Flood risk management schemes can be a major barrier to fish and eel migration, increasing mortality and injury. It is therefore vital to ensure that schemes support safe passage to ensure their long-term sustainability.
We’re working collaboratively with the Environment Agency and the wider academic community to develop a new guide and supporting tools which condense existing research, guidance and practical experience to help the planning, appraisal, design, construction and maintenance of fish and eel screens, deterrents, passes and fish-passible pumps.
The guide will inform flood risk management strategies and cover both the development of new flood risk management and land drainage structures as well as modification of existing structures in both inland and coastal settings.
Bridging the gap between science and practical implementation, the guide will capture the latest scientific research, including the latest trial results by Hull International Fisheries Institute (HIFI) and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) which provide valuable insights into eel behavior, passage and deterrent performance.
The guide is due to be released late-2020.