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Effectiveness of a multi-slot vertical slot fishway versus a standard vertical slot fishway for potamodromous cyprinids

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Abstract

Developing and testing new fishway designs is important to improve these facilities. Discharge-efficient passage systems are required in Mediterranean regions and other areas with dry climates. The present study compares the passage performance of the Iberian barbel, Luciobarbus bocagei (Steindachner, 1864), a potamodromous cyprinid, negotiating two different types of vertical slot fishways (VSF): a standard VSF and a multi-slot VSF (MSF). Results show that differences exist between configurations in the number of fish movements through the first slot. The I. barbel performed a significantly higher number of movements in the MSF. However, no differences were found in the entrance time and entry efficiency. The performance was similar between configurations in terms of successes, suggesting that both fishways could be used to restore longitudinal connectivity. Nevertheless, the MSF is a more discharge-efficient configuration, since it requires 31% less water to operate for the same water depth in the pools. Consequently, the velocity and turbulence have lower magnitudes which generally favour the negotiation by smaller individuals. Since it is a more discharge-efficient and cost-efficient configuration, future studies should focus on the passage performance of smaller species to determine if MSF is a useful solution for the whole fish community.

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Acknowledgements

We thank José Maria Santos, Mario Eckert, Daniel S. Hayes and all the staff of the National Laboratory for Civil Engineering (LNEC) for all the help during the fish experiments. Filipe Romão (PD/BD/52512/2014), Ana L. Quaresma (SFRH/BD/87843/2012) and Susana D. Amaral (SFRH/BD/110562/2015) were supported by PhD grants and Paulo Branco (SFRH/BPD/94686/2013) was funded by a post-doctoral grant, all, from Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT). CEF is a research unit funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia I.P. (FCT), Portugal (UID/AGR/00239/2013). We also thank the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF) which provided the necessary fishing and handling permits.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CEris – Civil Engineering for Research and Innovation for Sustainability, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001, Lisbon, Portugal

    Filipe Romão, Ana L. Quaresma, Susana D. Amaral & António N. Pinheiro

  2. CEF – Forest Research Centre, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal

    Paulo Branco & Susana D. Amaral

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  1. Filipe Romão
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Correspondence to Filipe Romão.

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All relevant international, national, and/or institutional procedures for the care and use of animals were proceeded. Fish trials and sampling were supervised in agreement with national and international guidelines to maintain the welfare of the tested animals. Fish samplings were obtained from the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF). Fish experiments were carried out with strict agreement with the guidelines of the “protection of animal use for experimental and scientific work” of the Department for Health and Animal Protection (Direcção de Serviços de Saúde e Protecção Animal) that authorized animal experiments to be completed in the experimental facility, and fish to be held in the laboratory. All efforts were made to minimize stress and no fish were killed during the experiments.

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Romão, F., Branco, P., Quaresma, A.L. et al. Effectiveness of a multi-slot vertical slot fishway versus a standard vertical slot fishway for potamodromous cyprinids. Hydrobiologia 816, 153–163 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-018-3580-5

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