Assessing downstream passage of European silver eel at a tidal pumping station: acceleration as a proxy for eel activity.

ABSTRACT:

Background

To complete their lifecycle, diadromous fish often need to pass anthropogenic barriers in regulated rivers and estuaries (e.g., pumping stations, weirs, hydropower facilities). The safe and timely passage of the endangered catadromous European eel (Anguilla anguilla), through pumping stations is a major concern and European legislation stipulates that safe downstream passage must be provided at hazardous intakes. To implement effective mitigation measures, specific knowledge on eel passage behaviour at barriers is needed.

Methods

We used acoustic telemetry with acceleration sensors tags, to understand eel movement and activity, migration routes, escapement success, and delay at a tidal pumping station. Tri-axes accelerometers measured eel acceleration in three dir

SUBMITTER: van der Knaap I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12486681 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature