LIFE and freshwater fish LIFE Nature Environment LIFE NATURE | LIFE and FrEshwatEr FIsh EUrOPEan COMMIssIOn EnVIrOnMEnt dIrECtOratE-GEnEraL LIFE (“The Financial Instrument for the Environment”) is a programme launched by the European Commission and coordinated by the Environment Directorate-General (LIFE Units - E.3. and E.4.). The contents of the publication “LIFE and freshwater fish” do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the institu- tions of the European Union. Authors: João Pedro Silva (Nature and Biodiversity Senior Expert), Justin Toland (Editor), Stephen Notting- ham, Wendy Jones, Jon Eldridge, Tim Hudson, Kirsten Heppner, Derek McGlynn, Christophe Thévignot (ASTRALE GEIE-AEIDL, Communications Team Coordinator). Managing Editors: Angelo Salsi (Head of unit LIFE E.3, En- vironment DG, European Commission). LIFE Focus series coordination: Simon Goss (LIFE Communications Coordinator - Environment DG, European Commission), Valerie O’Brien (Environment DG, Publications Coordina- tor). Technical assistance: Ainhoa Darquistade Fadrique, Alberto Cozzi, An Bollen, Anastasia Koutsolioutsou, Andras Kovacs, Andrej Baca, Anita Rubene, Audrey Thenard, Camilla Strandberg-Panelius, Carlo Ponzio, Chiara Caccamo, Chiara Spotorno, Cornelia Schmitz, Cristobal Ginés, Donald Lunan, Edyta Owadowska, Ellen von Re- kowski-Degott, Emilian Burdusel, Felix Bergmann, Inga Racinska, Ioana Lucaciu, Irune Oses Garcia, Isabel Silva, Itxaso Mora Garcia, Iva Rossi, Ivan Norscia, Jean-Paul Herremans, João Salgado, John Houston, Jorg Bohringer, Katerina Raftopoulou, Luule Sinnisov, Lynne Barratt, Marta Kaczynska, Maud Latruberce, Mitja Kaligaric, Neil Wilkie, Quirin Renard, Rolands Ratfelders, Ruth Brauner, Sara Luchetti, Sara Mora, Stanislaw Tworek, Stoyan Yotov, Thomas Wouters and Eric Evrard (Astrale GEIE). The following people also worked on this issue: Maja Mikosińska (Environment DG, LIFE Nature Unit), and Frank Vassen (DG Environment, Unit B3 – Nature). Production: Monique Braem (ASTRALE GEIE-AEIDL). Graphic design: Daniel Renders and Anita Cortés (ASTRALE GEIE-AEIDL). Photos database: Sophie Brynart (ASTRALE GEIE-AEIDL). Acknowledgements: Thanks to all LIFE project beneficiaries who contributed comments, photos and other useful material for this report. Photos: Unless otherwise specified; photos are from the respec- tive projects. For reproduction or use of these photos, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holders. Cover photo: LIFE10 NAT/AT/000016/EZB/TB Zauner. hOw tO OBtaIn EU PUBLICatIOns Free publications: • via EU Bookshop (http://bookshop.europa.eu); • at the European Commission’s representations or delegations. You can obtain their contact details on the Internet (http://ec.europa.eu) or by sending a fax to +352 2929-42758. 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Printed in Luxembourg Printed on recycled paper that has been awarded the EU Ecolabel (http://ec.europa.eu/ecolabel/) LIFE NATURE | LIFE and FrEshwatEr FIsh Foreword mission m T Photo: European Co he conservation of Europe’s freshwater fish and their habitats is an important EU policy Angelo Salsi goal, supported not only through the Habitats Directive and the EU 2020 Biodiversity Strat- Head of the LIFE Nature Unit Directorate-General egy, but also, because of the clear and close links between water quality and fish conservation Environment status, through the implementation of the Water Framework Directive and associated River Basin European Commission Management Plans. As the only specific source of European-level funding for nature conservation, the LIFE programme has made a huge contribution to the improved status of threatened fish species across the EU. This includes vital work in favour of near extinct species such as the houting (Coregonus oxyrinchus), allis shad (Alosa alosa) and saramugo (Anaecypris hispanica). In all, LIFE has already targeted 51 of the 65 freshwater fish species listed in the Annexes of the Habitats Directive. Projects within this publication can be divided into several categories: those that highlight the im- pact of river habitat restoration projects on fish species (some 80% of all freshwater fish projects); those that reintroduce or restock target fish species; those that overcome barriers to migratory species through the addition of fish passages; and those that raise awareness of the threats facing protected fish species and that engage with stakeholders to improve conditions for those species. In addition to highlighting the positive impacts of LIFE on freshwater fish conservation, this new brochure provides food for thought by outlining some lessons from completed projects and poten- tial improvements or areas of renewed or increased focus in future. As the project examples highlighted in this publication demonstrate, in many cases LIFE co-funding has helped inspire further conservation actions that build on the work started through the programme. In addition to their pump-priming effects, LIFE projects have had demonstrable effects in terms of eco- system services, for instance by improving the overall health of river systems, increasing populations of species fished commercially and for leisure, and indirectly strengthening flood defences through reinstating natural river dynamics, an important co-benefit that helps in climate change adaptation. LIFE projects have also added value at European level through cross-border cooperation and through networking events such as the LIFE Platform Meeting on riverine species, held in Estonia in September 2014. Freshwater fish conservation and river habitat restoration will continue to be supported by tradi- tional LIFE projects for the 2014-2020 funding period. The scope of funding has been widened to include species in the IUCN European Red List, enabling LIFE to have a positive impact on an even greater number of threatened species. Furthermore, the addition of integrated projects to the pro- gramme’s portfolio promises to improve linkage between the Natura 2000 network and the River Basin Management Plans, as well as enabling larger and more ambitious projects at regional and national scale. In this way, LIFE funding can have an even greater impact in terms of job growth within the vitally important blue and green economy. 1 LIFE NATURE | LIFE and FrEshwatEr FIsh Table of contents Contents Foreword .......................................1 Stepping-up Rhone streber conservation after LIFE .......................................... 36 INTRODUCTION ..................................3 Multiple benefits flow from support for Greece’s Freshwater fish conservation in Europe ............3 gizani ........................................ 39 LIFE and fish ....................................6 Facilitating habitat functionality for the Adriatic sturgeon ...................................... 40 HABITAT RESTORATION ...........................9 River restoration to support endangered fish ........9 OVERCOMING RIVER BARRIERS .................. 42 Restoring the Vindel’s tributaries to recreate LIFE provides safe passage for migrating fish ..... 42 fish habitats .................................. 13 Improving river continuity to boost sea Safeguarding fish populations in Estonia ......... 16 lamprey ...................................... 45 Conserving the Atlantic salmon .................. 18 Creating blue corridors in Poland ................ 47 Houting project brings multiple benefits in its wake . 22 Conserving Portugal’s threatened saramugo ...... 25 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND Restoring habitat for the Romanian darter ....... 26 AwARENESS-RAISING: Connecting with river River restoration projects in the upper Danube .... 27 communities to conserve fish populations ........ 49 REINTRODUCTIONS AND RESTOCKING ............ 29 CONCLUSIONS: Lessons from LIFE for freshwater Reintroduction and restocking of freshwater fish conservation .............................. 54 fish populations ............................... 29 A European approach to conserving the allis Selected projects focusing on freshwater shad ......................................... 30 fish since 1992 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Saving Spain’s endemic toothcarps from extinction ..................................... 32 Available LIFE Nature publications . . . . . . . . . 65 2 LIFE NATURE | LIFE and FrEshwatEr FIsh I n t r o d u c t I o n Freshwater fish conservation in Europe Freshwater fish populations are under threat across Europe, mainly as a result of degrada- tion of riverine systems by human activity . Factors include weir and dam construction, river regulation, loss of riverbed substrate, water extraction and eutrophication, and stream fragmentation . F reshwater fish are one of the most diverse in helping to conserve freshwater species and their groups of vertebrate species in Europe, habitats. and they represent around one quarter of all ver- tebrates worldwide. Within Europe, the areas of At present, 85 of the 202 freshwater fish species highest fish species richness are within the lower in Europe are considered as ‘threatened’, according parts of the large EU rivers flowing to the Black to the latest IUCN Red List assessment. A total of and Baltic seas, such as Danube and Vistula. East- 77 freshwater fish species are listed in Annexes II, ern and central Europe are also particularly rich, as IV and V of the Habitats Directive. This assessment is all of the Balkan