Project description
Protecting Europe’s freshwater fish
Freshwater ecosystems across Europe face significant threats from human activities and climate change, with over a third of freshwater fish species at risk. To address these challenges, the EU-funded ProtectFish project will focus on the conservation of river fish, particularly those protected under the Habitats Directive. Predation, notably by cormorants, has exacerbated population declines, even in restored areas. ProtectFish aims to enhance monitoring and develop protective measures for species like the grayling. By conducting field experiments and assessing cormorant populations, the project seeks to mitigate predation impacts and support biodiversity goals under EU strategies like Natura 2000 and the Water Framework Directive. This initiative promises to advance sustainable management practices crucial for safeguarding Europe’s freshwater biodiversity.
Objective
Freshwater ecosystems are heavily impacted by human activities and climate change. Overall, at least 37% of Europe's freshwater fishes are threatened at a continental scale, and 39% are threatened at the EU level. This is one of the highest threat levels of any major taxonomic group (DG. Environment, 2011). Many species of river fish are in a very poor conservation status and even those that are protected by eg. the Habitats Directive, are not regularly monitored and documentation of the population trend and status is often lacking.
A recent great increase in predation pressure has further increased pressure on river fish, even in healthy, restored or least-impacted areas. In the EU, predation may be the main reason for widespread loss of populations of Habitats Directive listed grayling (Thymallus thymallus). There is a genuine and widespread concern among managers and stakeholders regarding protection of wild populations of river fish, as grayling, from unsustainable predation pressure. The conflicts involving fish protection and predation have been intense in most member states for decades and despite protective measures, including culling (Birds Directive article 9-derogations), the conflicts have remained intense. ProtectFish aim to investigate the monitoring and protective measures of Habitat Directive-listed river fish species, answering Area A of the call. We will develop and test protective actions, using cormorants (Phalocorax carbo sinensis) and grayling as a case. Small- and large scale field experiments will be conducted to measure the effect of relieving cormorant predation pressure on fish populations. We will examine the background for the conflicts, by estimating the current population status of cormorants and grayling in EU as well as quantify the culling of cormorants. The results of ProtectFish will directly aid to achievement of EU Biodiversity Strategy, Natura 2000 and the WFD as well as improved adaptive nature management on local levels.
Fields of science
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystemsfreshwater ecosystems
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesfreshwater biology
- natural sciencesbiological scienceszoologyichthyology
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiological behavioural sciencesethologybiological interactions
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinator
2800 Kongens Lyngby
Denmark