World Fish Migration day - Mitigation measures for glass eel migration

The European eel has a remarkable life cycle: each spring juvenile eels called glass eels arrive at our Belgian coast. They were born somewhere in the vast Atlantic Ocean, presumably the Sargasso Zee. When they arrive at our coast, they already travelled for about 7000 km. Their goal is to migrate into our freshwater rivers and canals to colonize them and grow untill they migrate back for spawning after more than 15 years. However, obstacles like tidal barriers and water pumping stations prevent them from reaching suitable growing habitats. Commissioned by various governmental authorities like the Flemish Environment Agency (VMM), the Agency for Nature and Forest (ANB) and De Vlaamse Waterweg nv, the Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), study the effectivity and potential of mitigation measures to let the eels in.

On World Fish Migration Day, INBO will exhibit one of the many operational glass eel ladders for the public, explain how they work and why they are critical to help the dwindling eel population. Also, under the European project LifeWatch they have been tracking eels for over a decade, leading to fundamental insight that helps efficient management. Hence, they will explain the various used telemetry techniques  and what they learned.

To register for this event email your details to pieterjan.verhelst@inbo.be (deadline: 2022-05-20).

Get prepared by watching these YouTube videos:

• Zenderonderzoek bij paling in België
• Glasaal migratie
• West-Vlaamse Natuurstudiedag 2021 - Europese paling als indicatorsoort voor ecologisch waterbeheer

And play the game

• Save the eel