Improving passage through a large estuarine barrier for anadromous fish species: Understanding fish behaviour to optimize sluice gate management of the Haringvlietdam and to rehabilitate migratory fish populations

Tidal barriers hamper diadromous fish migration between sea and freshwater. Recently altered sluice management at the Haringvlietdam allows controlled inflow of saltwater to facilitate fish migration. WUR, together with Rijkswaterstaat and the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, investigate fish behaviour, migration windows and losses due to fisheries or predation in the vicinity of this tidal barrier. The solution to optimize sluice management should result in improved migratory opportunities and enlarged upstream spawning populations. Just one example of how WUR is working on nature conservation and recovery of species.