Over three days, more than 30 LIFE projects from 10 countries met in Umeå to exchange experiences and learn from one another.
Discovery of salmon above Okome mill
During the summer, Okome Mill was dismantled to allow aquatic organisms to migrate past the dam and occupy spawning and nursery areas further up the catchment. During electrofishing, shortly after the dam was dismantled and no longer constituted a migration barrier, juvenile salmon were found upstream of the dam. Salmon have not been found in Stockån above Okome since the dam was built.
The permit process to remove and replace the Torp power station with a new dam to allow free fish migration is ongoing. At the same time, Munkedal municipality has initiated its own restoration measures along the river.
Salmon habitat in focus at fishing and leisure fair
Last Saturday in June, the County Administrative Board of Värmland participated in the fishing and outdoor fair in Sysslebäck to present Improve Aquatic LIFE. There was great interest among the visitors, who learned about planned measures to improve the habitats in Värmland’s rivers.
First Skolbäcken finished – strong start for the project
Improve Aquatic LIFE has carried out its first School Stream activities for children and young people! Through the School Stream concept, a school class is taken out to a nearby water to learn more about the life below the surface, often carrying a small-scale habitat restoration.
Freshwater pearl mussel secrets mapped in Värmland
At the beginning of June, the first surveys of the protected Freshwater pearl mussel were carried out in the Likan and Fämtan Rivers in Värmland. Although no mussels were found this time, the surveys provided important knowledge – and hope lives on.
EcoAdvance presents Improve Aquatic LIFE
The large European collaborative project EcoAdvance has conducted an interview with Improve Aquatic LIFE project manager Karin Olsson. In an online interview, they discuss the ongoing Swedish restoration efforts to improve aquatic ecosystems and the challenges and obstacles faced – and how to learn from them.
Now the Görarp dam has been removed – 30 kilometers of free fish migration
Parts of the over 90-year-old Görarp Dam in the River Råån have now been removed, making around 30 kilometers of river accessible to fish and other aquatic animals. The demolition restores the natural flow of the River Råån, which will strengthen the stocks of trout, among others, but also benefit weaker species such as river lamprey.
Free flow in Stockån – SVT on site when the connectivity is restored
In Stockån, a tributary of River Ätran, parts of an old mill dam are being demolished to restore free migration routes for salmon and other species. This is part of the Improve Aquatic LIFE project, which aims to improve the Ätrans water system and strengthen biodiversity. SVT visited and reported from the project.
Total stopp for recreational fishing for eels in River Rönne å
From May 1, all recreational fishing for eel is prohibited in River Rönne å. The ban applies to the entire stretch from Ringsjöarna down to the mouth of the sea at Ängelholm.