International eel symposium, 2003 - Quebec August 11, 2003
Oral Presentation

Protection of Downstream Migrating Silver Eels with the Early Warning System Migromat®

Dumont, U.* Floecksmuehle Consultants, Bachstr. 62-64, D-52066 Aachen, Germany
Adam, B. Institute für Applied Ecology, Neustaedter Weg 25, D-36320 Kirtorf-Wahlen, Germany.

Presenter email address: u.dumont AT floecksmuehle.com

Abstract Text: Downstream migrating eels are endangered when passing hydro power installations. Due to their specific migratory behavioral pattern and morphology, conventional screens do not properly keep them from away from power plant intakes. At present there are no facilities in Europe, which can efficiently avoid the passage of eels through turbines. An alternative strategy may be a fish-friendly operational management of hydro power plants, such as reducing velocity at intake screens or stopping the turbines during migration periods. A necessary prerequisite for this procedure is an early and reliable detection of downstream migration events. This can be provided by the MIGROMAT®, consisting of a tank supplied with water from the river, in which the activity of eels can be registered automatically. At the River Meuse (Netherlands) a correlation was proofed between significant changes in their behavioral pattern and the downstream migration eels in the river. The MIGROMAT® provides an early warning system, which detects imminent downstream migration events of silver eels, and may automatically send out a warning message.Therefore the MIGROMAT® contributes to the sustainable use of regenerative energies, and helps saving the ecological function of streams.