Peninsula and the catchments also shows that there are 60 freshwater fish species of the Elbe and the southern Baltic Sea basin. threatened at the EU-27 level which are not covered by the relevant annexes of the Habitats Directive. The majority of fish species present are endemic and only occur in Europe. Many species occur in Assessments of the conservation status of the hab- just one catchment, in few springs or streams, and itat types and species of community interest includ- about 60% of all freshwater fish assessed as being ed in the annexes of the Habitats Directive have ‘critically endangered’ in the latest IUCN European been carried out in the EU-25 for the period 2001- Red List1 occur in these areas. Mediterranean riv- 2006 and in the EU-27 for the period 2007-2012, ers and water bodies (for example lagoons) are the ones that hold the most endangered species. Fig. 1: Distribution of freshwater fish in the pan-European region the natura 2000 network Natura 2000, the EU-wide network of nature pro- tection areas established under the Habitats Direc- tive (92/43/EEC), is the centrepiece of EU nature and biodiversity policy. Its aim is to ensure the long-term survival of Europe’s most valuable and threatened species and habitats. The network is comprised of Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) designated by Member States under the Habitats Directive and in- corporates Special Protection Areas (SPAs) which are designated under the Birds Directive. Many of the 27 300 Natura 2000 sites (as of June 2014), which cover more than 1 million km2 and represent more than 18% of total EU surface area, play a crucial role 1 Freyhof, J. and Brooks, E. 2011. European Red List of Freshwa- ter Fishes. http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/conservation/ Source: EEA, 2007 - http://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/ds_resolveuid/15874F65-F340- species/redlist/downloads/European_freshwater_fishes.pdf 4C76-BCC3-D19970F62BBC 3 LIFE NATURE | LIFE and FrEshwatEr FIsh Fig. 2: Assessment of conservation status of freshwater fish Most freshwater fish are very sensitive to alter- species (2001-2006) ation of their natural habitat. In addition, many require long upstream or downstream migrations 100% to fulfil their lifecycle (see box, p.5). Obstructing 38 90% these migration routes can therefore seriously 80% hamper their access to breeding areas and feed- 56 70% ing sites. Free movement between such habitat 60% features throughout a species’ lifecycle is often 50% 81 essential to its survival. 40% 30% There are few rivers in Europe that have not been 20% 67 impacted by dams for hydropower or irrigation 10% purposes. The first dam upriver of an estuary is 0% Fish (242) now usually the end point for the migration of anadromous species (those that live in the sea Unfavourable - bad Unfavourable - inadequate Unknown Favourable as adults and migrate upriver to spawn in fresh- water). Dams are also a major threat for cata- dromous species (those that grow in rivers and under what is known as the Article 17 reporting pro- migrate to the sea), such as the European eel (An- cess. According to the 2006 report, more than 60% guilla anguilla) (see Figure 4). of fish species have an ‘unfavourable’ conservation 21 1s0tatus, with more than 25% of them reported as The European Environment Agency (EEA) recog- 48 Extinct (EX) ‘unfavourable-bad’ (see Figure 2). nises that, “river fragmentation is understood as Critically Endangered (CR) more threatening to fish (aquatic) communities threats to fre43shwater Efndiasnghered (EN) than pollution.” Ensuring free movement of fish is therefore a priority for the implementation of the Vulnerable (VU) 100% According to the IUCN, pollution is one of the most Water Framework Directive and Habitats Directive. 185 90% widespread 3t8hreats affecting fiNesahr ,T hbreuatte neitd (iNsT ) not the This is particularly true for “true migratory fishes”, 59 80% most serious in terms of extinction risk. Significant which can be either catadromous or anadromous Least Concern (LC) 56 70% threa1t6s to freshwater fish are water abstraction (by species. 60% Data Deficient (DD) the agriculture sector, for example) and the intro- 50% duction of a8l1ien species that are causing declines For example, several endangered sturgeon spe- 40% for some freshwater species. cies listed in Annex II of the Habitats Directive 30% as priority for conservation rely on a good envi- 20% Many Europe67an fish are highly susceptible to the im- ronmental status of their river systems, including 10% pact of invasive alien species, be they predators or unimpeded access to freshwater spawning sites 0% competitoFrissh .