Project areas

Over a seven-year period, until 2031, project stakeholders plan to implement over 500 actions. These include removing migration barriers, restoring floodplains, creating wetlands and restoring habitats for fish and other aquatic animals in both rivers and coastal areas.

One of the project’s most extensive interventions will be the creation of a three-hectare eelgrass area on the Stenungsund coast Natura 2000 site. Other significant sub-projects include the restoration of stone reefs in coastal waters in Skåne and measures to remove over 100 migration barriers in watercourses. The measures recreate unique habitats that strengthen fish stocks, increase biodiversity and contribute to important ecosystem services such as recreation, nature tourism and support for local economies.
The fish species salmon, sea lamprey and eel are highly endangered species in both Sweden and Europe. Improve Aquatic LIFE will provide extra help for these species. This includes creating wildlife passages and improving both habitats and water quality. In Ätran, a new method will be applied to attract sea lamprey to the river.
Overall, fish survival and production may increase from current levels.

Measures in watercourses
Some of the watercourses where Improve Aquatic LIFE will make a difference through restoration, ditch plugging, flooding of land, fauna passages and other more or less large-scale projects are Mieån, Bräkneån, Örekilsälven, Lärjeån, Tidan, Grönån and Ätran.

Eelgrass beds – marine green spaces
Underwater eelgrass beds are vital habitats for marine species. The vegetation also counteracts erosion.
In the Natura 2000 area Stenungsundskusten and Hallands Väderö, several hectares of eelgrass areas will be strengthened. There are plans to plant eelgrass shoots to strengthen the viability of the area.