability and abundance of their populations, even reaching their extinction. The swimming capacity of the fish (swimming speed, fatigue time and distance traveled) is one of the factors that determine their survival. A system that allows to establish it, in natural conditions, are the voluntary open channel flume. In the flume of Vadocondes (Burgos) the swimming capacity has been determined, and how environmental and biometric factors influence in the swimming capacity, of two of the main species of cyprinids potamodromous of the Iberian Peninsula (Iberian barbel –Luciobarbus bocagei– and northern straight-mouth nase –Pseudochondrostoma duriense–, with the aim of being able to develop adequate technical and scientific guidelines, which guarantee an optimal and effective design of the fishways, which has a positive impact on the conservation of their populations.El grado de alteración antropogénica en los ecosistemas fluviales es elevado, debido, fundamentalmente, a la creación de barreras transversales (presas, azudes, estaciones de aforo, caños de drenaje, etc.), que alteran su conectividad longitudinal, causando, entre otros impactos, la fragmentación del hábitat. Esta problemática afecta a los peces migradores, pues puede suponer un bloqueo o retraso en sus movimientos, reduciendo sus hábitats, amenazando la viabilidad y abundancia de sus poblaciones, llegando incluso a su extinción. La capacidad de nado de los peces (velocidad de nado, tiempo de fatiga y distancia recorrida) es uno de los factores que determina su supervivencia. Un sistema que permite establecerla en condiciones naturales son los canales de nado voluntario. En el canal de nado de Vadocondes (Burgos) se ha determinado la capacidad de nado y cómo influyen en ella factores ambientales y biométricos, de dos de las principales especies de ciprínidos potamódromos de la Península Ibérica (barbo ibérico –Luciobarbus bocagei– y boga del Duero –Pseudochondrostoma duriense–, con el objetivo de poder desarrollar unas directrices técnicas y científicas adecuadas, que garanticen un diseño óptimo y eficaz de los pasos para peces, que repercuta positivamente en la conservación de sus poblaciones