( 2L42o)cal fish populations are easily wiped and adequate river conditions during their fresh- out if ecologically more competitive alien species in- water life. Obstacles of any kind will negatively Unfavourable - bad Unfavourable - inadequate Unknown Favourable vade their habitats. affect the free movement of these fish. They may be either prevented from reaching their intended spawning destinations or lose so much time and Fig. 3: European freshwater fish species within each IUCN Red List category - EU-27 energy reserves that they arrive too late or too exhausted to spawn. 21 10 48 Extinct (EX) The EEA notes that these factors alter anadro- mous fish species communities by, “disrupting Critically Endangered (CR) their structures (size components of the commu- 43 Endangered (EN) nity, functional groups, species diversity and rela- Vulnerable (VU) tive abundance) and in extreme cases result in the 185 Near Threatened (NT) extinction of a population or even of the species.” 59 Figure 4 shows how dams have reduced capacity Least Concern (LC) 16 of fish to migrate in large areas of Europe. The Data Deficient (DD) areas where obstacles obstruct the free passage of migratory fish species are marked in orange. 4 LIFE NATURE | LIFE and FrEshwatEr FIsh EU 2020 Biodiversity strategy Fig. 4: Loss of accessibility for migratory fish due to dams in major European river basins - 2010 In May 2011, the European Commission adopted a new strategy for EU action over the next 10 years to meet the 2020 biodiversity headline target set by EU leaders in March 20102. The strategy is built around six mutually supportive targets that ad- dress the main drivers of biodiversity loss and aim to reduce the key pressures on nature and ecosys- tem services in the EU. The six targets are: • Full implementation of EU nature legislation to protect biodiversity; • Restoration of ecosystems, and more use of green infrastructure; • More sustainable agriculture and forestry; • Better management of fish stocks; • Tighter controls on invasive alien species; and • A bigger EU contribution to averting global biodi- versity loss. The 2020 Biodiversity Strategy builds on learning from the 2006 EU Biodiversity Action Plan and rais- es the level of ambition for 2020. Consequently, in Accessible (green) and inaccessible (orange) areas for migratory fish in Europe. addition to halting the loss of biodiversity, the strat- Source: EEA - http://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/loss-of-accessibility-for-migratory/loss- of-accessibility-for-migratory-3) egy also highlights, for the first time, the important value of ecosystem services and the urgent need to ecology and improved protection and recovery of maintain and restore these for the benefit of both European rivers. In particular, Member States are ex- nature and society. Biodiversity loss is in fact very pected to tackle any remaining water pollution prob- costly for society, particularly for sectors that de- lems. It deals with surface and groundwater quality pend heavily on services ecosystems provide. For and quantity, and aims to enforce sustainable levels example, freshwater fish are an important source of of water abstraction. food and provide livelihoods for millions as well as recreational fishing and ornamental fish for aquari- ums. Fish communities can also regulate the wa- Freshwater fish migration ter quality of nutrient-rich lakes. Fish are important bio-indicators and even provide cultural services, by For the purposes of reproduction, freshwater fish usually migrate to spawn- inspiring art, literature and society through the ages. ing areas located elsewhere to their feeding grounds. Fish migration is gener- ally triggered by environmental factors such as temperature changes or flood Water Framework Directive events. Different species of fish run at different times of year. whitefish start their spawning run in autumn whilst most cyprinids (the carp and its rela- The Water Framework Directive requires that Mem- tives) begin theirs in spring. ber States achieve, “good ecological status of water bOumficonniuditemilig teoipaesfet s ewd.t hehTudeiopc hsfikmte srhyheea eacvmtmoe in tg bhdareeainte tidoidno ni ndrhse,oe cwteathmivnveiselpryte’hsr fema oamsromiesid ni iinifismmg et iduhtgh,me reba nytrni eeo2eeqne0du d1 dir f5ieotfo.--r” NAT/IRL/000342/Ruairí Ó Conchúir mtehseetunreats ri yst htcoeo snronivueerccrt eivo. irtI nyw abadetdtewirtcieooenun,r stahel el m rdivuiresertc tzeivonens euinsre,c l futrdhoeamst Photo: LIFE07 requirements for increased monitoring of aquatic 2 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/biodiversity/ comm2006/2020.htm COM(2011) 244 Our life insurance, our natural capital: an EU biodiversity strategy to 2020 5 LIFE NATURE | LIFE and FrEshwatEr FIsh I n t r o d u c t I o n LIFE improves conservation status of freshwater fish species The LIFE programme is an important resource for improving the conservation status of freshwater fish species and a vital tool for the management of the Natura 2000 network . It has done much to deliver key targets in the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 . L IFE has co-financed some 1 500 projects halt the deterioration of the conservation status of across Europe targeting nature conservation all species and habitats covered by EU nature legis- and biodiversity, contributing approximately €2 bil- lation and achieve a significant and measurable im- lion since 1992. provement in their status by 2020. The programme has made a major contribution to More than 135 LIFE Nature projects have directly the implementation of the Natura 2000 network, in targeted freshwater fish species, mobilising a total particular with regards to requirements for the pro- investment in excess of €150 million since 1992. 100% 90% tection and1 9conservation of habitats and species, These projects have targeted 51 of the 77 freshwa- 80% and the management of sites established by the EU ter fish species included in Annexes II, IV and V of the 70% 60% Habitats and Birds directives. Habitats Directive, or some 66% of species eligible 50% for support. 40% 51 30% In so doing, LIFE is contributing towards the achieve- 20% ment of goals set out in the EU Biodiversity Strategy According to the most recent Article 17 reports from 10% 0% to 20201, in particular, Target 1 of the strategy: to EU Member States, several of the species targeted Freshwater Fish Species have either improved or maintained their conservation 1 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/info/pubs/docs/bro- status. This publication includes key examples of LIFE Not Targeted by LIFE chures/2020%20TBairogdet%ed2 w0ibthr oLIcFhE uprroej%ect2 a0cfitionnasl%20lowres.pdf project actions that have contributed to improving the conservation status of freshwater fish species. Figure 1.: Freshwater fish species targeted by LIFE projects (1992-2013) The most targeted fish species, each with more than 50 25 projects, have been the European bullhead (Cot- 46 45 tus gobio – see box page 7), spined loach (Cobitis 40 taenia), European brook lamprey (Lampetra planeri) 35 30 31 30 and salmon (Salmo salar) (see Figure 1). 25 25 20 19 18 As Figure 2 illustrates, LIFE freshwater fish projects 15 14 have taken place in 22 of the 28 EU Member States. 10 10 10 9 The five most-frequently represented nations have 5 been Italy, Germany, Spain, Austria and France. 0 Cottus gobio Cobitis taenia Lampetra planeri Salmo salar Misgurnus fossilisRhodeus sericeus amaruLs ampetra fluviatilis Hucho hucho Leuciscus souffia Aspius aspius Help for freshwater ecosystems Target 2 of the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 aims Figure 1 - Source: LIFE programme database to maintain and enhance ecosystems and ecosystem 6 25 20 15 10 5 0 1992 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 IT ES BE UK PT DE FR HU PL DK IE FI NL RO GR CZ SE SK CY AT EE LV INT MT BIH LU Total: 256 projects LIFE NATURE | LIFE and FrEshwatEr FIsh Figure 2: LIFE freshwater fish projects by Member State (1992-2013) 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 IT DE ES AT FR NL BE SI IE PL UK SE DK PT EE GR LV LT BG LU CZ HU Total: 136 projects services. Specifically, it seeks to establish green in- and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, frastructure and restore at least 15% of degraded Salicion albae). ecosystems. Actions to restore rivers and recreate freshwater habi- When assessing the overall impact of the LIFE pro- tats have the indirect benefit of improving conditions for gramme on freshwater fish species conservation it threatened fish species and giving them the opportu- is important also to take into account projects that nity to recover. It is also important to recognise the role have targeted freshwater habitats listed in Annex that LIFE has played in improving connectivity for fish I of the Habitats Directive. For instance, a total of species by establishing green and blue infrastructure in 269 LIFE projects have carried out concrete con- and between Natura 2000 network sites. In both these servation actions in favour of the Annex I-listed ways, the LIFE programme can be seen to be contribut- habitat, *91E0 Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa ing towards Target 2 of the 2020 biodiversity strategy. European bullhead (Cottus gobio) The European bullhead is a freshwater • R econnection of floodplain with the that also applies to other species, as fish distributed across six biogeographi- river; and was highlighted in the conclusions of cal regions in Europe. It lives on clean and • R estoration of several riverine habitats the first LIFE riverine Platform Meeting well-oxygenated gravel and rock bottoms (mainly the Annex I-listed habitat, Al- (see pages 54-56). in streams, rivers and lakes, in estuaries luvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and and in shallow brackish waters of the Bal- Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-Padion, Alnion tic Sea. incanae, Salicion albae). The species has been targeted by 46 LIFE The impact of such actions has been Wheeldon pttacjtehhhoricmoeerntos jss eEueeo cuhg rftravh psocav rtapoethsierj oieeriannyn cncfid tnoe sibgrl s leou th1coawlal9tuthlivuy9tnee s 2gaab . :.dce et nNxHiooeceorlnfi vuwhstest earietvtvdodhee eltitrymh,hl e eepsnt asrssoor,ppn gveeeeepcc t riieifieootdssc-f lhnoMotihmffoaee bmit tdtihhsteibaspeedect e ersct4 orpir6Sen eet tsicsbah pitlhteeroeeoa sr l.j a voiemIaetcncit ao pt nsalnan o dl caettdt htvt icioaetoooioltnnon k(a ndht tl,huh a ptelcevhel t easveef cie udttemle la l)f ,riaow nrgjla ohelwonarteiwigentrtdheeyy- Photo: LIFE05 NAT/UK/000143/Jenny • Reconnection of river side channels (ox- up monitoring to assess the long-term The European bullhead (Cottus gobio) is the bows) with the main river; impact of their actions. This is a gap freshwater fish species most targeted by LIFE 7 LIFE NATURE | LIFE and FrEshwatEr FIsh Controlling invasive alien species Target 5 of the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 re- fers to invasive alien species (IAS). It seeks to iden- tify and prioritise IAS and their pathways, control or eradicate the most harmful species and manage pathways to prevent the introduction and establish- ment of new IAS. A number of LIFE projects target- ing freshwater fish have taken actions that support these goals and also support the implementation of the new EU Regulation on Invasive Alien Species2. A prime example is provided by a series of projects in Spain that have benefitted the endangered Spanish tsoivoet hecaarspte (rAnp hmaonsiuqsu iitboefirsuhs ) (bGya merbaudsiciaa tihnogl bthroeo ikniv) a–- NL/000078 scheea pptpe.r 3o2n- 3ri5ve. rF uhratbhietra te xreasmtoprlaetsi ocna n(p bpe. 9fo-1un2d). in the Photo: LIFE06 NAL/ LIFE actions: an overview LIFE has supported essential work to restore and recreate habitats across Europe Table 1 summarises the main project actions that LIFE freshwater fish projects have carried out, in- This publication highlights a host of examples of the cluding actions to improve habitats that have indi- type of LIFE project actions summarised in Table 1. rectly benefitted fish species, as well as actions that The following pages highlight both established and have directly targeted fish populations. innovative best practices in freshwater fish species conservation. Project outcomes and the resultant im- 2 Regulation (EU) No 1143/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the prevention pact on species conservation provide useful lessons and management of the introduction and spread of invasive for freshwater fish conservationists, policy-makers alien species http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/? qid=1417443504720&uri=CELEX:32014R1143 and river users across the EU. Table 1 – Actions by LIFE freshwater fish projects Main target Type of action Objective Technology/Technique of action financed habitat Habitat restoration Improve habitat conservation status Opening of side river (oxbows) and connection with floodplain Habitat recreation Recreate new habitats for species Flooding and reconnecting floodplains with main river and planting water plants and/or riverine forest Re-naturalisation of river margins and river dynamics (eg. Removal of river banks) Habitat restoration Improve river connectivity and allow Removal of river barriers (e.g. weirs, small dams and bridges) fish migration IAS control and Control of IAS that affect freshwater Manual and/or chemical control, traps, etc (depending on the eradication habitats (e.g. plant species) invasive alien species) Fish species Captive breeding Reintroduction and restocking of fish Breeding protocols and genetic population studies facilities populations Building of Improve river connectivity and allow Construction of fish passages (fish ladders/elevators/ infrastructure fish migration channels) Improving Improve spawning areas and boost Various techniques, including depositing gravel to create new reproductive success reproduction spawning areas IAS control and Reduce/eliminate competition and Electro-fishing, traps (depending on the IAS) eradication predation by IAS Project actions involving stakeholder engagement, dissemination and communication 8